Unusual Kozuka

[DTM72]

I was just looking through ebay and found this unusual kozuka. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-antique-Edo-period-Goto-school-Shishi-Dragon-Kozuka-Shibuichi-Box-sword/324204218015?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3D5aaa6ac6a70447c586d82c2cc8fa18e9%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D324297817121%26itm%3D324204218015%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Addfe4350-f91c-11ea-a4f3-74dbd1803c93|parentrq%3A9d9009871740aaa32b8411f9fffccf00|iid%3A1

[Karu]

Wow never seen such a piece ! 

[DTM72]

4 hours ago, Karu said:

Wow never seen such a piece ! 

Neither have I. I had to look at it a few times to really understand that it would actually hold a kodzuka blade.

[Geraint]

Dear Dan.  

 

This is one of those recurring designs that crop up from time to time, keep looking and you will see another.  Of particular note is the rather good photograph of the mouth of the kozuka which shows the thinness of the metal very well.  This is one of the indicators for a pressed item rather than a traditionally made one.  Dale, (aka Spartancrest), has done some great work focussing on tsuba reproductions, perhaps we can do the same for pressed kozuka?

 

All the best.

[kissakai]

I have one of these. I'll have to check the thickness

 

[Babu]

Looks like it's loosely modelled on a bosun's whistle albeit very elaborate .

[DTM72]

2 hours ago, Babu said:

Looks like it's loosely modeled on a bosun's whistle albeit very elaborate .

 

I see the resemblance.

[kissakai]

My info

This is an abridged description from the catalogue ‘Sotheby’s – Caldwell Collection – 1994:
Rare copper kokuka in the form of a bosun’s whistle in ioe takazogan with tiger and dragon flanking formalised sacks aboard an open boat
Umetada school – C18-19 - Estimate £500 - £600 (sold for £575). The catalogue kozuka had a signed blade
 
Additional note from the Walters Art Museum:
This elaborate kozuka features a dragon and a tiger. These are the two strongest animals and sometimes used to represent the ruler and his advisers.
The dragon's head is at the top and its tail is at the bottom. A tiger is also at the bottom.
Along the top are decorations similar to roof tiles.            
A curved piece runs along the bottom edge.
Kozuka in this shape were made by Hirado Kunishige and his students

 

The back plate is 1.2mm thick so no idea if this is a copy or note but looks OK to me - over to you Dale

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by kissakai
Added thickness

[Geraint]

Dear All.

 

A bit of morphic resonance going on here.  It looks like a bosun's whistle but it's got nothing to do with one, they are not a Japanese phenomenon.   A tiger and a dragon on a roof. The original post was from an Ebay link and you would be paying in excess of a thousand dollars for it on the basis of some small pictures.  I think many of the late pressed kodzuka are based on well known designs and it seems that the example at the Caldwell collection sale must have been a good one.

 

The assertion that these were made by Hirado Kunishige is a knew one for me, I would love to see some evidence to support that theory or is it simple extrapolation?  "Looks like a bosun's whistle, they are European, must have seen one at Deshima so Kunishige."

I can't see anything in this stylistically or technically to suggest that connection.

 

All the best.