Theme?

[Ken-Hawaii]

What is the theme of this tsuba? https://www.ebay.com/itm/3739-HAMANO-TSUBA-SHOUZUI-tsuba-fuchi-kashira-menuki-katana/222763756473

 

I've never seen anything quite like it.

[Vermithrax16]

No idea, but am interested to know!

[Teimei]

Sure looks like Daikokuten (and a rat?). Both symbols of good luck and wealth.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daikokuten

 

 

 

 

... or the Japanese version of the pied piper of Hameln :D

 

 

 

 

regards,

[Ken-Hawaii]

Thanks, Florian. That really doesn't look much like a golden mallet - more like an Egyptian ankh. I'm not sure if there's a Christian component (the cross-member), & the carving is so good, I'm surprised we can't tell that it's a rat, or whatever.

[Stephen]

could be a fox

[Pete Klein]

It's a street performing monkey dressed as a Shinto priest.  Here is an old picture of a handler:

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

We've got rat, fox, or monkey so far. Does the obverse give any indication of what's going on?

[Pete Klein]

By any chance do you mean the, 'reverse' (aka ura)?

[Ken-Hawaii]

More like perverse, Pete. Yeah, the ura/reverse/other side.

[Curran]

Pete is right.

 

Also, might as well mention that monkey and trainer is considered an anti-shogun theme by some sources.

I do not remember the reason Why.

 

That is a gimei of Shozui.

Signature is off by a mile.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Thanks, all.

[Toryu2020]

from the Tsuba Gadai Jiten

Saru hiki or Saru mawashi - entertainers who trained monkies to do tricks then they would travel house to house seeking tips for their performance.The origin seems to be a monkey that was owned by the Ashikaga Shogun, Yoshiuji. the monkey was said to dance wearing an eboshi and kamishimo while Noto n/k Mitsumura played the tsutsumi (drum). when the performance was over the monkey would hold out his hand asking for tips. People it is said were delighted.

 

By the

ate Muromachi they could even be seen visiting the Gosho, Imperial palace. By late Edo there were theaters that put on elaborate plays with exciting plots and spectacular costumes. At new years these troops would be invited to the Nishinmaru of Edo castle and there entertain the retired Shogun. They also visited various Daimyo mansions. The regular costume for the monkey was a simple scarf but when performing for Daimyo they wore montsuki hakama or kamishimo

[Toryu2020]

Now this is not based on anything but vague memory

I beleive the Saru-hiki was at one time seen as representing Tanuma Okitsugu, a corrupt official who essentially ran the shogunate. The Shogun being the hapless monkey on a leash...

-t

[Ken-Hawaii]

Thanks to all who commented. I love Japanese history, but there's so MUCH of it! Little pieces like this help fill in the tapestry.

 

Interesting that tsubashi were allowed to make such permanent fun of the Shogunate, & still keep their heads!

 

Ken