Lot Essay
The shimenawa was a sacred straw rope with paper strips attached. These were placed around swordsmiths' forges and used in Shinto shrines as a mark of purity and sacredness.
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LATE EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)
Details
A TSUBA BY KOFU TATSUTOSHI, A TANAKA TSUBA AND TWO OTHERS
Late Edo period (19th century)
A round iron tsuba, signed Kofu Tatsutoshi, the rim carved in the round as a shimenawa [sacred straw rope], the ends tied and the cut paper streamers pierced, 7.6cm; a mokko-shaped iron Tanaka school tsuba decorated with a goose diving between clouds in front of the moon, the clouds outlined in gold overlay, the moon inlaid in silver and the goose inlaid in relief, 7cm.; a round iron tsuba, carved and pierced with a spider on its web, 8cm; and an oval iron tsuba carved and pierced with chidori flying amidst the spray from crashing waves the spray in gold, signed Bushu Masachika saku, 7.6cm. (4)
Late Edo period (19th century)
A round iron tsuba, signed Kofu Tatsutoshi, the rim carved in the round as a shimenawa [sacred straw rope], the ends tied and the cut paper streamers pierced, 7.6cm; a mokko-shaped iron Tanaka school tsuba decorated with a goose diving between clouds in front of the moon, the clouds outlined in gold overlay, the moon inlaid in silver and the goose inlaid in relief, 7cm.; a round iron tsuba, carved and pierced with a spider on its web, 8cm; and an oval iron tsuba carved and pierced with chidori flying amidst the spray from crashing waves the spray in gold, signed Bushu Masachika saku, 7.6cm. (4)
Provenance
The third, W.L. Behrens Collection
Literature
The third, Henri L. Joly and K. Tomita, Japanese Art and Handicraft: Loan Exhibition Held in Aid of the British Red Cross (London, 1916), no. 1050 and Henri L. Joly, W. L. Behrens Collection, pt. III, Sword-fittings (London, 1912), no. 2145, pl. XLIX
Exhibited
The third, Red Cross exhibition, 1915
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.