Menuki: Mumei 'a Samurai playing Triton's trumpet'
2017/01/03
Menuki :
Mei (signature) : Mumei (Unsigned)
Length 1 : 3.47 cm x 1.80 cm or 1.36 inches x 0.70 inches.
Length 2 : 3.63 cm x 1.71 cm or 1.42 inches x 0.67 inches.
Jidai(era) : Edo period.
Special feature: Smiling Samurai playing instrument called 'Horagai' made from shell of giant sea snail engraved on Shakudo plate, colored with gold and silver Iroe. Horagai is known as 'Triton's trumpet' in western world.
Horagai was used as instrument, or sometime as a signal, in ancient Japan after Heian period around AD 1180.
We can't see someone playing Horagai in modern Japan though we have a proverb remaining.
'Someone playing huge Horagai' means, 'this person is overstated'.
Probably the first owner ordered this Menuki to lesson himself secretly by Menuki hidden in Tsuka.
