A Group Of Seven Namban Style Iron Tsuba

UNSIGNED, EDO PERIOD (LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY)

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A Group Of Seven Namban Style Iron Tsuba
Unsigned, Edo Period (Late 18th/early 19th Century)
The circular plate pierced with the twelve zodiacal signs in gold nunome zogan, a design of chrysanthemums around the centre, squared mimi in nunome zogan; oval, pierced with two foreigners, one playing a trumpet, the other walking a dog among karakusa, gold nunome zogan; circular, pierced with a design of scrolling foliage, rounded mimi; oval, pierced with an insect, flowers and two people among karakusa; circular, pierced with birds, flowers and foliage, decorated with kanji characters, square mimi; octagonal, decorated with two dragons, a tiger and karashishi among karakusa, in nikubori ji-sukashi, the eyes in gold zogan, squared mimi; and aorigata, pierced with a shippo pattern and karakusa around the centre, rounded mimi
3.1/8in. (7.9cm.), thickness 4mm., 3.1/8in. (7.8cm.), thickness 3mm., 3¼in. (8.5cm.), thickness 5mm., 3.1/8in. (7.8cm.), thickness 3mm.,
3¼in. (8.3cm.), thickness 4mm., 3¼in. (8.5cm.), thickness 5mm.
and 3.3/8in. (8.6cm.), thickness 3mm. respectively (7)

Lot Essay

The term Namban orginally referred to the Spanish and Portuguese missionaries who went to Japan during the 16th century. It was then used to refer to the unusual and exotic looking tsuba originally made by the Chinese imitating European sabre guards, and then copied by the Japanese during the Edo Period (1615-1868).

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