/Collection
  • Square softcover, 28.5 x 28.7 cm, pictorial wrappers, pp.: [1-5] 6-208, ils. Title-page: Chikanobu | Modernity and Nostalgia in Japanese Prints | by Bruce A. Coats | with essays by | Allen Hockley, Kyoko Kurita and Joshua S. Mostow | Scripps College, Claremont, CA, USA | in association with | Hotei Publishing | Leiden, The Netherlands | {publisher’s device} || Contributors: Toyohara Chikanobu [豊原周延] (Japanese, 1838 – 1912) Bruce Arthur Coats (American, modern)
  • Paperback, 32 x 29 cm, with signed manuscript gift autograph to t.p., pp.: [1-9] 10-159 [5]. The photographic pictorial album, published on the occasion of the exhibition at Madrid, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Sala Antonio Palacios, from December 12th, 2006 to January 7th, 2007. Valery Katsuba (Belarusian, b. 1965) – artist.
  • Two 8vo volumes bound in one, 19 x 12.5 cm, in full mottled sheepskin with gilt-bordered boards, gilt decorated flat spine with gilt-lettered red and black calf labels, rebacked, marbled endpapers and edges, printed on wove paper, plates on thicker laid paper. Title-page: FABLES | MISES EN VERS | PAR J. DE LA FONTAINE. | TOME PREMIER (SECOND). | {medallion portrait} (printer’s device “PC”) | A PARIS, | CHEZ ANT. AUG. RENOUARD. | M. DCC. XCV. || Collation: Vol. 1: π2 (h.t./imprint, t.p. medallion portrait/blank), [1]-38 (Notice sur la vie…), 1-58 64 (Vie de la Fontaine, Épitre, Préface, Vie d’Ésope), [7]-148 156 χ3 (table); pagination [4] [i] ii-xlviii, [1] 2-234. Total 143 leaves (286 pages) plus 6 plates after Moreau le Jeune by Devilliers fratres (p. 112), E. De Ghendt (pp. 122 and 181), Jean Louis Delignon (p. 140), Delvaux (p. 197), and Ph. Trière (p. 219). Title medallion portrait of La Fontaine (G Rigault pinx. – C S Gaucher inc.) by Gaucher after Rigaud. Vol. 2: π2 1-158 164; pagination [4] [1] 2-247 [248 blank]. Total 126 leaves (252 pages) plus 6 plates after Moreau le Jeune by Devilliers fratres (p. 19), Villerey (pp. 37, 80, and 146), Bosq (p. 121), and Ph. Trière (p. 199). The book published in 1795 (An 3) supplemented with plates produced in 1811 and 1812 for Œuvres complèttes (sic) de Jean de la Fontaine published by Lefèvre in 1814. The reason for choosing this particular edition for someone's library shortly after 1814 was probably the absence of censorship in 1795. Catalogue raisonné: (1) Lewine [LIB-2538.2020] on p. 276 (Paris, chez Renouard, 1795, 2 vols., 8vo., medal portrait on first title, and 12 plates after Moreau by Delvaux, Bosq, Ghendt, Trière, and Villerey). (2) M.-J.-F. Mahérault. L' oeuvre de Moreau le Jeune : catalogue raisonné et descriptif avec notes iconographiques et bibliographiques. — Paris: A. Labitte, 1880. Contributors: Jean de La Fontaine (French, 1621–1695) – author. Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune (French, 1741–1814) – artist. Hyacinthe Rigaud (French, 1659 – 1743) – artist. Antoine-Augustin Renouard (French, 1765 – 1853) – publisher. Pierre Causse (French, 1761 – 1834) – printer. Engravers: Charles Étienne Gaucher (French, 1741 – 1804) Etienne De Villiers [Devilliers, Devilliers fratres] (French, 1784 – after 1844) Emmanuel Jean Nepomucène de Ghendt (Flemish, worked in France, 1738 – 1815) Jean-Louis Delignon (French, 1755 – 1820) Rémi Henri Joseph Delvaux (French, 1748 – 1823) Philippe Trière (French, 1756 – c. 1815) Auguste Villerey (French, 1801 – 1846) Jean Bosq (French, fl. c. 1801 – 1844)
  • A shunga (erotic) print by Suzuki Harunobu  [鈴木 春信] (Japanese, c. 1725 – 1770) depicting a woman making love with a man in the palanquin (のりもの/乗り物) while the other woman "ties a sash about her hips below her obi."  The sheet is not signed; however, it is attributed to Harunobu. A reference image can be found in the Metropolitan Museum (NY) collection, Accession Number JP1635:

