tsuba

[Mark C]

Hi All,

 

I have just picked up this iron aori gata tsuba.

 

the face is, I think copper and the long strip I think is copper as well.

 

As I know very little about tsuba, a couple of questions if I may.

 

1 - what are the scenes on both sides depicting?

2 - any ideas of age and maker?

 

many thanks all

 

regards

 

Mark

[Mark C]

Hi All,

 

After a couple of hours on the net I have came up with the following:

 

The face is Shoki, the Demon Queller.

 

Shoki is usually depicted brandishing a large sword and hunting down Oni.

 

What I cant work out is what he is hunting or hiding from, is it Oni or a lion

 

Also is that a moon or sun set on the other side of the tsuba

 

Am I getting close :?

 

Many thanks

 

regards

 

mark

[Bungo]

it's not Shoki...........

I have a similar theme "menuki " tobacco pouch clasp .

 

milt the ronin

[Bungo]

here it is............. not shoki but there's must be a story behind this as we see the theme quite often

 

milt the ronin

[Stever]

Looks like he's going surfing...:D

 

Seriously though, what *is* that thing he's carrying?

[Bungo]

Looks like he's going surfing...:D

 

Seriously though, what *is* that thing he's carrying?

 

the commandment........... thou shall not make light of a samurai

 

Seriously...... he's going snowboarding.

 

 

milt the ronin

[Pete Klein]

from 'Legend In Japanese Art' by Henri Joly, 1908 (first edition).

Hankwai -- The Chinese Fen Kw'ai, who died circa 200 BC (E). He is generally represented carrying under his arm a door, in allusion to an episode of his life which is variously reported. He was drawn from the lower class of the Chinese people, having been a dog butcher, but being one of the early adherents of the Han dynasty he became one of the ministers of the Emperor Han Kao Tsu (Kao Ti; Japanese, Kan no Koso), and became further attached to him when Kan no Koso married one of his relatives. One version has it that Kao Yy was plotting against the life of the Emperor, and Hankwai having heard that the conspirators were assembled in a rooom feasting with Kan no Koso, he forced his way to it, and bursting open the door entered the room with the door under his arm. The Emperor invited him to partake of the feast, and Hankwai helped himself to a boar's leg, which he carved with his own sword and washed down with ten shos (20 litres) of wine, after which he accused Kao Yu of treason, playing the role of a drunken man to give Kan no Koso time to escape with Chang Liang (Ehon Riozai, Ehon Hokan). During the following year the aged Emperor raised him to the command of his troops, but on an accusation being made against him ordered his minister, Ch'en Ping, to have Hankwai beheaded. Thanks to his relationship with the Empress, he escaped after a short confinement in jail, being reinstated after the Emperor's demise. (etc).

pg. 110, picture page inbetween 126 & 127, image taken from, see scan.

[Mark C]

Hi Pete and all,

 

Wow, many thanks for all the information, must have been some man to drink 20 litres of wine and be able to get up

 

I did LOL on the other options.

 

Milt - have you the pair of menuki?

 

Any idea what the other side is, there seems to be a smaller version coming from behind the door just below Hankwai.

 

Again many thanks

 

Regards

 

Mark

[Bungo]

thanks Pete................

 

by the way, Mark C., mine is not exactly a " menuki ", it's a tabacco pouch clasp.

I think the kinko, after Meiji did away with wearing swords, turned their trade to making varuous metal arts and this is one example of what they did. Sometimes real menuki were converted but this one is specifically made for the pouch.

 

milt the ronin

[Pete Klein]

No prob -- lots of time today and it was an interesting challenge to find it.

 

Milt -- that's a great piece. Collecting those clasps is a hobby unto itself. I've seen some magnificent examples in the auction catalogs and one can see how you could move from menuki to those as an artist as the techniques are identical.