Tsuba: Twin Dragons and Arabesque Openwork - Mumei (Nanban)

寸法

縦73.0ミリ　横69.7ミリ　切羽台厚4.5ミリ

Accessories

桐箱

Weight

重量89.0グラム

As written by the shop

Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors · Show original

Nanban tsuba is a style of sword fittings established from the end of the Momoyama period through the Edo period, referring to a group of works that incorporated designs originating from overseas, such as China, Southeast Asia, and Europe. While early examples include imported items, production by domestic craftsmen flourished during the Edo period, and it became widely established as a single style. This work is also a product of that trend, and through its exotic design and excellent sukashibori, it clearly demonstrates the charm of Nanban tsuba. This work uses a tetsu-ji plate as the foundation, featuring a magnificent composition where two ryu circle within a dense karakusa sukashi as if drawing a ring. Kin nunome zogan is applied to the entire piece, and it can be inferred that the renju-shaped decoration on the mimi was also originally encircled by kin zogan, with traces of it still remaining in various places today. Consideration for decorative qualities can be seen in the details, such as the kin nunome zogan applied even to the uniquely shaped seppa-dai, and the exoticism is further enhanced by the placement of small sukashi that appear to be cross shapes on the left, right, and upper sections. However, since this type of cross-shaped design is one of the decorative elements frequently seen in Nanban tsuba, this work cannot be definitively concluded to be a piece related to Kakure Kirishitan; nevertheless, the sukashibori is extremely fine, the composition integrating the dynamic figures of the ryu with the karakusa is highly complete, the condition is also good, and it can be called an impressive masterpiece among Nanban tsuba.