    http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45071

    According to the MET "the palanquin ... has carried these courtesans to the shore for a spring outing". Some time ago, a similar print was sold by Richard Kruml (description: A chuban shunga print showing the occupant of a kago in flagrante with one of the porters, having seized the opportunity of a stop on the journey. Published late 1760s. Rare). Another copy was sold at Sotheby's in Paris for €3,360 on November 27, 2002 (Lot 24), with a reproduction of the print's detail and description on p. 39: Suzuki Harunobu (1725 – 1770) | Shunga: couple dans un palanquin, vers 1768-1770, non-signe, cachet non identifé, cachets Charles Mitchell, Huguette Berès, Format chuban, 20.1 x 28.6 cm | 3000 – 4000 € | Il s’agit probablement de trois voyageurs, l’un d’entre eux debout près du palanquin faisant mine d’ignorer la scène. Bibliographie: Delay p. 87. Reference: [LIB-3121.2022] Sotheby's: Collection Huguette Berès – Estampes, dessins et livres illustrés japonais / 2 volumes; vol. 1. — Paris: Sotheby's, 2002.
  • Paperback brochure, 22.6 x 16 cm, brown wrappers, lettered in red and black: И. С. ТУРГЕНЕВЪ. | КАЗНЬ | ТРОПМАНА | ИЗЪ ЛИТЕРАТУРНЫХЪ | И ЖИТЕЙСКИХЪ ВОСПОМИНАНIЙ. | РИСУНКИ | Марселя Слодкаго | {fleuron} | КНИГОИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | «ГЕЛИКОНЪ» | МОСКВА - БЕРЛИНЪ | MCMXXII ||; 8 full-page, incl. frontispiece, and 5 smaller vignettes after Marcel Slodki, within pagination. Title-page: И. С. ТУРГЕНЕВЪ. | КАЗНЬ | ТРОПМАНА | ИЗЪ ЛИТЕРАТУРНЫХЪ | И ЖИТЕЙСКИХЪ ВОСПОМИНАНIЙ | Рисунки | МАРСЕЛЯ СЛОДКАГО. | Книгоиздательство | “ГЕЛИКОНЪ” | МОСКВА - БЕРЛИНЪ | MCMXXII || Imprint: Эта книга отпечатана въ типографiи Sinaburg & Co., G.m.b.H. | Berlin для книгоиздательства “Геликонъ” в декабрѣ | 1921 г. Клише работы Römmler & Jonas, Dresden. || Pagination: [4] blanks, [2] publisher’s device / imprint, [2] blank / frontis. (Turgenev’s portrait), [2] t.p. / blank, [2] f.t. / blank, 11-57 [58] text,  [4] blanks. Contributors: Иван Сергеевич Тургенев [Ivan Turgenev] (Russian, 1818 – 1883) – author. Марсель Слодкий [Marcel Slodki] (Jewish-Ukrainian, 1892 – 1944) – artist Jean-Baptiste Troppmann (French, 1849 – 1870) – character.
  • Hardcover volume, 20.4 x 13.1 cm, quarter contemporary calf over modern brown marbled board, printed on laid paper, pp.: [i-v] vi-xii, [13] 14-259 [260] blank; collated 8vo: 1-168 172; total 130 leaves. Title-page: DES | SOCIÉTÉS SECRÈTES | EN ALLEMAGNE, | ET EN D'AUTRES CONTREES; | DE LA SECTE DES ILLUMINÉS DU TRIBUNAL | SECRET, DE L'ASSASSINAT DE KOTZEBUE, ETC. | {two lines in rules} | PARIS, | LIBRAIRIE DE GIDE, FILS, | RUE SAINT–MARC–FEYDEAU, No. 20. | 1819. || Contributors: Vincent Lombard de Langres (French, 1765 – 1830)  – author. Théophile-Étienne Gide (French, 1767 – 1837) – publisher. Seller's description: [LOMBARD DE LANGRES (Vincent)]. Des Sociétés secrètes en Allemagne, et en d'autres contrées. Paris, Gide fils, 1819 ; in 8°, demi basane fauve, dos lisse orné. Reliure de l'époque. Edition originale rare. L'auteur, révolutionnaire, fut ami de Danton et de Barras. Dans son ouvrage anti maçonnique, il dévoile les doctrines des sociétés secrètes, leurs principes, leur influence dans la société. Caillet 6770.  
  • Hardcover volume, 21.5 x 14.7 x 5.7 cm, bound in red cloth with blind-stamped ms signature to front board and gilt lettering over black labels, and gild design elements to spine; pp.: [i-iv] (h.t./blank, t.p./copyright) v-xv[xvi] blank, [1-2] f.t./blank, 3-1653 [1654] blank, [2] publ. note/blank; 1672 pp total; Blue ink ms inscription to h.t. 'Lawrence Wyman'. Title-page (in a two-rule frame): THE COMPLETE WORKS OF | O. Henry | Foreword by | WILLIAM LYON PHELPS | AUTHENTIC EDITION | {publisher’s device, G.C.P.} | De Luxe Edition | — | Garden City Publishing Co., Inc. | GARDEN CITY    NEW YORK || Contributors: O. Henry [William Sydney Porter] (American, 1862 – 1910) – author. William Lyon Phelps (American, 1865  – 1943) – author/foreword.
