Comments on this Kozuka

[Caracal]

Hello members

I would like a statement/assessment of this kozuka with nanako and dragon  that I found at a dealer. Is it common, mediocre or? 
It is a dragon that eats a Varja. The ritsual thunderbolt, vajra in Sanskrit and kongo in Japanese, is a symbol of wisdom. The name vajra means both thunderbolt and diamond, as it is a symbol of brute strength and indestructibility.

 

//Bob

 

[Curran]

 

For your kitchen, to prop up a table, or some sort of door/curtain pull?

 

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Robert,

I suspect this is shakudo that has been improperly cleaned and has lost its black surface. Pity. Grey

[Matsunoki]

Looks fairly poor quality. The dragon has been applied (stuck on) rather than inlaid and it has also lost virtually all of its gilding. The whole thing has been de-patinated. OK if very cheap. Is it signed? (I doubt it)

[Caracal]

Hello,

Thanks for your comments, its no Mei and judged as you say.

Thanks

//Robert

[Caracal]

Interesting, comments about this kozuka

 

Ko-Kinkou-style, Kurikara Ryu Zu

The surface of this Kozuka is decorated with the Nanako-Ji (魚子地) technique. It is made by hitting the Nanako-Ji Tagane (魚子地鏨, chisel used for this technique). Although the surface is worn down due to aging, you could see delicate fish egg-shaped protrusions.
 

 About the design, you see a dragon that coils its body around the blade. This motif is called the Kurikara-Ken (倶利伽羅剣), which is the sword that Fudo Myo-O (不動明王, acalanātha) holds with his right hand. Fudo Myo-O is one of the objects of worship in Buddhism. According to a theory, it is the incarnation of Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来, Mahāvairocana, the principal image of esoteric Buddhism). The Kurikara-Ken was named after its appearance that Kurikara Ryu-O (倶利伽羅龍王, dragon) is winding around the sword. It is believed that the Kurikara-Ken could cut off worldly desires: Sandoku (三毒). Sandoku is the three fundamental human desires; Ton (貪, greed), Jin (瞋, anger, grudge), Chi (癡, delusion, complaint). The handle part of this blade looks like the Sankosho (三鈷杵, a type of item of esoteric Buddhism).
 

 This Kozuka is recognized by The Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords, which is known as NBTHK.

 

 

 

[Curran]

I don't understand your intent with the last post.

You show one kozuka, then switch it up with a different one and a cut n paste of a different kozuka.

 

What is it that you want to express?