Tsuba Motif Question

[Lance]

I recently picked up the tsuba pictured below. It's a round iron plate 3 1/8 inches across with gold and shakudo inlay, and looks to have some old lacquer on it. I'm wondering what The shakudo inlays represent? It's basically identical on both sides, only reversed. I think they may originally have been sukashi cut outs that were filled in with the shakudo. I don't recognise what they are supposed to be and would like to learn more about it.

Thanks in advance for your time,

Lance

 

P.S.: I'm not fishing for information to aid in selling it, but eventually I may sell it if the urge comes. It won't happen anytime soon, but you might see it on ebay months or years from now and wanted to mention it.

[Surfson]

I believe that they are stylized bells.

http://bushidojapaneseswords.com/bc174b ... utsuba.htm

[Toryu2020]

The broken bridges of a koto...

-t

[k morita]

Hi Lance san,

 

It is designed Arabesque(" Karakusa") and bracken("Warabite").

[Nobody]

I agree with Thomas. The motif is Kotoji (琴柱 – bridges of a Koto).

Ref. http://www.tokka.biz/fittings/TS403.html

[k morita]

Hi,

Is this Kozuka Kotoji, too?

[Guido]

The objects depicted are Kotoji, of which the shape (of the top) is called Warabite (or, more precisely, Warabimon 蕨文) - not need to get into an argument when basically all are right! :D

 

http://www.finesword.co.jp/sale/kodougu ... 6/1146.htm

[k morita]

OK, I agree with Thomas. :D

It's bridges of a Koto and Arabesque pattern(" Karakusa")

[Lance]

Thanks everyone, my original thought was that it might be the top of of a gate (torii?) but either way part of it would be upside down when mounted on a sword, either worn or held, so I wasn't looking at it properly. I probably would have been better off thinking part of the design was right side up at all times instead.

Thanks again,

Lance

[ububob]

Lance, the kotoji form the bridges of the Koto (Japanese harp) and are emblematic of harmony.

[Lance]

I guess being broken, it could be similar to some other themes seen on fittings like broken fans, or a skull/skeleton in the grass (old battlefield) signifying impermanence? There's lots of others but those are 2 that stick out. I should have realized how easy it is to forget how subtle some of this can be when I'm trying to identify certain things without looking at it as a whole.

Thanks again,

Lance