Description

Japanese antique samurai kura horse saddle. Carved of wood and lacquered with a fan motif in gold makie lacquer on a nashiji ground with inlay shell design on the maewa (front arched plate) as well as the shizuwa (rear arched plate). The maewa and shizuwa are connected by two igi (contoured side bands) which are decorated with shell inlay on a black lacquer ground. The igi rest on either side of the horse’s spine and serve as the under frame for the leather seat (basen or kura tsubo) and are slotted for stirrup straps (chikara-gawa or gekiso) to pass through. Mounted on custom stand. A carved inscription on the underside clearly states:

慶長拾年

Keichо̄ jūnen

10th year of Keichо̄ Era (1605)

Age: Early Edo Period 1605

Dimensions: 12″ high (16 3/4″ high on stand) x 16″ wide x 15 1/2″ long