Kozuka, Harvest Man

The “kozuka” is the handle of a small knife carried in the “koshirae” (accessories) called “kogatana” and is integrated into Japanese “nihonto” culture, both as a status object and as a utensil. The “kozuka” is generally integrated into the “koshirae” of the sword, being stored in the sheath and in a recess of the “tsuba” (handguard). The “kozuka” is a tool that was added for functional use, sometimes alongside a “kogai” hairpin. During the rather stable Edo period, the decoration of the "kozuka" and other sword accessories expanded greatly and many hilts can be found in a wide variety of decorations and materials such as bronze, iron, gold and silver.

This example: A beautiful, well-made example consisting of a brass base, deeply embossed and decorated with gold. The scene depicts an elderly man sitting in a basket hanging from a mountain. Probably harvesting the flowers for her golden basket. The landscape is very detailed and shows natural shapes of rocks, vegetation like plants and branches and a waterfall below. The man's clothing is treated with a metallic alloy giving it an iridescent appearance. All considered a very well done example.

Condition: Very good, some light items due to its age. Dimensions: Length: 9.4 cm Width: 14 mm Thickness: 4 mm Weight: 32gr.