Kinko tsuba - motif and school?

[Marius]

A curator from a Polish museum has asked me what this tsuba is in terms of school and motif, so I have come to the experts, knowing myself nothing about Edo kinko.

 

Will you please give me some comments?

 

Higher resolution pictures are here:

http://gallery.me.com/mariuszk/100562

 

Thanks for your time

[John A Stuart]

First thought is Mito school work. Funny, there is a thread about Okawa Teikan currently and this is reminiscent of his Den. A Chinese scholar and his pupil/servant. John

[Marius]

First thought is Mito school work. Funny, there is a thread about Okawa Teikan currently and this is reminiscent of his Den. A Chinese scholar and his pupil/servant. John

 

Thanks John :-)

 

The pupil looks like a monkey, though?

[John A Stuart]

It does doesn't it. Monkey King being taught by an immortal? John

[DirkO]

Sūn Wùkōng together with Dà Yǔ - possibly at the moment he receives the Rúyì Jīngū Bàng ?

[Marius]

Gentlemen,

 

Thank you

 

I am very impressed, as always

[ububob]

You changed your avatar! Boo, hiss!

[nagamaki - Franco]

Just a thought, the taller character appears to be a fox possibly holding a scroll(?), with a golden sack tied to his sash of some sort, and the smaller character, perhaps, a mouse(?), are there any such stories, tales, in Japan? Hmm, wonder if this might not be a Nara piece. Reminds me of some of the work seen here > http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/research_collections/anthropology/anthro_sites/boone/gal_jp_sword.html

[Marius]

Franco,

 

I would say it is a stick and a gourd (traditionally used to hold medicine).

[nagamaki - Franco]

ahh, yes, a staff. Is this figure supposed to be blind?