73 - TAKATOSHI: A SUPERB SENTOKU ‘LUNAR HARES’ TSUBA

TAKATOSHI: A SUPERB SENTOKU ‘LUNAR HARES’ TSUBA By Ikeda Takatoshi, signed Takatoshi with kakihan Japan, 19th century, late Edo period (1615-1868) Of nagamarugata form, with two hitsu-ana and suaka sekigane to the nakago-ana. The sentoku ground superbly worked in katakiribori, kebori, and kage-sukashi, further embellished with silver and gold hirazogan, depicting two hares, one spotted, seated among delicately engraved grasses beneath a moon partially veiled by drifting clouds. Signed TAKATOSHI with kakihan. HEIGHT 7.3 cm, WIDTH 6.7 cm HEIGHT 2.3 cm (nakago-ana) THICKNESS 0.3 cm (seppa-dai) WEIGHT 86.9 g Condition: Very good condition with minor wear. Ikeda Takatoshi is listed in the Haynes Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, p. 1857 (H 09322.0). A distinguished member of the Otsuki school, Takatoshi is said to have studied under Otsuki Mitsuoki and subsequently became the teacher of the celebrated Kano Natsuo (1828-1898), one of Japan's greatest metalworkers. Auction comparison: Compare a related sentoku tsuba depicting a lunar hare beneath the full moon, signed Fujiwara Kodo with a gold seal Hirochika, at Lempertz, Asian Art, 11 December 2021, Cologne, lot 259a (sold for EUR 5,000 or approx. EUR 6,200 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare a related sentoku tsuba by Otsuki Mitsuhiro, after a design by Tsuchiya Yasuchika, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art: Part IV, 6 November 2013, London, lot 28.