A shibuichi tsuba

Description:

Japan, Hamano school, mid Edo period, middle of 18th c.
6,5 x 6,1 x 0,4 cm
Tate-maru-gata. Shibuichi, on migaki - ground iroe-taka-zogan in gold, silver, shakudo and copper, katakiri-bori, ten-zogan. Depicting the generals Kajiwara and Sasaki. Kaku-mimi-koniku.
From an old German private collection, published in: Günther Heckmann, ‘Tsuba’. H.U.B Verlag, Nürtingen, 1995, T 101
While surpressing the revolt of Yoshinaka in 1184, the troups of Yoshitsune had to pass the Uji river. Finding the bridge destroyed, the generals Kajiwara Genda Kagesuye and Sasaki no Shiro Takatsuna competed to be the first to reach the opposite bank. Sasaki warned the leading Kajiwara about his loose bridle. Kajiwara stopped in the middle of the river to check the bridle, holding his bow in his teeth. In this way Sasaki gained the necessary lead over him to be the first on the opposite bank - Cf: Peabody, XXXIX No. 1, Naunton, pl. LIII