  • Hardcover volume 28.5 x 22.2 cm, bound in grey cloth with gilt lettering to front and spine, olive endpapers, pictorial dust jacket [Washington square vista] with text and portrait of the authors to flaps, pp.: [i-viii] ix-xxi [xxii], [2] 3-208 [2], total 117 leaves, 205 photomechanical illustrations, limitation to last page: 1200 copies regular edition, 100 copies deluxe edition. Title-page: Armin Landeck | The Catalogue Raisonné of His Prints | Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged | June Kysilko Kraeft and Norman Kraeft | Southern Illinois University Press / Carbondale and Edwardsville || Contributors: Armin Landeck (American, 1905 – 1984) June Kysilko Kraeft Norman Kraeft
  • Hand-coloured woodcut on wove paper, 400 x 270 mm; black ink stamp “5306” to reverse. Top centre: "FAMILLE IMPÉRIALE", right: "62."; below centre: "Fabrique d'Images de GANGEL et P. DIDION, à Metz."; right: "Déposé." Publisher/printer: Gangel et P. Didion (Metz); Paulin Didion (French, 1831 – 1879). Characters: Napoleon III [Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte] (French, 1808 – 1873) Eugénie de Montijo [L'impératrice Eugénie] (Spanish-French, 1826 – 1920) Napoléon, Prince Imperial (Napoléon Eugène Louis Jean Joseph Bonaparte] (French, 1856 – 1879) Napoléon II [Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte] (French, 1811 – 1832) Napoléon Ier [Napoléon Bonaparte] (French, 1769 – 1821)  
  • Iron pliers painted black and outlined in gilt lacquer, with wooden handle and bronze seals, "Ex Libris Comte Tony de Vibraye", L17.1 x W6.9 x H7.5 cm. Provenance: Antoine Henri Gaston Hurault de Vibraye [Comte Tony de Vibraye] (French, 1893 – 1951). The book with such a stamp in this library: [LIB-3243.2023] Crébillon fils. La Nuit et le moment ou Les Matinées de Cythère / Illustrations de Sylvain Sauvage. — Paris: Au dépens d’un amateur, 1924.  
  • Hardcover volume, 19 x 13 cm, grey cloth with gilt lettering to spine, grey/cream dust jacket lettered throughout, price “10s 6d | NET” unclipped. Covers rubbed, dust jacket has a purple ink stain on the back bottom. Black ink inscription to recto ffl. Collation: a-o8 p10, total 122 leaves; pp.: [6] 1-237 [238]. 1st edition, 1st issue / Great Britain. Title-page: THE END OF THE | AFFAIR | by | GRAHAM GREENE | {publisher’s device} | — | WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD | MELBOURNE :: LONDON :: TORONTO || Imprint: FIRST PUBLISHED 1951 | PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN | AT THE WINDMILL PRESS | KINGSWOOD, SURREY || Dedication: To C. (Catherine Walston, nee Crompton, American, 1925 – 1978) Contributors: Graham Greene (British, 1904 – 1991) William Henry Heinemann (Jewish-British, 1863 – 1920)
  • Title page: УТОПИЧЕСКИЙ РОМАН XVI – XVII ВЕКОВ | ТОМАС МОР | УТОПИЯ |•| КАМПАНЕЛЛА | ГОРОД СОЛНЦА |•| ФРЭНСИС БЭКОН | НОВАЯ АТЛАНТИДА |•| СИРАНО ДЕ БЕРЖЕРАК | ГОСУДАРСТВА ЛУНЫ |•| ДЕНИ ВЕРАС | ИСТОРИЯ СЕВАРАМБОВ | {PUBLISHER’S DEVICE} | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | «ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННАЯ ЛИТЕРАТУРА» | МОСКВА • 1971 || Pagination: [1-4] 5-493 [494] [2], 10 plates extraneous to collation. Collation: 16mo; [1]16 2-1516 168. Binding: 20.5 x 15 cm, burgundy cloth, gilt serial device to cover, gilt lettering to spine, pictorial DJ. Colophon: БИБЛИОТЕКА ВСЕМИРНОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ | СЕРИЯ ПЕРВАЯ | Том 34 || Print run 300,000 copies

