Rare Cloisonne Enamel Tsuba. Japanese Folklore. Circa 1880.

Rare Cloisonne Enamel Tsuba. Japanese Folklore, most likely depicting Sakata no Kintoki*. Circa 1880.

Extremely well depicted folklore rendition of Sakata no Kintoki, searching for the "Tsuchigumo" or Earth Spider. Pictured with great strength and fighting within the spiders web, symbolic of early Japanese folklore. Superb intricate wire-work with vivid enamel colours, and silver edging. Extremely rare.

Condition: Unrestored original and authentic condition, with very slight surface scratches. Very small area of enamel imperfection - shown in photos. This particular tsuba seemingly undocumented.

Dimensions: (very slight oval form). Approx:

Height = 8.3cm.
Width = 7.9cm.
Thickness = 4mm.

For reference: Last picture in woodblock print Katsukawa Shun’ei (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) very similar artwork [not included in this sale].

*Sakata no Kintoki, whose 10th-century exploits became the stuff of legend, was one of the four strongest retainers of the general Minamoto no Raikou. On the orders of Raikou, Kintoki is said to have overcome the demons of Mt. Oe near Kyoto. As a child, Kintoki, then called Kintaro, was unusually strong. A very popular symbol in rural Japan, Kintaro is widely considered a champion and protector of the common folk, slaying demons and evil beings that could endanger their posterity.