Hard baked bunny

[Spartancrest]

Back in 2017 I bought a rabbit tsuba plaque just for fun. I discovered yesterday, through chance that it was one of a set probably made in the 1970s. I was wondering what the kanji in the corner says ? I presume the theme is one of the animals of the Asian Zodiac. Anyone know the significance of the wall hanger? The 'tsuba' is made of bisque pottery with the decoration 'painted' on. For those interested there are two, part sets listed on Etsy. [removed from their display boards] I say part sets as there should be twelve in total.

 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1076239617/Japanese-pottery-samurai-sword-parts    and  https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1076239513/Japanese-pottery-samurai-sword-parts

 

No sympathy please, they are just a novelty.

 

 

 

Just for fun what do you think of this tanto guard? UFO or lost Umbrella 

 

 

These are not the only 'pottery' examples, a porcelain paperweight from a sale also back in 2017

[Tanto54]

Hi Dale, it's an umbrella from the story of Osho Sennin, who tied a letter (scroll) to the umbrella, tossed it into the air and used it like a mail-carrier to send the letter miles away.

[Spartancrest]

Thanks George, Osho must have had a similarly slow postal system as we are stuck with! Any idea what year this story dates from?  I have heard of mail being sent by balloon but not by umbrella. [at least it would be kept dry!] 

[Tanto54]

Hi Dale, it was adopted from China a very long time ago - probably over one thousand years ago...