Iron, some copper and gold. Japan, 18th to 19th century
Oval form with ryohitsu and a slightly raised rounded rim, the front decorated with a temple torii under pines and a horse that a man is trying to hold. The face with determined features and other details are in inlay. On the reverse, a pine with ishidoro (stone lantern) in the foreground. Fine highlights with gold nunome, strong rust patina due to age.
HEIGHT 8,4 CM
From the collection of Dr. Karl Florenz (1865-1939)
Dr. Karl Florenz was a renowned scholar, university professor and regarded as a pioneer of German Japanese studies. He resided in Japan from 1888 until the beginning of the First World War, then continued his lectures at the Hamburg Colonial Institute, never to return to Japan again. Famed for having translated several important Japanese books including the Nihongi, Japan’s oldest official history text, he was awarded the Japanese doctor title in literature. His extensive collection was largely destroyed by air strikes in the Second World War (which he himself did not live to witness), however, most tsuba etc. survived in relatively good condition. Dr. Florenz primarily collected tsubas, most of which are from the 18th cent. and quite evidently made an effort to explore a wide range of motifs.