A beautiful and rare kura (saddle) with abumi and

dating: provenance: Japan, Wooden saddle, in four parts, covered with linen and lacquered in gold, brown and black, decorated with a ship, birds, mountains and floral motifs. Below signed and dated 11 February 1695, Genroku Hachi-Nen. Holes for rope-making. A pair of wooden abumi with iron frame, all the surface finely lacquered, decorated with birds, herbs and floral motifs, the colors and background en suite with the saddle. Big, oval, buckle-shaped loop, below mount is pierced. Small parts missing in the lacquer. Beautiful, leather saddle-pad painted in gold, central part of a hexagonal net in vegetable fiber, decorated with three, circular medallions, embroidered in gilded thread. The border with long fringes. Together with a drape for the front part of the horse, decorated in a similar way with the net in the central part, raised, gilded borders and long fringes. The saddle with a lot of lacks in the lacquer, abumi with small parts missing, the saddle-pad and drape with medium damages of use. length sella 38 cm.