Antique Arms and Armor, August 28th, 2021
Lot 393:
Extremely rare antique Meiji period Japanese kiseru ( tobacco pipe). Pipe decorated with real 24K gold accents. Signed by the maker. 7 1/2" long.Kiseru (ç…™管) is a Japanese smoking pipe traditionally used for smoking a small serving (about 25 mg) of kizami, a finely shredded tobacco product resembling hair.Typically the mouth piece and bowl are made from metal, with a tubular shaft of wood or bamboo stretching in between. The bowl is much smaller than that of western-style pipes. Because each kiseru is basically a rod with metal ends, extremely long kiseru could be carried as weapons, especially by the gangster-like kabukimono samurai of Edo period Japan. Many kiseru have been engraved with elaborate details by skilled artisans and were a status symbol for the owner.
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