School of Hamano Shozui, signed Shozui
Japan, Hamano school, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Of aoigata form, the surface imitating the 24 plates of a suji-bashi kabuto, one side worked in shibuichi and suaka takazogan with gold and shakudo hirazogan to depict Marishi-ten atop a boar riding on swirling clouds and inserting one arrow into a bow. The reverse with four nodes and a small loop above the signature SHOZUI.

HEIGHT 9.1 cm, LENGTH 8.6 cm
WEIGHT 192.5 g

Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, little rubbing, and minor dents.
Provenance: Ex-collection Patrick Liebermann. Patrick Liebermann (1948–2023) was a passionate collector of tsuba (Japanese sword guards). His journey began in 1970 when he unknowingly purchased his first tsuba, unaware it was a sword fitting—an encounter that sparked a lifelong dedication. Over the course of more than fifty years, Liebermann assembled an impressive collection of over 200 pieces, always prioritizing quality over quantity. Rather than adhering strictly to specific schools, periods, or types such as sukashi or kinko, he was guided by the thematic content of each piece. His acquisitions were often made directly in Japan, with a discerning eye for originality and artistic merit. A selection of his collection was exhibited at the Bibliothèque Universitaire in Strasbourg in 2022, offering a glimpse into his refined and deeply personal approach to collecting.

In Japanese Buddhist mythology Marishi-ten is known as a God (or Goddess) of the Sun and the Moon. Marishi-ten has been depicted in numerous ways including as a ferocious demon standing or sitting on the back of a boar with weapons in each of his or her six arms. According to a myth, Marishi-ten helps bring the sun every morning from the nighttime spirit world. The deity is riding a boar, which may be an incarnation of the Hindu god, Vishnu.

Hamano Shozui is listed in Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, p. 1746-1747 (H 08803.0).

Museum comparison:
Compare a related tsuba with Marishi-ten on a boar, by Iwamoto Konkan, dated to the 1793, in the Walters Art Museum, accession number 51.253.