Help me identify menuki

[GeorgeLuucas]

Hello, it's been a while since I've posted. I recently acquired a wakizashi in koshirae with kiri-mon fuchi and kashira. And a WW2 saya I think

I can't for the life of me determine what the menuki is depicting. It looks like someone in the past had the same issue, because the Ito is a little frayed and loose around them. I can move it a little, but fear damaging a koshirae set that I enjoy

I am a beginner and novice, but have been reading and studying. I am finally grasping some of the vocabulary, and getting better at identifying features

Can you tell what the Menuki is for me? 

[GeorgeLuucas]

some photos of koshirae

[Spartancrest]

I may be way off target here but it looks like a fan and - - something in the background. A strange looking fan for sure but that is the impression it gives me.

Closest I can find are these - 

 

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/374854368970587509/  I would be surprised if this is correct. But someone has to start the search ! 

 

Could the "thing at the back" be a daikon? Like in this set?  https://www.jauce.com/auction/p1044391226

Edited June 7, 2023 by Spartancrest
new data

[GeorgeLuucas]

That Daikon looks awfully close! Especially how the end of the 'leafs' are different. One side theres three "tendrils", the other side there are two

Thank you for the input. Here's a couple more photos, but I'm not sure if they will reveal anything new. Thanks again!

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Only just seen this so apologies.

 

They look like good-quality 四方手 'shiode', and kura horse saddle/harness behind. There are four on a saddle at the four corners, which gives them their name, 'four-direction hands/handles', the pronunciation softened over the centuries from shi-ho-te.

 

[Spartancrest]

Thanks Piers with that information I found another menuki pair -  https://ginza.choshuya.co.jp/sale/koshirae_kanagu/menuki/menuki_index.htm  see m057

They are sold but the description is "Horse harness (four hands) Menuki
unsigned

red copper ground engraving Color
table: 39.1mm Back: 37mm This is a theme often seen in the works of the Goto family, which went up in the era of high-quality"

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by Spartancrest
image missing

[GeorgeLuucas]

Thank you Dale, and Piers so much. That is spot-on exactly what it is!

This is great for my notes

Cheers, and thanks again! Ya'll on this forum never cease to amaze me

[Bugyotsuji]

Sam, I used to have one single lacquered-leather shiode with silver end caps which I treasured for many years. Nothing I could do with it really, except research it, and just admire the quality of workmanship. Having let it go, though, I miss it now. 

[GeorgeLuucas]

7 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Sam, I used to have one single lacquered-leather shiode with silver end caps which I treasured for many years. Nothing I could do with it really, except research it, and just admire the quality of workmanship. Having let it go, though, I miss it now. 

Sounds like an amazing piece. The craftmanship that goes into items like that is truly incredible and impressive 

Which is exactly why I'm here! Seeing collections and reading these forums has helped a lot in my studies 


 

[rematron]

Off topic, but I really like that habaki!

[GeorgeLuucas]

5 hours ago, rematron said:

Off topic, but I really like that habaki!

Thank you! I really like it too

Maybe in a while, after some photography practice, I will post post photos of the whole koshirae set 

 

[Spartancrest]

On 6/7/2023 at 1:48 PM, GeorgeLuucas said:

That is spot-on exactly what it is!

Would you believe another pair has turned up for auction - What are the chances they turned up in the same week?  https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1094826803

Or  https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/g1094826803

 

[Bugyotsuji]

With riding crops too...

[GeorgeLuucas]

2 hours ago, Spartancrest said:

Would you believe another pair has turned up for auction - What are the chances they turned up in the same week?  https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1094826803

Or  https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/g1094826803

 

Wow, what an amazing coincidence. Those are a really beautiful set.

Thank you, and everyone, again. I was able to learn so much from you and this koshirae

I knew I liked it, I had no idea how fancy it really was. This is all very exciting

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by GeorgeLuucas
spelling

[Graybadger]

I have a pair of menuki in this same design motif, shown in the attached photo.  I also saw another pair sell as lot 133 Sotheby's London on March 30, 1994 from the RB Caldwell collection (sold £782=$1157 at that time).  I have seen these described as falconry jesses for "takagari" on several occasions, which I accepted until now.  The photo of the set shown currently for sale include a horse riding crop.  I now concur with the identification as 四方手 'shiode' horse saddle parts.