A PAIR OF JAPANESE YANAGAWA SCHOOL GOLD MENUKI

A PAIR OF JAPANESE YANAGAWA SCHOOL GOLD MENUKI

EDO PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

Modelled as prancing horses, the animals in dynamic poses and with long manes, with Hozon Tosogu (Sword fitting Worthy of Preservation) certificate no.456037 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (The Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), dated 27th October 2008, in a kiri box, 3.8cm and 4cm respectively. (3)

Provenance: from a private European collection.

This style of tsuba is called takabori iroe on a shakudo nanako-ji ground; it refers to the high-relief carving and brazing of a sheet of gold on a red copper nanako-ji processed metal.