Japan: Courts and Culture: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace

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JAPAN

Stag

c. 1860-65

Silver, patinated silver alloy, bone, enamel | 10.8 x 22.0 x 13.5 cm (whole object) | RCIN 41631

Early diplomatic contact between Japan and Britain was not without conflict. These gifts were sent to Queen Victoria as a sign of peace after the two nations exchanged fire at Kagoshima in 1863. The elderly couple on the saké cup represent enduring harmony. The deer, considered a divine messenger, has been engraved and burnished to resemble the spotted hide of the sika deer of Japan.
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