A JAPANESE WOOD AND LACQUER KURA (SADDLE) AND TACHIKAKE (SWORD STAND) EDO AND POSSIBLY MEIJI, 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY The saddle made of four sections of wood, the exterior of the pommel and cantle decorated with leafy branches of bamboo in raised gold lacquer kirikane on the nashiji ground, the underside signed Nobushige with kao and dated Genroku juyon-toshi, gogatsu kichijitsu ('made on an auspicious day in the 5 th month of the Genroku 14 th year, 1701'), 34cm x 37.5cm; the sword stand in two parts, the tall support raised on a quatre-lobed base with indented corners, the neck terminating in a reishi fungus-form finial, decorated in gold takamakie and kirikane with mon family crests and scrolling leafy tendrils on a rich nashiji ground, 22.5cm x 64cm. (3)