New Saotome Tsuba - Any Idea What The Sukashi Represents?

[rkg]

Hi,

 

Here's another Saotome tsuba I recently acquired.

 

The piece measures 77.5mm (H) X 75.8mm (W) X 4.70mm (T, seppa area), 5.84mm (T, mimi).

 

 

 

I'm kind of stumped on the sukashi though - Does anybody have a guess as to what it represents?

 

There's some scratching on the front, but it appears to be under the patina, so its been there for (quite a) while.

 

I don't think its as old as or in as good a condition as my fan one (below), but I'm guessing this new one is from the late Muromachi to Momoyama period in any case

 

 

Thanks,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

[seattle1]

Hello Richard:

There is an outside chance that they represent two ema, those votive paintings of various sizes and depictions seen hanging outside of Shinto shrines.

Arnold

[johnnyi]

Possibly koto bridges  (see Owari to Mikawa  231, 232)

 

 

 

 

Regards,  John I

[johnnyi]

p.s. if you don't have a copy of OTM you can find the similar theme in Grev's book Birmingham Museum..., page 6  #1930

 

 

John I

[rkg]

John,

Thanks for the reply!  I think you're right - Koto bridges it is

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

[rkg]

In case anybody's interested, here are a couple of 360 image sets of this piece - there's still a little gunk at about 7 o'clock on the front, but still...

 

http://www.rkgphotos.com/facebook_stuff/koto_bridge_saotome2/koto_bridge_saotome2_front/koto_bridge_saotome2_front.html

 

http://www.rkgphotos.com/facebook_stuff/koto_bridge_saotome2/koto_bridge_saotome2_back/koto_bridge_saotome2_back.html

 

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

[Pete Klein]

https://www.google.com/search?q=ema+Japanese&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJs8OMzpnaAhXLzFMKHfVlBawQsAQIQg&biw=1920&bih=930

 

Arnold might be on to something.

[Baka Gaijin]

If you block off the nakago ana and imagine it mounted, it resembles two Bishi entwined within the Nakago, as in a vertical varient of the Kamon Kumiai Bishi.