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Any Idea What The Theme Of This Ko-Kinko Piece Might Befr


rkg

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Hi,

 

Here's another recent acquisition:

 

  post-204-0-61567500-1517594895_thumb.jpgpost-204-0-43325300-1517594978_thumb.jpgpost-204-0-19357600-1517595027_thumb.jpg

 

The piece measures 81.0mm (H) X 77.6mm (W) X 4.57mm (T, nakago area), 6.35mm (T, max).  The piece is sanmai construction with what appear to be shakudo outer plates and a yamagane core.  I has lot of lacquer on the surface - and you can see gold uttori/remnants on most of the figures.  Both sides look the same, like they were both punched down in the same mold, though the nanako appears to be different.  There is a shakudo fukurin which appears to have been added (possibly as a replacement for an earlier one or damage repair?). here's a few close-ups:

 

post-204-0-45842200-1517595081_thumb.jpgpost-204-0-70426700-1517595138_thumb.jpg

 

The piece appears to be pretty old - aside from the crud, details like the gold appearing to be uttori, etc would point to it being  from the Muromachi period.

 

The thing is that I ahve not clue what the theme is - you got a bowl, a little guy running around that appears to be holding some crabs, an octopus(?), some crabs, and a pine branch at the top.  Are these items related to a particular festival, legend, etc, or...?  I spent some time looking through Joly and struck out on finding something (though given the random organization of the book, I'd believe I missed something).

 

Any help appreciated...

 

Thanks,

rkg

(Richard George)

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I think it is a collecting scene.maraini4-800x634.png

 

On the left side you see two crabs.

On the right side there is a basket.

The person could be a ama  海女 diver.

 

I have a Shigemitsu Tsuba and wonder everytime what it shows. After seeing a movie about Japan i realize that it shows shellfish collecting (mirugai  海松貝) in the same way like today at for example at mikawa-wan.

 

post-3496-0-47309800-1517601679_thumb.jpg

 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9a/0c/3e/9a0c3ea3937f1f7fce23ab8bb98315a9.jpg

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Dear Richard,

 

While I think Chris may be right (and his Ama collecting guess - and picture - is better than mine), I can't justify the inclusion of the tree or blossoms/fruit with the Ama or collecting interpretation.  Perhaps you should explore the Japanese fable "Saru Kani Gassen" (the Battle of the Monkey and Crabs).  That story features a Kaki (persimmon) tree, an anthropomorphic monkey and several crabs.  To me, your tsuba tree looks like a Kaki (persimmon), and the figure could be an anthropomorphic monkey.  What's on his back?

 

post-852-0-07874000-1517628599_thumb.jpg

 

post-852-0-97793700-1517631830_thumb.jpg

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Chris,

 

Both sides are shown - the figures are pretty much identical - I did enlargements of the back side because the figures are in better shape.

 

here's an enlargement of the lower part of the front side:

 

post-204-0-88384500-1517675154_thumb.jpg

 

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

Richard could you show the backside of the tsuba?

 

If you zoom in, you see that the person collect crabs.

No ama diver but crab collecting.  :)

 

attachicon.gifcrab_collecting.jpg

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George,

Thanks for the reply - I looked up this story, and I'm thinking you may well be correct.  It seems to have most of the major elements, with the "octopus" actually being seaweed...

 

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

 

Dear Richard,

 

While I think Chris may be right (and his Ama collecting guess - and picture - is better than mine), I can't justify the inclusion of the tree or blossoms/fruit with the Ama or collecting interpretation.  Perhaps you should explore the Japanese fable "Saru Kani Gassen" (the Battle of the Monkey and Crabs).  That story features a Kaki (persimmon) tree, an anthropomorphic monkey and several crabs.  To me, your tsuba tree looks like a Kaki (persimmon), and the figure could be an anthropomorphic monkey.  What's on his back?

 

attachicon.gifMonkey Crabs.jpg

 

attachicon.gifKaki.jpg

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