A KOTO CALLED 'TORA', Japan, early Edo period, a vaulted board zither consisting of paulownia wood, ivory and strings made of yarn. The flanks "beach"(iso) decorated in gold lacquer with flowering cherry trees, flying herons, turtles in water and landscapes with various plants. One End "dragon's tongue "(ryuuzetsu) with a painted dragon under tortoiseshell in a geometrically inlaid frame, the other "dragon's tail" (ryuhi) in corresponding mannor, with depictions of man and woman.The zither (koto) includes 13 bridges (ji) with ivory and a wooden case with metal fasteners. - Property from a South German private collection, acquired in the 1980s - Playing the koto was part of the traditional education of young women; the instrument was part of the trousseau. The name "Tora" origins in the wooden pattern under the strings, which resembles the fur of a tiger (tora)





'Tora' Koto (Zither) aus Paulownia-Holz
JAPAN, frühe Edo-Periode
L. 192 cm
Korpus aus Paulownia-Holz. Decke, gewölbt, an den Stirnseiten Intarsien aus Bein?, Schildpatt, teilweise hintermalt, jeweils ein Holzsteg mit 13 Kerben für die Saiten und Löcher zum Durchzehen der Saiten mit Metallhülsen.
Provenienz: Aus einer süddeutschen Privatsammlung, in den 1980er Jahren erworben