Scary Tsuba

[Okan]

Here is a Tsuba I would never own. (I'm serious) I much prefer a dragon to a snake..

 

 

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Snakes can be a real danger, while dragons are friendly creatures....(Puff the magic dragon...).

Is that a wooden sculpture made by someone who never saw an authentic TSUBA (it's also upside-down)?

[Spartancrest]

Jean that wooden snake has been around for a long time, you are correct it is upside down as far as the snake is concerned.

Now if you want to be scared [of a wooden 'tsuba'] this one takes  some beating! It too has been on-line now for several years.

 

But this "Freddy Krueger" Lookalike would put me off! From the Pitt-Rivers Museum at Farnham ca. 1916

[It is one way of getting rid of unwanted tradesmen!]

 

By the way that wooden snake is going for it's third auction that I know of - way overpriced starting point!

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/yoshiaki-a-rare-wood-tsuba-depicting-a-snake-1372-c-8bd461aab5

[rematron]

“scary tsuba” in s a fun google search!

[Spartancrest]

Try looking for "Ghost tsuba"  This one is a different take on that 1916 image from before.

 

MFA Boston

 

[Okan]

9 hours ago, rematron said:

“scary tsuba” in s a fun google search!

 

 

This one is so cute! 

 

[Okan]

12 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

Snakes can be a real danger, while dragons are friendly creatures....(Puff the magic dragon...).

Is that a wooden sculpture made by someone who never saw an authentic TSUBA (it's also upside-down)?

 

It's on auction with an estimation between 1.5k - 3k..

And yes being upside-down makes it unique and original.(just joking   )

 

 

[Grevedk]

Angry snakes that appear to favorite tsuba seems not to have been that uncommon. This snake found its way to the Dutch Rijksmuseum  - scary close to you Okan 😜👍

 

Artist: Munemasa Shinoda 

Height: 90 mm

Width: 87 mm

Depth: 15 mm

 

So a small (angry and maybe deadly) snake locked in a timeless symbiotic relationship with a tsuba 🐍😱

 

/Soren
 

[Okan]

5 minutes ago, Grevedk said:

Angry snakes that appear to favorite tsuba seems not to have been that uncommon. This snake found its way to the Dutch Rijksmuseum  - scary close to you Okan 😜👍

 

Artist: Munemasa Shinoda 

Height: 90 mm

Width: 87 mm

Depth: 15 mm

 

So a small (angry and maybe deadly) snake locked in a timeless symbiotic relationship with a tsuba 🐍😱

 

/Soren 445.95 kB · 0 downloads
 

 

I live like 600meters to Rijksmuseum  so scared 

 

[vajo]

[Spartancrest]

I thought I might include this one I recently "adopted" - it is scary because of the way it looks and the fact it comes from Hiroshima!

[Ian B3HR2UH]

I have posted this one before but since it fits in with the topic and I think it is fantastic, here it is again

Ian Brooks

[vajo]

Thats a really cool looking hell tsuba like from Hieronimus Bosch. 

[Rich S]

9 hours ago, Spartancrest said:

I thought I might include this one I recently "adopted" - it is scary because of the way it looks and the fact it comes from Hiroshima!

 

Dale

 

It does look a bit melted.Have you checked it with a Geiger counter?

[Okan]

Not so scary but great work for sure. Check out the detail on how light reflects from the lantern.

[ROKUJURO]

11 hours ago, Spartancrest said:

..... it is scary because of the way it looks and the fact it comes from Hiroshima! ...

Dale,

does it glow in the dark? 

[Spartancrest]

8 hours ago, Rich S said:

It does look a bit melted.Have you checked it with a Geiger counter?

 

6 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

does it glow in the dark? 

 

Well the lights do flicker a bit in the room where I keep it! [Do you know anyone that sells lead lined tsuba boxes (Kiribako) ?] 

[Dan tsuba]

So here is a “scary” type tsuba I have.  I think the figure is that of a Nio.  The Nio’s fierce and threatening appearance is said to ward off evil spirits and keep the Japanese temple grounds free of demons.

 

So this tsuba should "scare" all the other demon type tsuba away!

