Any idea what this design represents?

[Baka Gaijin]

Evening all.

 

The aesthetics of abstraction are manifold:

 

 

Enjoy

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[ububob]

Very nice! Tadamasa would have loved his work! :D

[laowho]

I see a catterpiggle and chrysallis, a.k.a. butterfly.

Grey

 

I just lost my coffee

 

BTW...it's a crab, every way you look at it. :lol: Just beautiful. It also seems to me that the phalanges rendering would be too cerebral / literal for the much more nuanced Japanese aesthetic. Frankly, I feel a little betrayed by you Ford. If I look at it as a clever hand I'm repulsed, not impressed in the least. Seems more of a cheap trick. Sorry. Of course you all know better, but...yuck. However, the tsuba is really beautiful, but in a different "genius" sorta way that I can't yet put a finger on (sorry). "Gimme time. I need more...time..."

[kusunokimasahige]

It is a great design of an ironplate with holes.

 

KM

[Peter Bleed]

This a clear, if symbolic, reference to the break up of the American Telephone and Telegraph company! Note the strong encircling Google.

Peter

[Alan Morton]

Hi all,

Micheal 101 had a beute one for sale just before the DTI.

Alan.

[BIG]

Hi,

 

maybe the Japanese expert is true with the Shapes of the butterflies,

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopi ... =2&t=18348

 

Best Regards

[Bugyotsuji]

Given the popularity of the Nozarashi skull-in-the-wilderness theme to symbolize loyalty beyond death to one's lord, I could accept the idea that these might be not fleshly but skeletal bones clinging onto the sword, even in death.

[laowho]

That does help me, actually. I've even been wondering whether they couldn't be this as concealed behind a crab...