    Вступительная статья: Л. Воробьев

    Томас Мор: Утопия. Перевод А. Малеина и Ф. Петровского.

    Томмазо Кампанелла: Город Солнца. Перевод Ф. Петровского.

    Фрэнсис Бэкон: Новая Атлантида. Перевод З. Александровой.

    Сирано де Бержерак: Государства Луны. Перевод Е. Гунста.

    Дени Верас: История Севарамбов. Перевод Е. Дмитриевой.

    Примечания А. Малеина, Ф. Петровского, Ф. Коган-Бернштейн, Ф. Шуваевой.

    Художник: Селиверстов, Юрий Иванович (Russian, b. 1940) Authors, translators:

    More, Sir Thomas (British, 1478 –1535)

    Campanella, Tommaso (Italian, 1568 – 1639) Bacon, Francis (British, 1561 –1626) Cyrano de Bergerac, Savinien de (French, 1619 – 1655) Vairasse d' Allais, Denis (French, c. 1630 – 1672) Малеин, Александр Иустинович (Russian, 1869 – 1938) Петровский, Фёдор Александрович (Russian, 1890 – 1978) Елизавета Ивановна Дмитриева [Васильева; Черубина де Габриак] (Russian, 1887 – 1928) Александрова, Зинаида Николаевна (Russian, 1907—1983) Гунст, Евгений Анатольевич (Russian, 1901 – 1983) Коган-Бернштейн, Фаина Абрамовна [Аронгауз] (Russian, 1899 – 1976)
  • Mori Sosen (1747-1821). Two Monkeys Hanging From Branches. Hanging Scroll Painting. Ink and colour on silk. Signed: Sosen. Sealed: Sosen.
  • И. М. Калинин. Под знаменем Врангеля. Заметки бывшего военного прокурора. - Л.: Рабочее из-во "Прибой", 1925. - 273 с.

    Тираж 7125 экз.

    Об авторе: «К моменту февральской революции я занимал должность помощника военного прокурора Кавказского военно-окружного суда... Я не был политиком, но не переносил Союза русского народа. Падение монархии приветствовал. В 1917 году в г. Эрзеруме, занимая довольно приличный пост, работал в самом тесном содружестве с Советом солдатских и рабочих депутатов. Меньшевики, эсэры, большевики постоянно навещали меня, зная, что я хотя и внепартийный, но искренно предан делу революции». В 1918-м Калинину удалось перебраться в занятый Добровольческой армией Екатеринодар, откуда в конце сентября 1918 г. он выехал на Дон. «Здесь тоже мобилизовали всех офицеров. Мне ничего другого не оставалось, как поступить на службу в только что сорганизованный Донской военно-окружной суд». Будучи профессиональным военным юристом Калинин в дальнейшем состоял прокурором при временном Донском военном суде.

    По возвращении из эмиграции полковник Калинин, как и многие другие репатрианты, пытался избавиться от клейма «бывшего белогвардейца». 5 октября 1937 г. И. М. Калинин, в то время преподаватель рабочего факультета Ленинградского автодорожного института, был арестован по решению Комиссии НКВД и Прокуратуры СССР . 2 ноября 1937 г. он был приговорен по ст. 58-6-8-11 УК РСФСР к высшей мере наказания и расстрелян в Ленинграде 10 ноября 1937 года.

