Going to the Dogs

[Spartancrest]

    

 

  

 

  

 

   

 

   Who let the dogs out? 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/235223779254

https://www.jauce.co...og?auccat=2084057815

[BjornLundin]

Similar to the first menuki. Biting on a bag (I think), there is a rope that is tying the bag together, not easily seen. 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Could it be a Nirayama jingasa?

[Spartancrest]

39 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Nirayama jingasa

Yeah you can't stop them carrying off your hat! They either eat them or wear them!     

 

 

[BjornLundin]

Could be a shoe also  

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Or a block of dried bonito… katsuobushi  tied in straw?

 

I do like the shoe or geta idea though.

[SteveM]

Abalone shell on a string?

 

Something of a common theme. 

 

 

https://tokka.biz/fittings/T172.html

https://www.pinteres.../512143788877859363/

[Bugyotsuji]

If it’s an abalone shell, that takes us back to the dog food bowl again. In Edo they commonly used abalone shells as pet food dishes.

[Rich S]

My doggie tsuba. Not great, but a rememberance of my dog Po - my once in a lifetime dog.

 

 

[rematron]

I've noticed that a lot of the dog types portrayed on tosugu seems to be those with short hair (not including the tail, necessarily) and floppy ears like a Beagle or Staffordshire Terrier. I wonder why we don't see more Shiba Inu and Akita Inu type dogs with ears more akin to a wolf?  Shiba Inu (or at least dogs similar in appearance) have been in Japan for thousands of years.  Perhaps the ears were used as a tool of art depictions to definitively tell the viewer that it's a dog and not a wolf?  Or perhaps the floppy eared dog was en vogue when these tosugu were made? 

 

BTW, great topic @Spartancrest.  I look forward to viewing more of this thread.

[Spartancrest]

12 hours ago, SteveM said:

Something of a common theme. 

   

 

 

   Just be a little cautious of these iron ones, many are cast, it is a very popular design. Regardless of the construction method I rather like them.

  

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1919.248 

 

 

  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364425608174

This is an obviously poor casting of the same design, you will notice the notches top and bottom of the nakago-ana  are identical to the one above - well there is a reason for that! Several museums have this exact design [as the Cleveland link shows] - there is a reason for that as well! 

 

[Kurikata]

2 dogs under a window?

[Spartancrest]

Bruno, Lovely piece! 

My only puppy tsuba - stains and all. At least he looks happy playing in the garden.

 

[Kurikata]

Aren't they cute ?

[Spartancrest]

These dogs are more 'Hound-like' or are they trying to distinguish them as being foreign?

 

But this is one of my favourite designs of the short eared chubby type of puppy.

[rematron]

I love that design curled up doggy design.

[Spartancrest]

   Very dark museum image of a long eared dog at the feet of his 'Datan' or Tartar master. By Hirochika

 

Cleveland Museum of Art https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1919.380    Very similar design to the Hamano images above.

[Spartancrest]

https://www.brooklyn...ection/objects/38470   [very poor images] This one enhanced.

   I like this one from the Brooklyn Museum - European carrying a gun and the dog is wearing a harness rather than the leash being on the collar.