Help - what kind of dragon menuki is it?

[pica]

I've removed this menuki from an old damaged tsuka, but i have nevere see this menuki

[christianmalterre]

Their´s stylism is certaily more Chinese than Japanese here.

(At least the Top one)(Bottom one could equally be Chinese stylism;is but rather to ben seen regularely in Jap.Art expression of Edo and latter Edo,too)

Most probably "Waterdragon"/"Raindragon" which is an loaned stylism which was very popular in the Chinese Warring-States and afterwards got very ofthen recopied and equally found it´s way into jap.art and expression...

I never saw such similarity in Jap.Art till jet!

I do have one Jade piece which is quite very similar to your´s Top one in execution-

In fact-the Japs did loan and borrow an very lot from China and chinese art indeed!

(Should you decide so to part from this-please do let me know...)

 

About the used materials mine guess is an copper-based alloy which got gilded..

Mid Edo(?)(just an guess)

 

Did you "rip" an old Namban Tsuka? -Laugh...

 

Christian

[pica]

The tsuka wasn't namban but probably beginning of 20th, the fuchi and the kashira was dameged, the blade now is stored in shirasaya, and all work is made by a togi.

[sanjuro]

Pica.

 

I agree with Christian. Raindragons of chinese origin adapted by Japanese. I have attached a pic of a pair of iron menuki I own. Somewhat earlier than Edo but the same subject. I'm sure you'll note some similarities.

 

[nagamaki - Franco]

Since it hasn't been mentioned so far, unless I missed it, this pair of menuki would raise a cast flag for me.

[Ron STL]

Franco, you talking about the iron set? I'm wondering if the first set being asked about might actually be of gold. It might be worth checking. Yes, "rain dragons" I'd say. There are so many styles of dragons that it can prove confusing. The iron set style appears on a lot of namban and Higo tsuba that come up. Interesting critter, the dragon!

 

Ron STL

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Ron,

 

No, not Keith's set, pica's topic menuki. Gold,

[sanjuro]

RonSTL.

 

Just to clear it up.... The iron set is most certainly not cast. I have it on good authority they are possibly late Muromachi. Rather a large set, thought to be for a tachi. Being of Chinese derivation they do appear in similar form on some Namban work.

I think possibly the OP set is probably gold foiled. On the reverse side there are small patches of the gold missing on the edges.