A lacquer kura [saddle], the frame with a date of Koji ninen (1556) and a kao, and abumi [stirrups] ensuite | Edo period, 19th century

A lacquer kura [saddle], the frame with a date of Koji ninen (1556) and kao, and abumi [stirrups] ensuite | Edo period, 19th century

the riding saddle fitted with two lacquered igi [wood side boards], maewa [pommel] and shizuwa [cantle] of yamagata [highly-seated; 'mountain-shaped'] form, the pommel with the two umi ['sea'] and iso ['shore'] registers almost evenly constructed, low-shouldered tegata [hand-shaped] indentations carved to each side, decorated in gold hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, fundame, kirikane and keuchi on a dense nashiji ground, with a cockerel on a drum beside entwined ivy, the other end similarly decorated; the pair of abumi similarly decorated each with a cockerel and ivy, nashiji interiors

37 cm., 14½ in. long (the kura)

26 cm., 10¼ in. long (the abumi)