Where is the love for cats?

[Okan]

Ok this has been bugging me for some time now..Why didn't they use more Cats(strays) in fittings? I mean we see chickens, mouse, hare, plants, more plants, flowers, dragons etc..But why no strays?

In Japanese folklore cats have protective powers..they symbolise good luck and fortune. So they would fit to the warrior class, and also Lords..So why not we are able to find more fittings with cats? Any ideas? Are they just too cute to wear?

I'll share some pics that I was able to find. 

 

[rematron]

Okan, I have been wondering the exact same thing.  I scour yahoo for cat related tosogu and never find any. Only the larger variety of cat are depicted (tigers). hahaha.

It does seem logical for the reasons you point out that they would be more commonly used as a theme than they are.

 

PS: I really like your tsuba examples, especially the iron one at the bottom. 

[Okan]

Maybe a crazy cat collector got them all! 

 

[Rich S]

It isn't me   I'd love to get a nice cat tsuba. One have 1 with a tiger (already posted somewhere).  Ridge can be fierce, but he's not up to tiger status.

[Bob M.]

On the ' Series of fittings ' threads, Item Nos. 248 & 274( small )bear images of cats ...

 

Regards

[rematron]

This is purely speculative and something that I just thought of:  Perhaps cats were more of a merchant's animal theme and since merchants were the lowest of the social order, samurai didn't want to associate with them?

[Okan]

12 minutes ago, rematron said:

This is purely speculative and something that I just thought of:  Perhaps cats were more of a merchant's animal theme and since merchants were the lowest of the social order, samurai didn't want to associate with them?

 

Take a look at this!

 

https://www.senganen.jp/en/2020/11/samurai-cats-of-the-shimadzu-clan/

 

 

[Spartancrest]

You might have come across these two already. 

[rematron]

Wow!  Taken into battle?!!  That claws my quick 'theory' to shreds!

[rematron]

Dale, I didn't see the bokken tsuba but I'm not that attracted to it. I did see the one on the right but there was something that threw me off. I'll have to look at it again. Thanks for looking out!

 

Edit: But now that I've seen a tsuba in the shape of a curled-up cat, how can anything else compare? 

[Okan]

Hmm maybe?

 

 

[Okan]

Just found menuki..

[rematron]

Alright @Stephen, time for you to post a dog tosogu topic! 

[Stephen]

4 hours ago, Okan said:

Ok this has been bugging me for some time now..Why didn't they use more Cats(strays) in fittings? I mean we see chickens, mouse, hare, plants, more plants, flowers, dragons etc..But why no strays?

In Japanese folklore cats have protective powers..they symbolise good luck and fortune. So they would fit to the warrior class, and also Lords..So why not we are able to find more fittings with cats? Any ideas? Are they just too cute to wear?

I'll share some pics that I was able to find. 

 

That latter cat is it gorgeous tsuba.

[Stephen]

1 hour ago, rematron said:

Alright @Stephen, time for you to post a dog tosogu topic! 

Not in the need too. Plenty of dog tsuba out there.

[Spartancrest]

5 hours ago, Okan said:

Hmm maybe?

Okan - it might be a big stretch with that tsuba - - but I can see where you are headed 

I had no idea the Japanese were into Cheshire cats!

[rematron]

Nice work Dale! 

[Bugyotsuji]

What happened to the other thread with cat tosogu on? (I posted a yellow metal cat tsuba there, from an Osafune artisan.)

[Matsunoki]

Cat netsuke are also very uncommon…..not really sure why. Also can’t recall seeing many cat inro. There must be a reason? I’ll have a dig around.

[Spartancrest]

 A menuki set with a cat watching a butterfly - Page 131 of this book  - ISBN-13978-4769401360

 

 

 

Also some design images for menuki from the Chosen-Gafu book

[Spartancrest]

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20493/lot/34/

A SENTOKU TSUBA

Attributed to Nakajima Toshiharu, Tanaka School, 19th century
Of rounded rectangular form with raised rim, carved and inlaid with a seated cat beside a gutter and downpipe, with details of silver and shakudo takazogan and a brushwood fence engraved on the reverse, signed Rakusei no ju Toshiharu with kao. 6.7cm (2 5/8in).

6 Nov 2013  Sold for £ 1,750

 

Sublime to the ridiculous! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

10 hours ago, Stephen said:

Plenty of dog tsuba out there.

Stephen there are plenty of Dog tsuba that is for sure - or is it Dogs of tsuba! 

[Steves87]

Good thread, I've never considered a cat theme for Tsuba. Not quite as rare as fire themed Tsuba though!

 

 

 

[Kurikata]

Georg Oeder collection

[waljamada]

A bit off topic but anyone here read "I Am A Cat"? 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_a_Cat

[rematron]

10 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

What happened to the other thread with cat tosogu on? (I posted a yellow metal cat tsuba there, from an Osafune artisan.)

Hi Piers. You posted it in 'NMB Cat Corner' in the Izakaya. It's a very nice tsuba btw.

[Spartancrest]

 

 

It was easier to move it than having to search for it. - 

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/42996-nmb-cat-corner/page/2/

Posted January 5

Present-day Osafuné artisan. (Offered as one of the prizes at the New Year’s party.)

 

 

[rematron]

Coincidentally, I spotted this three days ago and ended up winning the bid. I have no idea how old it is or if it’s ‘real’ but it was inexpensive for a tsuba and I like it.  I’d of course like to think it’s Japanese at least and not a Chinese fake.
 

 

[Spartancrest]

1 hour ago, rematron said:

I have no idea how old it is or if it’s ‘real’

Well - - - you might have gotten a much cheaper version earlier on. No doubt in my mind these are modern - sorry about that 

[rematron]

LOL. Oh, definitely modern. That's fine.  Well, I do prefer the copper inserts...