Iron Tsuba Signed Saito Masayoshi?

[Krystian]

Hello, 

 

I just got this tsuba back from NBTHK Shinsa. It is signed "Saito Masayoshi" but I can't find this maker, could you help me with It? 

 

As always thank you for all comments. 

 

Krystian

[ROKUJURO]

There were makers from the SAITO family in the EDO HAMANO school, but I don't read MASAYOSHI on your TSUBA. I think I can read ZANE- (with one horizontal stroke missing); the last KANJI before the KAO could indeed be a 'reduced' YOSHI.

But that may be my lack of Japanese.

[Krystian]

Thank you so much Jean. I had trouble sleeping thinking about that signature and you pointed me to a good direction. 

 

It just might be Saito Sanetake? 

 

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/12079

 

And I already had Arikawa Sanetake tsuba in the past.....

 

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=1950696455168229&story_fbid=2197093690528503

[ROKUJURO]

Krystian,

I was probably wrong. Please see the parallel thread in the translation section!

[Krystian]

I asked to check Shinsa results again. And they are 真義. So according to MFA it would be Saneyoshi. So It seems you where right Jean.

 

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/12075

 

 

[Nikanoru]

Saito Saneyoshi's second family name was Arikawa, same as for your "Sanetake" if it was really Sanetake.

The Arikawa family group made many tsuba mostly in the Mito style. They often signed on small inlaid copper or shakudo plaques with a two kanji name, sometimes more than one artist on the same piece. There is one example with the names of six of the nine recorded members of this family group who signed on the same tsuba. Those names are two Saneharu, Sanekane, Sanekatsu, Saneki, and Saneyoshi (your guy). The three members of the group who did not sign this tsuba are one more Saneharu, Sanemasa, and Saneyuki (no Sanetake). There seems to be about a fifty years span in the ages of these artists, so they were probably brothers and their sons.