Tsuba motif mystery - death? funerals? festivals?

[Deez77]

This one is a head scratcher. A very unusual, one-off piece from Kinai.

 

After looking closely, I can see what look like bonsai tree in various states of growth, maybe some sort of danjiri or the likes, something that might be a grave, some kind of spool with what looks like rope or thread 🤷🏼‍♂️. And how about those 5 lozenges?

 

I can't figure out the overall theme that all of these things relate to. Is it life, death, and funerals? What do you all think?

 

 

 

Appreciate any ideas.

 

Damon

[Spartancrest]

This is a long shot - I don't think it is right but could some of the images be related to the "Takarabune"?  https://www.curiouso...1/07/takarabune.html  Though there are only seven 'lucky' Gods there are nine treasures as in the tsuba there are nine views?

 

The seven lucky gods are Jurojin, Bishamonten, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Daikokuten, Hotei and the goddess Benzaiten. The treasures they bring on takarabune are a  [1] hat of invisibility, [2] rolls of brocade, [3] an inexhaustible purse, [4] the keys to the treasure house of the gods, [5] the scrolls and books of wisdom and life, [6] the magic mallet, [7] the lucky raincoat, [8] a robe of fairy feathers and [9] a bag of fortune.

 

I don't recognise any of those objects. A very ,very unusual and interesting tsuba - I hope someone can be more helpful. [even a wrong comment can spark more responses! ]

Good luck with it Damon. 

[kissakai]

Differing 'crafts' and lucky symbols?

[Deez77]

Thanks Dale and Grev. I'm also going through my copy of Henri Joly's Legend in Japanese Art to see if I can come up with something. Nothing yet. I've taken better pictures in natural lighting and applied a bit of contrast to highlight the fine details. 

 

 

[Matsunoki]

Shinto related?…..folded paper symbols, food offered on a small table, kami palanquin, straw cape

……a tough one for sure

[Deez77]

On 8/18/2023 at 3:16 PM, Spartancrest said:

This is a long shot - I don't think it is right but could some of the images be related to the "Takarabune"?  https://www.curiouso...1/07/takarabune.html  Though there are only seven 'lucky' Gods there are nine treasures as in the tsuba there are nine views?

 

The seven lucky gods are Jurojin, Bishamonten, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Daikokuten, Hotei and the goddess Benzaiten. The treasures they bring on takarabune are a  [1] hat of invisibility, [2] rolls of brocade, [3] an inexhaustible purse, [4] the keys to the treasure house of the gods, [5] the scrolls and books of wisdom and life, [6] the magic mallet, [7] the lucky raincoat, [8] a robe of fairy feathers and [9] a bag of fortune.

 

I don't recognise any of those objects. A very ,very unusual and interesting tsuba - I hope someone can be more helpful. [even a wrong comment can spark more responses! ]

Good luck with it Damon. 

Thanks a lot Dale, Grev, Matsunoki. I've definitely identified some of those lucky treasure items on the omote as seen below:

1. Kakuremino: invisibility cape/robe

2. Kakuregasa: invisibility hat

3. Hoju: treasure ball said to fulfill wishes

4. Hoyaku: granary/warehouse key

5. Choji: clove buds

6. jewels/coins from mhammer?

7. Uchide no kozuchi: magic hammer

8. Kinnou/Kinchaku: treasure pouch

 

Although there's still a couple of the "lucky"  items that I'm not sure about. 

 

Of course, there's also the other panels, and I'll continue trying to figure out what those are. Certainly a "good luck" theme for this one with a whole lot going on. And I've never seen anything close to this from this school of tsuba makers.

 

Regards

 

Damon

[Spartancrest]

22 minutes ago, Deez77 said:

Damon

A highly unusual tsuba - I will stick my neck out and say 'unique'  [and I don't say that very often!] 

[Geraint]

As no one else has suggested this what do we think about the cartouches around the mimi representing fan paintings?

 

All the best.

[BIG]

Could be some kind of takaramono design. May be china town work..

 

Best

[Bugyotsuji]

Going with Grev’s ‘crafts’ above, and having visited the movie set village in Kyōto (Eiga Mura, recommended), I would want to go with shop signs.

[Deez77]

Someone from a tosogu FB group I'm a member of had suggested the following:

 

"There is the Gohei at 9:00. And the hammers are also part of the ritual that make the creases nice and sharp. The “palanquin” is telling that this is actually depictin “Jijin Sai”. Possibly the whole tsuba relates to this ritual. The slanted boxes look like Saisen Bako."

 

I was especially curious about the reference to "Jijin Sai", actually Jichin-sai, or groundbreaking ceremony. This is an example of what's available online, https://www.japanesewiki.com/Shinto/Jichin-sai (ground-breaking ceremony).html#:~:text=Jichin-sai (also pronounced ",Japanese as the Ujigami%2C the

 

Maybe getting closer to deciphering it. 

 

Damon

 

 

[SteveM]

Theme of "takara zukushi" (auspicious treasures/symbols). 

 

https://int.kateigah...radition/patterns-7/

 

https://polinacoutur...harms-takara-zukushi

 

 

Not sure of the significance of the fans/panels, unless they are just devices to separate the various symbols.