  • Shakudō tsuba of the slightly vertically elongated round form (nagamaru-gata) decorated by gold in flat inlay (hira-zōgan) with three insects (cricket, locust, and praying mantis), grass and dewdrops motif. Kogai hitsu-ana is plugged with gilded soft metal. Height: 70.2 mm; width: 66.4 mm x Thickness at seppa-dai: 4.5 mm. Edo period (from ca. 1700 to ca. 1850) Unsigned. Attributed to Kaga School or Murakami School. Almost identical tsuba (no dewdrops, though) is illustrated and described at page 60 of Kokusai Tosogu Kai. 7th International Convention & Exhibition, November 1st, 2011 at Tokyo National Museum, page 60. It is attributed to the Kaga School, Mid Edo period (Late 17th - early 18th century). Dimensions: 70.5 x 66 x 4.5 mm. "The rich black shakudo plate has been slightly lowered (dished out) and then polished. Gold insects crawl amongst grasses, depicted by Kaga style hirazogan (flat inlay). One tendril of the mantis overlaps onto seppa-dai. The mantis boldly looks out from the tsuba in a curious way. This style of Kaga tsuba was popular during the Genroku era (1688-1703)."

    7-U17. Ron Hartmann Collection.

      Another source is Japanese Sword Fittings. A descriptive catalogue of the Collection of G.H. Naunton, Esq., completed and illustrated by Henri L. Joly, - 1912:
    Kanazawa in Kaga was a centre of fine metal work during the whole of the Tokugawa period. At first the inlayers of Fushimi following the Daimyo Maeda went to Kanazawa, then some of the Gotō masters proceeded from Kyoto for short periods to work for the Daimyo, so that their influence was strongly impressed upon Kaga work..." A somewhat look-a-like tsuba is illustrated at plate XXVIII, Kaga Inlay, №653 with the following description at page 52: "Shakudō, inlaid with five insects in gold: crickets, praying mantis, grasshopper, in the style of Takagawara Ujitsugu.
    According to M. Sesko, Ujitsugu was a master from Katsuki and Kaneko School in Kaga, son of Ujihira. Ujihira's father Ujiyoshi died in 1802. This brings us to the mid-19th century, instead of mid-18th or earlier. On the other hand, a very much look alike specimen at MFA collection (ACCESSION NUMBER 17.1061) has the with the following description: Edo period. Late 18th–early 19th century. Murakami School. Main material: shakudo; other metals: gold; decorative technique: iroe hirazogan.

    MFA # 17.1061

    A detailed account of Murakami school can be found at The Japanese toso-kinko Schools.// Lulu Inc., 2012 by Markus Sesko, on pages 235-239. All-in-all, it's either Kaga School or Murakami School, either ca. 1700 or ca. 1850. Quite a range! SOLD
  • Iron tsuba of six-lobed (mutsu-mokkō-gata) form, with six wild boar's eye shape (inome) openings (sukashi). Hitsu-ana and the entire perimeter of tsuba have typical for this school raised rim. Lobes are decorated with landscape motifs in low relief carving (sukidashi-bori). On the obverse: A hut under a full moon, Shinto shrine gates (torii) with pines and a full moon, rocks, a large pine tree, and a temple (pagoda) surrounded by rocks and waves. On the reverse: waves, fishing boat, wild gees in flight under full moon, maple, hexagon (tortoiseshell, kikko) with a dot inside and a dot outside (inclusion/exclusion symbol), and chrysanthemum (the last two may be family crests, mon). Kamakura-bori school. Late Muromachi period (1514-1573). Height: 64.2 mm, width: 74.3 mm, Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.2 mm, at rim 2.6 mm. Weight: 62.8 g (light). NBTHK old green certificate №561: Tokubetsu Kicho  - "Extraordinary Work". A look-a-like tsuba can be found at the Compton Collection, part II, pp. 14-15, №17, though his tsuba is more massive (80 x 84 x 4 mm).

    Compton Collection, part II, pp. 14-15, №17: Kamakura-bori tsuba, ca. 1450.

