Create Account
Log In
Search
Previous Lot All lots Next Lot
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891) TSUBA (SWORD GUARD) WITH RED-PEPPER DESIGN 唐辛子図蒔絵喰出鐔 Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1870–1890

This lot has been removed from the website, please contact customer services for more information

Lot 20
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891) TSUBA (SWORD GUARD) WITH RED-PEPPER DESIGN 唐辛子図蒔絵喰出鐔
Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1870–1890

Sold for £ 6,937 (US$ 8,723) inc. premium

Masterpieces of Japanese Art from a Royal Collection

7 Nov 2019, 11:00 GMT

London, New Bond Street

SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891) TSUBA (SWORD GUARD) WITH RED-PEPPER DESIGN 唐辛子図蒔絵喰出鐔
Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1870–1890
A hamidashi-tsuba (hand guard for a dagger) formed from layers of paper covered in dark grey-brown textured tetsusabi-nuri, further lacquered to mimic the semegane (copper shims in the central opening) and the marks left by the seppa (washers), the front, side, and reverse with a dried red chilli pepper and its stalk in red lacquer and shibuichi-nuri, at the top a rat's footprints in raised tetsusabi-nuri; signed in scratched characters to the left of the central opening Zeshin 是真

5.4cm × 4.1cm × 0.7cm (2⅛in × 1⅝in × ¼in)

With fitted wood storage box labelled Zeshin-ō saku tōgarashi maki-e tsuba 是真翁作　唐辛子蒔絵鍔 (Sword guard with a chilli pepper in maki-e by the venerable Zeshin) (2)

Provenance:
Sold in these Rooms, 5 November 2014, lot 3

Exhibited and Published:
Nezu Bijutsukan (Nezu Museum) 2012, cat. no. 46

Footnotes

  • In his characteristically playful manner Zeshin depicts a chilli pepper, formerly used to keep rats away from stored foodstuffs, and the footprint of a fleeing rat; he also used the pepper motif on a complete sword-mounting made for the superstar storyteller San'yūtei Enchō (1839–1900; see Earle and Gōke 1996, cat. no. 75). According to leading Zeshin scholar Gōke Tadaomi, a secondary significance of the chilli-pepper motif might be that it alludes to the proverb Keshi ga karakerya tōgarashi ga inkyo suru (If the mustard-seed is too strong, the chilli's taste is smothered) and the related word keshikaran, which means something like 'uncouth', 'uncool' or 'non-iki' (Earle and Gōke 1996, p. 20); Zeshin ironically conveys iki (coolness) through an emblem of un-coolness, so to speak.
Contacts
  1. Suzannah Yip
    Specialist - Japanese Art
    Bonhams
    Work
    101 New Bond Street
    London, United Kingdom W1S 1SR
    Work +44 20 7468 8368
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891) TSUBA (SWORD GUARD) WITH RED-PEPPER DESIGN 唐辛子図蒔絵喰出鐔 Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1870–1890
Activities
Conditions of Sale View
Go to Japanese Art Go
Auction information

This auction is now finished. If you are interested in consigning in future auctions, please contact the specialist department. If you have queries about lots purchased in this auction, please contact customer services.

Buyers' Obligations

ALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.

If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest customer services team.

Buyers' Premium and Charges

For all Sales categories, buyer's premium excluding Cars, Motorbikes, Wine, Whisky and Coin & Medal sales, will be as follows:

Buyer's Premium Rates
27.5% on the first £20,000 of the hammer price;
26% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £20,000 up to and including £700,000;
20% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £700,000 up to and including £4,500,000;
and 14.5% of the hammer price of any amounts in excess of £4,500,000.

VAT at the current rate of 20% will be added to the Buyer's Premium and charges excluding Artists Resale Right.

Payment Notices

For payment information please refer to the sale catalogue.

Shipping Notices

For information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licences please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.

News

Loading...
Headline image url
Closing date: [[ headline.expiry_date ]]
; View all news

Videos

Loading...
Headline image url
Closing date: [[ headline.expiry_date ]]
; View all videos
Similar Items
App