Type: Tessen (Iron War Fan) Length: Approx. 45 cm (fully open) Estimated age: Meiji Mass: 210.6g
This Japanese tessen is a stately and symbolic example of Edo to early Meiji period craftsmanship, featuring elegant calligraphy and martial emblems executed on gilt and speckled lacquer paper. One side displays the bold black kanji 武徳 (Butoku), meaning “Martial Virtue,” inside the Dai Nippon Butokukai emblem. The surface has been finished with a delicate sprinkling of silver fleck, creating a subdued sparkle under light. The reverse bears the kanji 徳武 and several vermillion seals. The outer plates are iron, and the inner ribs are wood, with the guards and pivot retaining their patina from age. The kumihimo cord has been replaced with a modern black cord. The paper shows slight edge wear and age spotting, primarily near the outer folds, but remains structurally firm with no significant tears or separations.
The calligraphy and emblem reflect the enduring influence of the Dai Nippon Butokukai ideals, founded in Kyoto in the late 19th century to preserve traditional martial ethics and training. Fans like this were used ceremonially by instructors and practitioners of bugei (martial arts) and were also historically carried by high-ranking officers and martial officials. This example’s restrained palette and confident brushwork suggest it was produced as a formal item rather than for active defense use, with its heavy iron frame nonetheless giving it functional weight and presence.
