Help with tosho sukashi

[cdrcm12]

I recently bought this tosho tsuba which I think has been in a fire as I had to remove a bit of rubbish off the surface. It's starting to improve in its looks after a bit of fussing, which I'll continue to do.

 

What I'm not sure of is what the sukashi design is meant to represent, any ideas would be welcome.

 

Dimensions:

Height and width 74mm

Mimi thickness 2.8mm

Seppa dai thickness 3.25mm

 

[Spartancrest]

I think the sukashi shows the two parts of a "Fumibako" or document box - there is even a round hole alluding to the bronze ring used to thread a ribbon to secure the two pieces. 

[Nobody]

As a guesswork,

Hyoshigi ( wooden clappers)

Ref. Hyōshigi - Wikipedia

 

日本刀販売専門店　銀座長州屋　鍔　鐔　販売品　拍子木透鐔　無銘　古金工, 鍔, 古金工

 

[Spartancrest]

I am going back to the document box idea. This guard is much later than the tosho. From Grev. Cookes book on the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

[cdrcm12]

Hi Dale and Moriyama,

 

Thanks for your comments, the box is certainly something I would never have identified Dale and agree the likely candidate.

 

Many thanks

[Spartancrest]

Colin, one in the Ashmolean collection with two "letterboxes" - I presume they mean box for keeping letters, not something the postman sticks a delivery into!  Unlike your guard the two boxes are both shown with the lids on.

[sorry, I am a dog with a bone when I go looking for images ]

https://www.ashmolean.org/collections-online#/item/ash-object-365270

[cdrcm12]

Thanks Dale, keep them coming 😁