 

With respect,

Dan

[Spartancrest]

Dan your tsuba has a copy in the Detroit Museum of Art formerly from the Frederick K. Stearns collection  number 90.1S2982   - The Detroit example looks cast and has no surface texturing [ishime]  How does it feel having a "Superior"  piece to a Museum?

[Dan tsuba]

Thanks Spartancrest (Dale)! That’s fantastic information!

 

Actually, my tsuba is in a museum!  The Dan Museum of Art, from the Dan collection number 2020 lucky find area!!

 

That particular piece has a very positive “spirit” to it!

 

With respect,

Dan

[Bugyotsuji]

For educational purposes, here are a couple from the Stibbert in Firenze. (First taken at an angle to avoid glass reflection.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Piers,

the first one is probably a 'fake snake' as these usually swallow their prey head-first. Artistic license?

[Franco D]

3 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

the first one is probably a 'fake snake' as these usually swallow their prey head-first. Artistic license?

 

Venomous snakes first strike injecting venom, then wait for death before swallowing head first. It does appear that this depiction is capturing a first deadly strike. A samurai with a late August birthdate?

[ROKUJURO]

2 hours ago, Franco D said:

..... It does appear that this depiction is capturing a first deadly strike.

Franco,

With half the rabbit in its mouth, that wasn't my perception.  

[Franco D]

51 minutes ago, ROKUJURO said:

With half the rabbit in its mouth, that wasn't my perception.  

 

 

Jean,

 

Understandable. However, the prominent long fang suggests (perception) venom being injected. And, I would say (again, perception) half of a small baby bunny rather than a grown rabbit. Also, a quick fatal strike and life versus death are characterizations/themes, reminders, that a samurai might find of careful interest.

 

Snake, late August birthdate?

 

Regards,

 

[Spartancrest]

The largest known snake in Japan is the Hime habu (Ovophis okinavensis), a poisonous pit viper of the southern Ryukyu islands, which reaches average lengths of 1.1 to 1.8 meters (3.6 to 6 feet) long, and a maximum of 3 meters (9.8 feet).

 

However this report talks of a much bigger specimen!

In May 1973, a group of 4 forestry workers reportedly encountered a 10 meter (33 ft) long snake as big around as a telephone pole. The creature was described as having shiny black scales, and it reportedly made a loud chirping sound. In the months that followed, local officials organized a large-scale hunt for the snake, enlisting the help of hundreds of volunteers. While the creature was not apprehended, the searchers did find what appeared to be giant snake tracks that measured 40 centimeters (16 in) wide and passed alongside fallen trees.

The following month, in June 1973, local officials responded to escalating fears by mounting a large scale expedition to try and find the giant snake or snakes. Volunteers scoured the mountainside in the vicinity of the sightings, looking for any evidence at all for what people had reported seeing. They found no snake, but they did discover what appeared to be a track left by the creature. The long track was 40 cm (around 16 inches) across and led through fallen weeds and flattened brush. Those who examined the track said it was undoubtedly that of a large snake of some kind. Bizarrely, a local museum actually claims to have a jawbone measuring 34 cm (13 inches) wide, which is claimed to be from the very same snake. Critics have pointed out that it is merely the jaws of a shark cleverly arranged to resemble a snake’s jaw.

[Bugyotsuji]

Okinawa's habu (and their sea snakes) sound scary!!!

 

Aside from the ubiquitous Honshu venomous viper, the Mamushi, we have snakes in the garden here called Yamakagashi. Beautiful red or yellow background, sprinkled with characteristic black dots. Although it has weak venom in its front fangs, it's the back teeth that contain the deadly stuff, for which there is no known antidote. Luckily it's not aggressive unless seriously threatened. Allegedly if you are once bitten, they will want to replace all the blood of your circulatory system, asap.

[Okan]

I hate snakes.

[Dan tsuba]

O.K. my friends-

 

A little too much information.  Enough about the “herpetologist” views and the swallowing techniques of a snake.  It is only a tsuba with a snake motif!  Whether it is right or wrong in its “swallowing” of the rabbit, it is still a very nice motif!  So let's move on!!

 

Onward!

 

With respect,

Dan

[Bugyotsuji]

On 1/11/2023 at 1:25 AM, vajo said:

See Momijigari

Momijigari | Kabuki Plays | INVITATION TO KABUKI (jac.go.jp)