Meiji Period Solid Bronze Okimono Kyogen Monkey in Floral Pattern Cape

This detailed yet unsigned solid bronze statuette features a monkey crouched over with foot over foot, holding an auspicious peach in his left hand, and wearing a beautifully engraved cape or sleeveless top. 
 
Had the cape not caught our attention, we might have missed learning this might be a Meiji Era (1868-1912) treasure! We found several similar monkeys in various clothing featured in bronze pieces from then, sold on auction house sites online in recent years. We also learned the term ‘okimono’. An okimono is a Japanese decorative object or ornament for display.
 
A specialist told us this depict a monkey in costume for kyogen, a traditional form of Japanese comic theater, known for its witty dialogue, exaggerated physical comedy, and everyday humor. When we did a bit more research, we found the monkey mask and early costumes were almost identical to this piece.
 
This item would most likely have been purchased in Japan by the Burr sisters in the 1920s or 1930s, and in turn inherited by our grandmother and our mother, now us. It is in excellent vintage condition – no damage visible. It has a very rich patina, which we were tempted to polish to see what the cape looks like once polished, but we resisted the urge!
 
H 2” x L 1 1/4” x D 1 1/2”
5.29 oz (150g)
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.