Japanese Style Bronze Bonsho Temple Bell With Dragon Wall Bracket Appraisal

Japanese-style Bronze Bonsho Temple Bell with Dragon Wall Bracket

This is a decorative wall-mounted bronze bell, modeled after the traditional Japanese 'bonsho' temple bells. The piece consists of three primary components: the bell, a tiered bracket, and a mallet. The bell itself features a cylindrical body with a domed top and flared rim, quintessential to East Asian design. It is decorated with cast relief patterns including cloud motifs, raised circular bosses (nyu), and a central panel depicting a sinuous dragon. The bronze displays a deep, dark brown patina with subtle areas of oxidation, suggesting a late 19th-century to early 20th-century origins, common in the Export era. The mounting bracket is a particularly striking feature, cast in the form of a serpentine dragon that extends from a rectangular wall plate. This dragon bracket includes a vertical mounting hook from which the bell is suspended by a double-loop handle. Appended to the bracket is a small, elongated metal mallet with a light-colored wooden or bone striking head, used to ring the bell laterally. The construction shows high-quality casting with intricate details in the dragon's scales and features. There is visible surface wear consistent with age, including dust accumulation in the crevices and slight tarnishing of the metal. No significant structural damage, cracks, or modern repairs are immediately apparent, indicating a well-preserved antique or vintage decorative object.