Ebisu_and_Daikokuten_charm_-_Dr._Luke_Roberts_01.png
Summary
| Description |
English:
"This is a larger Japanese charm representing the popular gods Ebisu and Daikoku. Ebisu is a god of fisherpeople and commerce, and Daikoku is a god of commerce. Ebisu holds a fishing pole with a freshly caught sea bream, and Daikoku always is sitting on large bales of rice. In this picture they have three bags of money sitting in front of them as well. The three beehive shaped things at the top are the "tama" (as in the Inari charm above) representing the spirit of the gods as well as wealth.
On the back side is written top to bottom "three tama" and right to left "two gods." Around the center hole is what looks like a squiggly design. It is actually the character for "fuku" meaning "wealth and good fortune" but with the center missing where the hole is. This may involve a punlike reference to the popular incantation "fuku wa uchi" or "wealth is inside (the home)." This piece was probably made in the last half century. Large Ebisu Daikoku charm 39mmwide x 1.5mm thick" "Here is another Ebisu and Daikoku charm from Japan. This one is small, about the size of a one mon coin. it is very interesting because the Ebisu and the Daikoku are in high relief. Their bellies which stick out a full millimeter from the coin have been worn severely through long usage. The front has Daikoku on the left, holding his hammer which brings wealth in his right hand and standing on two bales of rice. Ebisu is on the right with a fishing pole. Thr front words say "fukutoku" which means wealth and righteousness but the righteousness (toku) is also a pun for" profit" which is probably more to the point with these gods. the reverse has written "kotobuki" which means 'felicitations". This coin seems to be of very high quality manufacture, but I cannot decide whether it is cast or some other form of metalwork. It may be carved. The green is copper rust.The brown (most visible on the reverse) seems to be a coating, perhaps lacquer, put on the recessed parts of the coin to make the relief images stand out more. Ebisu and Daikoku small coin. 24mm x 1.5 thick". |
| Date | |
| Source | |
| Author | Dr. Luke Shepherd Roberts |
Licensing
|
This file comes from the collection of Dr. Luke Shepherd Roberts and is copyrighted.
Note : This permission only extends to the texts and photos of coins which are in the public domain at this link and its subpages, with the exception of the page The Manufacture of Cash Coins . It does not include any other content from www.history.ucsb.edu .
|
