Lot Essay
The third and fifth in the lot are both good and rare examples of Namban tsuba.
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EDO PERIOD (17TH/19TH CENTURY)
Details
AN AWA SCHOOL TSUBA AND EIGHT OTHERS
Edo period (17th/19th century)
An iron Awa school tsuba decorated with kiri-mon and scrolling karakusa vines and pierced with hishi patterns, 8.1cm.; a tsuba with a boldly inlaid gilt winged dragon and a strange small creature, 8.35cm.; a mokko-shaped sentoku tsuba, carved and inlaid front and back with dragons, a tama, clouds and waves, the details in gold and copper, the rim engraved with European letters, including P, X, 2, E, and some imaginary symbols, signed Hirado ju Kunishige tsukuru, 7.5cm.; an iron tsuba carved with a namazu, the reverse with an inlaid copper crab, 7.9cm., the rim 1.2cm. deep; a classical iron namban tsuba in the form of a Portuguese rapier hand-guard, slightly cupped as the original would have been, with the heads of Portuguese men at the top and bottom of each side, the web pierced with scrolling karakusa, details in gold nunome-zogan, 7.35 cm; an iron tsuba carved in shishiai-bori with Tekkai Sennin blowing out his spirit, with signature Issando Joi, 7.2cm.; a mokko-shaped iron tsuba, the face carved with the threatening figure of Shoki with drawn sword, an oni on the reverse escaping into a cloud, with signature Joi, 8.6cm.; an oval iron tsuba, finely carved with waves, through which the shape of an anchor is pierced in negative silhouette, signed Kazuyuki, with a kao, 6.8cm.; and an iron tsuba, finely pierced and carved with a hobby horse, a drum and a pair of drumsticks, a horsewhip and a straw travelling hat, signed Echizen no ju Kinai saku, 7cm. (9)
Edo period (17th/19th century)
An iron Awa school tsuba decorated with kiri-mon and scrolling karakusa vines and pierced with hishi patterns, 8.1cm.; a tsuba with a boldly inlaid gilt winged dragon and a strange small creature, 8.35cm.; a mokko-shaped sentoku tsuba, carved and inlaid front and back with dragons, a tama, clouds and waves, the details in gold and copper, the rim engraved with European letters, including P, X, 2, E, and some imaginary symbols, signed Hirado ju Kunishige tsukuru, 7.5cm.; an iron tsuba carved with a namazu, the reverse with an inlaid copper crab, 7.9cm., the rim 1.2cm. deep; a classical iron namban tsuba in the form of a Portuguese rapier hand-guard, slightly cupped as the original would have been, with the heads of Portuguese men at the top and bottom of each side, the web pierced with scrolling karakusa, details in gold nunome-zogan, 7.35 cm; an iron tsuba carved in shishiai-bori with Tekkai Sennin blowing out his spirit, with signature Issando Joi, 7.2cm.; a mokko-shaped iron tsuba, the face carved with the threatening figure of Shoki with drawn sword, an oni on the reverse escaping into a cloud, with signature Joi, 8.6cm.; an oval iron tsuba, finely carved with waves, through which the shape of an anchor is pierced in negative silhouette, signed Kazuyuki, with a kao, 6.8cm.; and an iron tsuba, finely pierced and carved with a hobby horse, a drum and a pair of drumsticks, a horsewhip and a straw travelling hat, signed Echizen no ju Kinai saku, 7cm. (9)
Provenance
The third, W.L. Behrens Collection
Literature
The third, Henri L. Joly, W. L. Behrens Collection, pt. III, Sword-fittings (London, 1912), no. 2219, pl. 49
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.