Tobacco Case Mei. Help with translation.

[Chishiki]

Hi.  I have this tobacco case (tonkotsu) that I need help with.   Thanks in advance. 

 

Mark

[robinalexander]

No idea Mark but that is a very nice piece.

[Bugyotsuji]

If that is metalwork…(?) it could be Tenmin. 天民

Sometimes signed Tenmin-O (翁), or Old Tenmin

 

[Nobody]

It is an inro (印籠).

Ref. Inro - Wikipedia

 

[Bugyotsuji]

My question is what the inro is made of. (Tenmin was famous for his metalwork.)

[Bazza]

Looks like lacquer to me...

 

BaZZa.

[Bugyotsuji]

Hmmm… also in Lazarnick it says that Tenmin was often copied.

[Matsunoki]

Looks like a nice quality single case sleeve inro….does it have an inner case that slides out from the top? (Often done in silver) 

Looks like a sentoku type metal piece with silver and shakudo (?) inlay

[Bugyotsuji]

Not obvious from the photo but Kagami-buta Netsuké metalwork were often signed. (You might need to pop it out to look on the reverse.)

[Chishiki]

Hi folks.  Piers it is all metal work, no lacquer, although at first glance it does appear so.  It has shibuichi end caps and is one compartment inside that slides out.  I'll get some better pics when I can.   Thanks for your help so far.

[Chishiki]

  On 7/30/2024 at 12:01 PM, Nobody said:

It is an inro (印籠).

Ref. Inro - Wikipedia

 

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Thank you.

[Bugyotsuji]

 He has made metal look like lacquer!

All metalwork means it must be quite heavy. 

[Chishiki]

  On 7/31/2024 at 8:48 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

 He has made metal look like lacquer!

All metalwork means it must be quite heavy. 

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Hi Piers.  Yes it is quite weighty.   Are you reasonably confident about reading the mei as ,,'Tenmin'?   Thanks so much for your input.  Much appreciated.   Mark

[Bugyotsuji]

Hi Mark, no, sadly I am not confident, but so far no-one has contradicted or offered anything better. The first character would normally be the key to looking him up, but that one is quite squiggly. 

 

I can show you some examples of Tenmin signatures for comparison, not an exact match, but pretty close, IMHO. Also he likes to put a little comment in a line just to the right of his signature +Kao, sometimes including the character 翁 for old man.

(I wonder if the illustration on the front is not also an exaggerated portrait of himself?)

[Bugyotsuji]

This first page is from The Index of Inro Artists by Wrangham.

 

 

[Chishiki]

⁰

  On 7/31/2024 at 11:19 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

Hi Mark, no, sadly I am not confident, but so far no-one has contradicted or offered anything better. The first character would normally be the key to looking him up, but that one is quite squiggly. 

 

I can show you some examples of Tenmin signatures for comparison, not an exact match, but pretty close, IMHO. Also he likes to put a little comment in a line just to the right of his signature +Kao, sometimes including the character 翁 for old man.

(I wonder if the illustration on the front is not also an exaggerated portrait of himself?)

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This piece is at a friend's house at the moment so I don't have access to more photos for a few days.   I'm not sure if you can see it but he is leaning over and looking at some being/mystical figure in the waves.  It's a really nice, well made piece and at first glance it does appear lacquer but it is soft metal.   I've been searching around on the internet and it's hard to find examples of his work.  Anyway, once I get it back I'll share better photos.   Mark

[Bugyotsuji]

This is from Vol II Netsuké & Inro by Lazarnick.

(Some signatures are closer than others.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chishiki]

Thanks for all your help Piers.  Great info.  Much appreciated.