A Beautiful Shinto Samurai Folklore Tanto Circa 1600 With An Intriguing Suite Of Patinated Copper Koshirae Engraved With Samurai, Turtle, Human Faced Octopus, Lamp with Fan, & A Cricket Upon A Fan,

A stunning tanto with delightful patinated suite of original Edo period copper mounts all finely engraved with an entirely cosmopolitan selection of subjects from folklore.

Likely created for a samurai who has a desire for a sword embodiment of ancient Japanese tales of mystical creatures and oni.

The carving on the tsuba is Sanbaso (三番叟), a sacred, celebratory character from traditional Japanese performing arts like Kabuki and Noh.
The combination of the tall court cap, prominent lolling tongue, pole, and carp corresponds to specific props and rituals performed in the traditional Okina and Sanbaso dances
The Tall Cap (eboshi): Sanbaso wears a rigid black court cap called an eboshi (烏帽子) to signify his high ritual status as a deity who prays for a bountiful harvest and peace: In certain energetic interpretations of the dance, Sanbaso’s face contorts, often displaying a lolling tongue to channel the vibrant, earthly spirit of the gods.The Pole & Carp: He is universally depicted as a jovial, smiling man carrying a traditional fishing rod in one hand, and a large red sea bream (tai) or a giant carp (koi) in the other.
He wears a traditional court cap called a kazaori eboshi (a folded, pointed black cap worn by nobles in ancient Japan)..

The kashira depicts the a lantern is of a romantic but tragic ghost story, it is likely the classic Japanese folktale Botan Dōrō (The Peony Lantern).
A handsome samurai named Hagiwara falls in love with a beautiful woman named Otsuyu. She visits him every night carrying a distinctive paper lantern that glows with a pale, ghostly light.
It is eventually revealed that Otsuyu is a ghost and her companion is an equally dead spirit. The samurai is warned to stop seeing them, but he succumbs to his love and is eventually found cold and dead in his room, his servant blowing out the weird, yellow flame of the peony lantern.

The fuchi is In Japanese folklore, the specific combination of a human-faced octopus and a turtle usually points to the infamous Tako Nyūdō, a human-faced octopus yōkai, and a Kappa, the legendary turtle-like water monster. Together, they represent the eerie and highly revered shapeshifters of the deep water.The Turtle: The KappaThe Kappa is one of Japan's most celebrated yōkai. Known as "river-children," they live in the lakes and streams of Japan.Appearance: They resemble a mix of a human child and a turtle, with scaly or slimy skin, webbed hands and feet, and a hard turtle-like shell (carapace) on their back.Life Force: On their head, they have a shallow depression or "dish" (sara) filled with water. This water is their source of power and life; if it spills or dries out, the Kappa becomes severely weakened.Myths & Behavior: Kappas are known as mischievous trickster water deities who enjoy sumo wrestling and eating cucumbers. However, they can also be deadly, occasionally dragging unsuspecting humans or animals into the water to drown them.

Code: 26247