    NBTHK paper says that the motif is Hakkei (八景), i.e. "Eight Views," so several interpretations are possible (the original Chinese ones, Omi Hakkei, etc.).  However, most likely it is the 'Eight views of Omi' (近江八景  - 'Omi Hakkei'). Why the artist selected a 6-lobed form for depicting 8 views remains unclear, and thus we are in our right to raise the question whether the motif is indeed Hakkei. The term Omi hakkei (eight views of Omi) refers to painting or print sets which illustrate life on the shores of Lake Biwa in Omi (now Shiga Prefecture). The model for such paintings came from China, where, from the eleventh century onward, painters had produced eight views of the Hsiao and Hsiang lake areas of Hunan Province. The themes, which follow the original Chinese models, are: geese descending to land, returning fishing boats, clearing rain, a snow-covered evening landscape, the autumn moon, night rain, a temple bell at evening, and the glow of sunset. Japanese artists have also used the eight-theme approach for other parts of country - including cities - and applied it to subject matter other than landscapes. [Merrily Baird. Symbols of Japan. Thematic motifs in art and design. Rizzoli international publications, Inc., 2001, page 308-9]. Japan Encyclopedia by Louis Frédéric also mentions Omi Hakkei as "Eight landscapes of Omi", and states that this theme was often cited in poetry after 1500. It is likely that the tsuba in focus is designed under the influence of the theme popularity in the 16th century. The theme was effectively exploited by prominent ukiyo-e artists Suzuki Harunobu and Utagawa Hiroshige in the 18th and 19th century, respectively. These are the eight scenes of the theme (see Wikipedia):
    • Returning sails at Yabase (矢橋の帰帆) - Yabase. Yabase is an old harbour on the east side of the lake. Near the Tokaido, it was used for a shortcut to Otsu by boat.
    • Evening glow at Seta (勢多(瀬田)の夕照) - The Chinese Bridge at Seta. The long bridge across the Seta was used by the Tokaido. In the background the "Fuji of Omi", the Mikamiyama. It is just above 400 m, but indeed well visible.
    • Autumn moon at Ishiyama (石山の秋月) - Ishiyama Temple. The Ishiyamadera was located on a hillside next to the Seta River. It got his name form the strange rocks on which it is built, partly on supporting beams. A hut at the upper end of the site allows a view of the lake, and the moon.
    • Clear breeze at Awazu (粟津の晴嵐) - Awazuhara. Awazu is well known for its pine wood, Awazu-ga-hara.
    • Evening bell at Miidera (三井晩鐘) - Mii-dera. Miidera temple was built in the 8th century. Its famous bell is one of the "Three bells of Japan", the other two being those at Byoodo-in, Uji and at Jingoji, Kyoto.
    • Evening rain at Karasaki (唐崎の夜雨) - Karasaki Shrine. Karasaki is a small cape with a single large pine tree, a hitsu-matsu.
    • Wild geese returning home at Katata (堅田の落雁) - Ukimido. Alighting geese cannot be seen always, however the little temple near Katata in the square hōkyō-style, detached from the lakeside, connected by a bridge. The first part of the name uki is the same as in Ukiyo-e, meaning floating. Midō means temple.
    • Evening snow at Hira (比良の暮雪) - Hira Mountains. The Hira mountains on the west side of the lake experience the hard winter, when the winter monsoon brings much snow from the continent.
    In any case, as a conservative, I say that it is a landscape motif and a late Muromachi period work, rather than Omi hakkei motif and a mid-Muromachi work.
  • A circular iron tsuba with a design of three monkey toys (kukurizaru) in small openwork (ko-sukashi); the plate further decorated with four rows of brass dot inlay (ten-zogan). The center of the plate and the openings are outlined with brass wire. Copper sekigane. A few dots missing. Muromachi period. Dimensions: 89.0 x 88.2 x 2.9 mm. Kukurizaru was an often used motif on old tsuba. The symbol has two explanations: (1) "upright" monkey, a sort of roly-poly toy, alludes to 'never-ever give up' property of the samurai; (2) monkeys are represented with their hands and feet tied to their back to symbolize self-control. Other examples of the same design:

    The Henry D. Rosin Collection №9.

    Lundgren Collection №7.

  • Iron tsuba of oval form with a shakudō fukurin and rough surface decorated by low relief carving and brass inlay with a centipede emerging from under the rock on both sides.

    Edo period.

    Size: 78.9 x 73.6 x 3.8 mm

      Unsigned. However, this tsuba may be (though with reservation) attributed to Misumi Kōji school. There is some information regarding this master(s) in Tsuba. An aesthetic study by Kazutaro Torigoye and Robert E. Haynes (from the Tsuba Geijutsu-kō of Kazataro Torigoye. Edited and published by Alan L. Harvie for the Nothern California Japanese Sword Club, 1994-1997) on pages 163-4, though I was not able to locate the tsuba in the original publication. Possibly, this fragment of the book was added by Robert Haynes. Markus Sesko speculates about Misumi in his The Japanese toso-kinko Schools.// Lulu Inc., 2012 on pages 374-5: "Misumi Kōjo Tsuba. Iron plate, elliptical shape, shakudō takabori suemon, yamagane fukurin. Centipede." But of course, visual similarity does not prove anything. I was not able to find any traces of signature or a triangle on the seppa-dai.

    Misumi Kōji Tsuba on p. 163.