A LARGE TANAKA-SCHOOL TSUBA
By Banmin, Edo period, 18th century
The rounded-square iron plate worked on the surface to a tsuchime finish and decorated with Mt. Fuji, two eggplants and a hawk carved in sukashi, katakiri and takabori, the snow on the mountain peak rendered in silver nunome and the hawk’s eye in gold, raised rim, signed Ban’min and kao
3 1/4 in (8.3 cm)
FOOTNOTES
The design on this tsuba alludes to the New Year. It is considered propitious to dream of either Mt. Fuji, a hawk or an eggplant on the first night of the year.