Abumi Set Kaga

Description

Medium: Iron, silver

School: Kaga
Signed: Mumei (unsigned)

Provenance: Private collection United Kingdom

A superb and finely crafted pair of Edo-period abumi (stirrups), forged in iron and richly decorated with solid silver (gin zōgan) inlay. The design features delicate butterflies and other floral motifs across the surface, while the underside is adorned with elegantly rendered bamboo stalks and leaves.

One particularly unusual feature sets this pair apart, something I’ve not encountered before, though surely other examples must exist. Near the top, an iron pin secures the top ring used to attach the stirrups to a belt. Typically, such pins are fixed and protrude from the top, serving to distinguish left from right. In this case, however, the pin is designed to swing freely from side to side, making the stirrups effectively ambidextrous, a rare and intriguing variation.