Musubi Karigane

[FlorianB]

Gentlemen,

 

we all know simplified karigane composed of a double curve with a dent in between.

But sometimes knotted geese (musubi karigane) are depicted on Tsuba.
Here’s an example out of Sasano Sensei’s book:

 

 

Does anybody know the reason for this peculiar design?

 

Thanks,

Florian

[rematron]

Thank you for asking this,@FlorianB.  I've been curious about this design as well.

[SteveM]

It is supposed to bring to mind a message tied to the bird. It's origins come from Chinese mythology that made its way to Japan. It symbolizes the bird as the "bringer of good news". 

 

source:

https://irohakamon.com/kamon/kari/musubikarigane.html#:~:text=結び雁金紋は、雁金,の真田氏の替紋。

http://yokohama-kimo...onyoo/monyoo013.html

 

Also often used in family crests, which, I am guessing, may be why it is on this particular tsuba. 

[FlorianB]

Steve,

 

what an interesting interpretation, thanks for the explanation!
That proves again the worth of the NMB.

 

On Kyo-Tsuba with motifs like bridges or yatsuhashi those karigane are a part of the scenery, so I doubt they’re kamon, but there are other Tsuba on which they represent obviously crests.
I wonder if musubi karigane came into fashion for some time…

 

Thanks,
Florian

[rematron]

I came across this example and thought I’d post it. 
 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1096034423

 

[FlorianB]

...another one from the Ashmolean (http://jameelcentre....ction/8/object/21271):

 

Tightly knotted!

 

Best, Florian

[Spartancrest]

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/165655328923 

Sorry still having problems posting images.

[sabiji]

Hi Florian,
enclosed my Kyo Sukashi.

I too have heard the myth that geese were the bearers of good news. And that one also wishes to the (poor) geese attached, or tied to feathers. I have read that somewhere, but can not prove it.

[Spartancrest]

2 hours ago, sabiji said:

I too have heard the myth that geese were the bearers of good news. And that one also wishes to the (poor) geese attached, or tied to feathers.

Taken from: Japanese Sword Mounts in the Collections of Field Museum  By Helen Gunsaulus   https://ia800207.us....seswordmou16guns.pdf  on page 137 

"Cranes are released with golden cards attached to their limbs." is the heading of this guard from an article from the Field Museum published in 1922, a year before the Sword Mounts book was published.

 

            

Fig. 1 is a shibuichi tsuba, with a clean-cut ishime ground broken by soft waves cut in kebori. At the right, in high relief of gold, shakudo, and shibuichi, is the figure of Yoritomo, founder of the shogunate in 1192 and half-brother of Yoshitsune. Engaged in one of his favorite pastimes, he and his attendant are looking up toward flying cranes which have been released from a bamboo cage. Yoritomo was wont to tie on their feet cards warning persons against the capture of these birds, requesting instead that any who saw them alight would record that fact and send them back. On the reverse side of the tsuba a sword-bearer kneels near the water's edge. Inlaid in gold, on the main figure on the obverse, is the gentian crest of the Minamoto family of which Yoritomo was a member. The bird cage is in low relief of gold, the cranes are of silver with shakudo tail-feathers, and the feet and cards are of gold. On this tsuba the signature is written in cursive, "Hironaga (kakihan) Ichijosai."

 

 

[Sorry I can't control the relative size of the images.]

[sabiji]

Thanks Dale, that's the kind of thing I meant. Maybe geese were a middle class variety compared to cranes....

[Matsunoki]

I believe one of the strongest connections or associations between Geese and Samurai go way back to a couple of old battle legends whereby an advancing army was warned that an ambush lay ahead by a flock of wild geese that violently veered away from their intended landing spot at the last moment. Thus saving the day for the intended unwitting army. It could have been Yoritomo….but I’d need to get the books out to check. Thus geese in flight are seen as powerful allies and of significant importance to Samurai.

Not  looking to be contentious but some of the birds above remind me more of stylised crows, sparrows, chidori or maybe even cranes….especially with their long pointed and slightly hooked beaks.

[rematron]

On 8/7/2023 at 2:54 AM, Spartancrest said:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/165655328923 

Sorry still having problems posting images.

 

 

[Matsunoki]

The ones above suggest (to me anyway)  nami no chidori…..ie chidori and waves…..a common but lovely subject?

[FlorianB]

The same old question if the term "karigane" means wildgeese exclusively or is a generic term for birds.
Certainly geese are strongly connected with the samurai but in several cases the depiction is a question of interpretation.

 

Florian

[sabiji]

Attached is a link where you can find the Chinese anecdote where a message about the whereabouts of a prisoner was tied to wild geese that flew far into the Han Empire.

 

http://www.harimaya....mon/column/kari.html

[SteveM]

Saw this one on ebay and remembered this thread. 

This is an interesting example of musubi karigane sukashi.

Just for information and appreciation. Not advocating anyone get into a bidding war on this, unless you are already so inclined.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304771608687