SANO NAONOBU: A SUPERB SILVER KOZUKA WITH FUJIN AND RAIJIN STORMING ABOVE A BIJIN AND ATTENDANT

SANO NAONOBU: A SUPERB SILVER KOZUKA WITH FUJIN AND RAIJIN STORMING ABOVE A BIJIN AND ATTENDANT
By Sano Naonobu, signed Sano Naonobu and kakihan
Japan, Sano school, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Finely incised in katakiribori and kebori with Raijin and Fujin raging in a cloudy sky. Raijin pounding his drum as Fujin releases his bag of wind, consequently inverting the umbrella of the attendant which he holds over the elegantly dressed Bijin. Signed with in a quadrilobed gold hirazogan reserve SANO NAONOBU and kakihan (artist's cursive monogram).
HEIGHT 9.7 cm
WEIGHT 29.3 g
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and few microscopic scratches.
With a wood tomobako storage box and label naming the artist and his lineage.
The artist is listed in the Haynes Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists on p. 1335 (H 06742.0). Naonobu was the student and adopted son of Sano Naoyoshi. He worked as an independent artist of the Sano family school.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related iron tsuba engraved with a tiger by the same artist, signed Sano Naonobu, at Bonhams, Arts of the Samurai, 26 October 2022, New York, lot 112
(sold for USD 2,550)
.