57 - YURAKUSAI SEKIBUN: A FINE SHAKUDO ‘TIGER AND BAMBOO’ TSUBA

YURAKUSAI SEKIBUN: A FINE SHAKUDO ‘TIGER AND BAMBOO’ TSUBA Lineage of Yurakusai Sekibun, signed Yurakusai Sekibun Japan, 19 th century, late Edo period (1615-1868) to Meiji period (1868-1912) Of nagamarugata form, with one kozuka hitsu ana, the shakudo migakiji ground decorated in gold, silver, and suaka takazogan to depict a tiger by rocks and sasa bamboo grasses. Signed YURAKUSAI SEKIBUN. HEIGHT 6.3 cm, WIDTH 5.7 cm HEIGHT 2.8 cm (nakago-ana) THICKNESS 0.4 cm (seppa-dai) WEIGHT 92.1 g Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, a few light scratches, and scattered tiny nicks. With a padded storage box. There are two Yurakusai Sekibun listed in Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, pp. 1624-1625 (H 08118.0 and H 08119.0). Yurakusai Sekibun I (1790-1872) was born in Murakami, Echigo province, and studied the Hamano school style. He learned both iron and soft metal plate techniques. His son Yurakusai Sekibun II (1838-1912) was born in Edo and took on his father’s name and titles after his death. Auction comparisons: Compare a related iron tsuba with tiger, signed Yurakusai Sekibun with a gold kao, dated to the 19 th century, 7.1 cm tall, at Christie’s, The Edoris Collection of Japanese Art/Japanese Art & Design, 10 November 2004, London, lot 41 (sold for GBP 3,346 or approx. EUR 7,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare a related suaka tsuba with tiger, signed Yurakusai Sekibun, dated to the 19 th century, at Bonhams, Arts of the Samurai, 27 October 2014, New York, lot 1214 (sold for USD 5,000 or approx. EUR 6,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).