Two shibuichi kozuka
Yokoya School and Hamano Style, 19th century
The first of dark shibuichi, deeply engraved in katakiri-bori with Shoki holding a captured oni (demon) among swirling clouds, signed Kiryusai Somin with kao; the second carved and inlaid with Kyoyu washing out his ear in a waterfall, signed Tan’yusai hitsu Munemasa sen. (2).
FOOTNOTES
小柄　二点　（鍾馗と鬼、許由）　19世紀

The first kozuka is possibly by Yokoya Somin III (born 1795), who produced a number of sword fittings in the classic Yokoya style but was copied by several students; see Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Germany, Nihon Art Publishers, 2001, no.H08919. Kyoyu, depicted in the second kozuka, was a legendary Chinese exemplar of the renunciation of worldly office who washed out his ears upon hearing that Emperor Yao wished to abdicate in his favour. According to the signature, the design was based on an original by the famous painter Kano Tan’yu (1602-1674).

The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art: Part VI, lot 22.