As part of our Japanese works of art collection we are delighted to offer this Edo/Meiji period mixed metal Tsuba, the delightful tsuba depicts a cormorant fisherman stood upon a rock holding a net and carrying a flaming torch, the net already holding fish,  the rear of the tsuba is decorated with his Cormorant assistants, perfectly trained to dive for fish, the entire scene worked in gold, silver and other soft alloys to great effect, the tsuba is artist signed to the front by Kikkawa Mototaka, art name Seishinsai, and manufactured at the age of 67, and is part of a single owner collection that we are selling.Literature:This artist is listed on pp 134/ 135 in the Toso Kinko Jiten, by Wakayama Takeshi.It was common practice for cormorant fisherman to train the birds to dive for fish, the birds necks would be loosely tied to prevent them from swallowing the catch, the fisherman would reward them with fish once the task was completed , this practice still exists in one area o...