kyushukairu

An excellent, large (84x72), and unusual four-lobbed, shibuichi plate by Tō Masutsune (東益常), a late-edo era kinko artist who was based in Edo. Masutsune was a student of Gotō Shinjō (後藤真乗), the 15th gen. Gotō mainline, and in turn the teacher of the painter-turned-metalworker Fukawa Kazunori (府川一則), who also apprenticed under the great Hokusai. It is said that Fukawa had originally provided the sketches for Masutsune’s art, so the design of this tsuba is most likely based on a drawing by Fukawa. The theme is ‘Oharame ‘(大原女) a female peddler in Kyoto from Ohara who are typical depicted with a bundle of sticks on their head, which illustrates the everyday struggle of common people. On the omote is a simple, rustic hut, which may either be the location the Oharame has left, or a Buddhist symbol of solitude as depicted in Kamo no Chōmei’s Ten Foot Square Hut (A Buddhist Reflection on Solitude, Imperfection and Transcendence). Tsuba comes in a delux kiri box with edge trim and cushion, and a small sign £1400 obo I'm open to trade for signed or papered Akita Shoami tosogu. For serious buyers, feel free to ask for additional images or a video.

I have received several messages praising this tsuba, which I am letting go to focus on my collection of Akita Shoami. As such, I would also be open to trade for anything signed or papered to Akita metalworkers

Everyone’s talking about the recent Haynes auction and the high prices a lot of the tsuba went for, especially the Tanaka school tsuba, which went for €5000 and €12000 respectively. This is your chance to own a wonderful Tanaka-style tsuba for a fraction of that. This wonderful piece has the characteristic sekigane and the wabi-sabi style iron and nunome-zogan. In hand, the surface treatment looks so smooth I first thought it was kinko, but it is in fact iron. It also has a great theme of a dragon, and a very good size (85x80mm). Comes in a delux kiri box with trim around the edge. £1200 ono If you wish for additional images or a video, I'll be happy to email them to you

Theme: Shishi and botan School: Nagasaki shippo Material: copper and enamel Size: 80x78 Price: £550

Theme: Shishi School: Yokoya ? Material: Shinchu (brass) Size: 80x78 Note: This is a very well made and extremely thick (about 7mm at the rim) tsuba Price: £360

Theme: Myoga Kamon School: Tachikanagushi Material: iron and silver. Size: 83x83 Note: the fukurin is solid silver with a kiri-mon pattern that has elsewhere been attributed to Tachishi: https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/9472158ce3bae566d53a31ceb89994a1 Price: £280

Theme: Dragon School: Tachikanagushi Material: copper and silver Size: 86x82 Note: the tsuba is sanmai (two copper plates sandwiching a copper core), and the style is similar to a tsuba attributed to Tachishi: https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/9472158ce3bae566d53a31ceb89994a1 Price: £320

Theme: Dragon School: Tachikanagushi Material: copper and silver Size: 86x82 Theme: Myoga Kamon School: Tachikanagushi Material: iron and silver. Size: 83x83 Theme: Shishi School: Yokoya ? Material: Shinchu (brass) Size: 80x78 (the thickness is about 7mm at the rim) Theme: Shishi and botan School: Nagasaki Shippo Material: copper and enamel Size: 80x78

Shonai kamon tsuba sold