Different designs on omote and ura

[thutson]

Dear members,

 

I would be greatful for your opinion on this tsuba, it's signed Yanagawa Naomitsu who was the third generation master of the Yangawa school.

 

This tsuba has different designs carved in kata-kiri bori on the omote and ura, which is unusual. The omote has a cloud dragon design and the ura a rice ears design. I don't know of any connection between cloud dragons and rice ears and I'm curious why different designs would be done on either side. Does anyone have any information or other examples?

 

Cheers,
Tom

[Yumso]

Dragons are known to bring rain when they appear.
Maybe that's the reason why.

[Spartancrest]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/387325793378  

 

 

[Jake6500]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1124208481

 

 

For sale right now and papered to Yanagawa Naoharu

[thutson]

Thank you for your replies.

 

Yoon, I hadn't thought about that, dragons are indeed associated with brining rain, so that could well be the link to the ears of rice on the ura.

 

Dale and Jake, thanks for the links to the similar style tsuba. On these tsuba the designs are more classic and matched on the omote and ura; Tiger and bamboo grove or Shishi lion and peonys flowers. I have not seen a dragon paired with ears of rice before on a tsuba. Or as Yoon has pointed out, perhaps the link between the two sides is that the dragon brings the rain for a good rice crop.

 

Keen to see any other examples of this design paired togehter or of tsuba with un-matched designs on the omote and ura.

 

Cheers,

Tom

[Jake6500]

10 hours ago, thutson said:

Thank you for your replies.

 

Yoon, I hadn't thought about that, dragons are indeed associated with brining rain, so that could well be the link to the ears of rice on the ura.

 

Dale and Jake, thanks for the links to the similar style tsuba. On these tsuba the designs are more classic and matched on the omote and ura; Tiger and bamboo grove or Shishi lion and peonys flowers. I have not seen a dragon paired with ears of rice before on a tsuba. Or as Yoon has pointed out, perhaps the link between the two sides is that the dragon brings the rain for a good rice crop.

 

Keen to see any other examples of this design paired togehter or of tsuba with un-matched designs on the omote and ura.

 

Cheers,

Tom

There's just about always a connection between the two sides, somewhere!

 

In one of my recent threads I bought a tsuba with Guan Yu on it and on the reverse side was a rabbit, which don't seem to have any connection at face value either. Took some time to work out the connection!