Christmas present

[kaze ryu]

 

I Hello friends of Tosogu. My sister works in a lab, so I got her this piece with a little mouse on it. I was wondering if anyone could help me find out more about the piece. I don't know what fruit, like the mouse, for example, but mainly I need help identifying the school. It's not signed, and the back is sakudo, unlike the front, which isn't gold. I love the detail of the gold in gold.

1,4 x 10 cm 30gr

[ROKUJURO]

Mike,

nice KOZUKA, unfortunately the iron front has some rust which should be dealt with competently. You say the back is SHAKUDO (not Sakudo), so a picture of that (dark background please!) would be nice.

That's not a mouse but a rat (NEZUMI) on the front, a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, and the start of the Zodiac cycle.

The technique of the KOZUKA (the KOGATANA blade is missing?) reminds me of NARA school, but as it seems to be a later EDO item, techniques and motifs were often shared among schools and traditions, so it may well have been made by other artists. 

The photos are not good enough to see what the rat is eager to eat. Maybe plums hung up on a string for drying? Just a guess.

[Bugyotsuji]

Hmmm… they could be persimmons, maybe, which slowly turn a dark rusty colour as they cure.

[MauroP]

Chestnuts?

 

[ROKUJURO]

We will probably know more if Mike posts better photos.