Unknown story shown on two menuki

[Higo-san]

Dear all

 

I own a pair of menuki mounted on a beautiful tanto koshirae and signed Imai Kyusai Sei (今井 亨斎製) who was also called Nagatake (NBTHK judgement: Horyu which I can very well understand and accept). I am not looking for an authentication of the mei on the menuki but rather am I interested in the story which is shown on the menuki.

 

What can be seen? It seems like a thief wearing a straw hat was caught in the middle of stealing a tea pot on the one side which does not amuse a lord who is ready to draw his sword on the other menuki. Does someone recognize the legend behind this scene?

 

Kind regards 

 

Chris

 

[Rodenbacher]

Hi Chris, this is the often depicted story from the Heike Monogatari of Taira no Tadamori and the oil thief: 

 

https://egenolfgalle...ri-and-the-oil-thief

[Higo-san]

Thank you so much, Peter! You hit the nail precisely on the head. I did not realize that there was an oil jug depicted on the menuki!

 

Best

 

Chris

[Bugyotsuji]

There are various versions to the story, one being that a priest was doing the rounds of the lanterns, filling the oil dishes, when he was mistaken for a thief.

 

It does illustrate to me however, (as a lower-end collector of old lamps and lanterns) the value placed on lamp oil way back when, especially if it was carried in such a special pot. I read somewhere that Natane abura (rapeseed oil) was a luxury for the elite, when the general populace used fish oil for lighting their room at night. It was also the custom rule to extinguish any flame when you left a room, or to carry the lamp with you. (Wisdom from a land of frequent earthquakes and catastrophic fires.)

[Spartancrest]