new finds at the chicago show

[Bungo]

these two menuki were found on the same dealer's table marked as " singles "..............according to the dealer they came from the same estate.

The treatment is very similar ( esp. the gold on the side , not shown in pics ). The posts are slightly " different "..............

They MIGHT be a matching pair ( assuming the samurai is Yoshitsune ).

 

Opinion ?

 

 

milt

[John A Stuart]

Hi Milt, Interesting menuki. I do not think a pair, the bottom one , I think, is a tengu or yamabushi by the looks of the nose and dress. Or it is a Japanese relative of Cyrano de Bergerac , just kidding about old Cy. John

[Bungo]

Tengu is associated with Yoshitsune .................legend has it the Tengu taught Yoshitsune " military/martial arts " in the Karuma ( spelling ? ) mountain .

 

 

milt

[John A Stuart]

I understand now your comment about Yoshitsune. Any way to identify the samurai menuki as to whom by something he carried or something else? John

[Rich T]

Hi Milt, the backs are too different, the wall thickness is different, and staying on the backs, the bottom one looks older to my eye than the top one. This is because of the cleaner, more worn looking post, and in the top one, the back looks a lot cleaner and fresher. I also think they are not a pair.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Bungo]

most likely not a pair but in hand the color and tachnique do suggest they Might be matching..........anyway, while on the subject of samurai, here's more !!

From Hagrid, aka Mark Walberg.

 

enjoy.

 

milt

[IanB]

Milt, Normally with animate subjects both menuki face the blade, hence one looks one way the other the opposite. On this basis not a pair but a very good association.

Ian Bottomley

[docliss]

Dear Milt

 

A very nice, SÅtenesque pair of fuchi-gashira, inscribed Yanagawa Naomasa with kao. Comparing the kao with those in KinkÅ Meikan, pp. 311a-d and 312a-b, I’m not too sure that they are pukka, but you probably weren’t expecting that anyway!

 

Regards, John L.

[remzy]

Assuming they are both shakudo.. the do not have the same tint, the top one is reddish while the bottom one is silky black

 

 

Edit: oh but yes, i think they totaly are matcing!

[Bungo]

Yes, ian,

 

In case of " big name " , they are considered guilty/gimei until proven otherwise infront of the shinsa judge....... very detail works though and who can say no to the samurai theme ?

 

Here's one kozuka obtained through trade from Cole ( a regular fixture at the sword shows with piles and piles of f/k, tsuba, menuki , NO sword )....... another " big name " artista" with 5 or 6 generations from early Edo through Meiji. Condition is not as good as what I like with my koz. collection ( but " acceptable " )...........

 

Milt