Strange Looking Kozuka

[Deron Douglas]

Hi,

I saw this on eBay last week and thought it was pretty cool but strange. The image/theme doesn't match anything that I would consider Japanese. And the sword looks more like a European broadsword.

 

What does everyone think?

 

Deron

[Brian]

Looks Japanese theme to me. The sword looks like a ritual ken carried by one of the Gods here? Hotei? Not sure of the theme, but someone will know I am sure.

I like it a lot. Is it ended already, or still for sale?

 

Edit: On second thought, not sure about one of the Gods at all. Can't be Hotei as he is a happy God, and this guy doesn't look too merry to me. :? Anyone want to go through the list? Lol. http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/japa ... _gods-list

 

Brian

[Deron Douglas]

Looks Japanese theme to me. The sword looks like a ritual ken carried by one of the Gods here? Hotei? Not sure of the theme, but someone will know I am sure.

I like it a lot. Is it ended already, or still for sale?

 

Edit: On second thought, not sure about one of the Gods at all. Can't be Hotei as he is a happy God, and this guy doesn't look too merry to me. :? Anyone want to go through the list? Lol. http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/japa ... _gods-list

 

Brian

 

A ken eh? Hmmm didn't think of that! I'll go over the "God List", pretty cool. I didn't see that website before. A good link to save.

 

No it sold last night. Wasn't sure what it was, just thought it was "different" in a cool way.

 

Cheers,

Deron

[Bungo]

it was on ole po's e-bay auction

 

milt the ronin

[Deron Douglas]

it was on ole po's e-bay auction

 

milt the ronin

 

You know, I think there are two "ole po's" out there. I recently purchased something from Zen-Art and their email/paypal address is the same as ole po.

 

Deron

[kusunokimasahige]

LOL!!!

 

spreading your business that is called!

 

:lol:

 

KM

 

(btw i dont think the image on this Kozuka has anything to do with any god, more like any parabel about a guy and a fish....)

[Brian]

Fish?

Looked like some kind of sack to me.

Where are the legends experts?

 

Brian

[sencho]

Could be Susanoo as he found the sword KUSANAGI which is supposed to be a double edged 'bronze age' style sword.... He got it when he killed an eight headed dragon by getting it drunk and chopping off its heads... when he chopped up a few body parts too (for good measure) he found KUSANAGI in the dragons tail.

 

There is a hilarious write up of Susanoo on Brian's link to Godchecker.com.... Fist click on Izanagi (Susanoo's dad) as that is rather amusing too.....

 

Kusanagi is allegedly kept at Atsuta shrine to this day, although it is not available for public display, and its existence cannot be confirmed.

 

cheers

[Ted Tenold]

Is it just me or does this kozuka look too.....cartoonish? It has kind of a comic book look to it to me, and just doesn't carry the flavor of typical Japanese sculpting. Just strikes me as odd.

[Ford Hallam]

I must agree with Ted.

I think the actual workmanship is not too shoddy but there is definitely something fishy about the look of the carving. The water under the bridge in particular, seems "unnatural" in relation to most Japanese work, pre-Taisho period.

 

Perhaps this is post 1950's amateur work.

 

regards, Ford

[Deron Douglas]

Could be Susanoo as he found the sword KUSANAGI which is supposed to be a double edged 'bronze age' style sword.... He got it when he killed an eight headed dragon by getting it drunk and chopping off its heads... when he chopped up a few body parts too (for good measure) he found KUSANAGI in the dragons tail.

 

There is a hilarious write up of Susanoo on Brian's link to Godchecker.com.... Fist click on Izanagi (Susanoo's dad) as that is rather amusing too.....

 

Kusanagi is allegedly kept at Atsuta shrine to this day, although it is not available for public display, and its existence cannot be confirmed.

 

cheers

 

This one seems pretty likely to me.

Deron

[Deron Douglas]

I must agree with Ted.

I think the actual workmanship is not too shoddy but there is definitely something fishy about the look of the carving. The water under the bridge in particular, seems "unnatural" in relation to most Japanese work, pre-Taisho period.

 

Perhaps this is post 1950's amateur work.

 

regards, Ford

 

The water looks ok to me, but I know what you mean by "cartoonish", I think that's what first struck me as "strange". I'd like to see this artists other work... or maybe it's an earlier form of "anime" :-)