Iron tsuba by...?

Hi all,

I was given this tsuba today and although I don't collect them as such, I thought this was of quite high quality and workmanship.

Plain iron. Unsigned.

Design seems to be four leaves or petals with dewdrops of gold and silver? Design is the same on both sides.

The tsuba iis in good condition and I think normal handling with slightly oiled fingers will soon restore the dirty surface.

Can anyone comment on date and school and quality?

 

H: 8.2 cm

W: 7.5 cm

Thickness: (about) 3 mm

seppadai is still unrusted and slightly bright so must have come off a sword in recent years...I got it from a friend who got it from the original owner, so I will try to track down more info on where/how he got it and if the sword is still around.

regards,

Edit to correct: thickness is 5mm tapering down to about 3mm at rim.

Looks like Higo work to me. Possibly Jingo school, later work, circa 18th century.

Umetada?

Design seems to be four leaves or petals with dewdrops of gold and silver?

I think those are ginkgo (イチョウ/銀杏) leaves.

The tsuba iis in good condition and I think normal handling with slightly oiled fingers will soon restore the dirty surface.

I'd keep the oil away for some time. If you search for "tsuba fussing" :D you'll find a few threads about how to take care of it.

Can anyone comment on date and school and quality?

What Lee said - Higo - was my first impression, too. (Late) Edo-Higo. But Justin's call makes sense, too. Other than that, I'm competing for the most vague attribution in NMB history.

Looks like Higo work to me. Possibly Jingo school, later work, circa 18th century.

 

Hi George,

 

I agree with Lee it looks like Higo. My only disagreement is I am think it is circa the 19th century say the early to mid 1800s. The style of the hitsu-ana and how the design is done reminds me some what of the Jingo school. The relatively large size and thinness of the plate is consistent with very late school work and possible Edo Higo copy as per Guido's comment. Not sure it is just the lighting in your photos (looks like you used the on camera flash) but the tsuba looks very rustly.

Thank you all for your comments. I will do some reading.

The pics/flash are lousy for sure (I am unskilled with a camera)...the tsuba is much better in hand...a few spots but mostly fine dusty coating from storage.

It was a nice present, pity I don't have a sword to put it on.

I must say, the number of tsuba I have had in hand over the years is very large, but 99% of them are very "ordinary"...this one is quite fine work IMHO. It caught my attention as items do when the design is "quiet" but the quality of the work is fine.

Thanks again,

 

PS to add...I have had a good read on cleaning carefully (thanks for the link Guido) and am pleased to say the tsuba is relatively clean and still free from oil, so I won't add any more, but will get some bone and treat it gently and then do the dry cotton cloth treatment (and maybe the pocket treatment if it still needs it) and for now will now start on research.

 

You might be right about ginko leaves Guido, they are a triangular shape...one of my favourite trees in Japan (but only to look at, not to walk on the oily leaves on the sidewalk).

thanks again all.

I'd suggest Umetada rather than Higo.

Hi George T.,

 

Be very care with the bone around the soft metal inlays on the tsuba. Also be ready to stop the rust removal as your goal is not to make the tsuba look like new but to prevent damage to the details of the design by the rust.

Thanks David and Ford,

I won't do anything extreme, in fact, I have been carrying it in my pocket for the past two days and it is mellowing and cleaning nicely. I may finally end up with just some pinpoint spots here and there (especially on the side that was up and collecting dust when the sword was sitting propped against a wall in a shed for years), but generally, it is coming along well. I will definitely be very careful of the tiny inlaid dewdrops.

 

I have owned many tsuba over the years (but only on swords) and appreciated the occasional example, usually on its artistic conceit more than its quality (like the sakura petals, hoof marks and horse on the Sumida River daisho tsubas in a thread about 18 months 2 years ago), so I am not a tsuba man, but I can see quality when it is placed in front of me, and this is just to my taste (understated but excellent work) and it says "quiet quality" to me...I do thank my friend for giving it to me...even my wife likes it

This is the only tsube I have now and I think it is definitely a keeper.

 

As for Higo or Umetada...I have been studying both and I must say, it is hard (for untrained me) to make a decision...still looking.

Thanks for your comments and help.

Regards,

I would have to go with Umetada also.

Hi Everyone,

 

If this tsuba was Kinko I would likely agree with the Umetada call but to me the Kodai Higo, Kodai Jingo, or Edo Higo is more appropriate specifically with such a rim. That not to say that the late branch of the Umetada school in Edo could not have made this tsuba and left it unsigned. On late tsuba like this the use of many different techniques were being used by many different groups.

Hi all,

I have been reading and asking colleagues about the who? and when? of this tsuba.

After all that I am faced with being half sure it is Higo and half sure it is Umetada. General feeling is later period, maybe Edo late 18th-early 19th century.

All the advice here and privately also is split fairly well between these two...both opinions supported by sound reasoning....so, I am stuck on maybe Higo maybe Umetada... :lol: but I lean towards Higo a little more than Umetada as there seem to be more similarities to my untrained eye (see pic of Higo inlay tsuba as one of many examples on-line).

I have been carrying it quite a whille in my pocket and it is patinating well and now has only a few larger spots of rust, so when I am happy to get out the bone, I will dress them carefully.

Thanks to all for your help...here are current pics (scans).

Very nice indeed George

Have you a sword in mind for it to be re-homed or just going to use it as a display piece?

I will post a pic of the tsuba I got with the gendaito akinori blade as soon as I can as I find the history behind the pieces interesting

Umetada: +1

Later in the school.

so here we are...

let´s play a game so far....

 

Question:"whom did forge in the style and iron of the Umetada in late Edo"?

Hmmmmh?

 

(no mainschool work,could ben attr.to everything that times happening in fact...)(mine first call)

(so to give an direction)

those "Pickels" in Mimi do but give you an indicative idea so to where to put it!

Ford,Curran....play!

mine call is (.......) Iron here(7 letters)

now it´s your´s call to tell me why i do point this,and why this does make more sense than to just observing it´s stylism.

 

not far from Hizen iron is mine call!

 

Christian

Hi all,

No Steve, it is not destined for another sword, it is just for enjoyment.

 

I see Umetada and Higo are still fighting it out here as well... :D

In the above post I just showed my "Higo?" tsuba alongside a Higo tsuba pic from on-line as it is a fair example of similarity to me. The more subtle similarities/differences are too hard for me to call... so far, from what I have looked at, I do lean to Higo.

If anyone has a pic or two of Umetada that also is close then please show us.

Regards,