Bob M.

Item No. 199   Iron Tsuba   7.50 cm x 7.03 cm x 0.55 cm

Akasaka Nobuie , 19th cent. revival piece.

Item No. 200   Iron Tsuba   7.44 cm x 7.12 cm x 0.68 cm

Subject of either crane or mantis,  Akasaka ? 18th cent.?

Nice , deep, almost waxy patina.

Item No. 197   Iron Tsuba with brass  inlay   7.81 cm x 7.78 cm x 0.45 cm

Subject of waves and fans - looks to be around mid / late 16th Cent. - any ideas on school  - Heianjo ?

In good order with very few losses to inlay.

Item No. 198   Iron tsuba with copper/brass and mother of pearl   7.48 cm over corners x 0.88 cm overall thickness

Subject of rain dragon and pearl

Unusual design , heavy piece . The mother of pearl eyes really show up well in low light conditions.

Ex Clarence McKenzie Lewis Jr. collection

Item No. 195   Iron Tsuba   7.38 cm x 7.43 cm x 0.48 cm

Subject of bird in bush - thought to be Mid Edo Akasaka

More classic design work - the piece looks to have remnants of lacquer on its surface.

Item No. 196   Iron Tsuba   7.15 cm x 6.80 cm x 0.55 cm

Subject of Paulownia ? Akasaka  ,  18th Cent.

Good , deep patina.

         Sorry , Program has reversed images again... 

A little late , I am afraid -

Item No. 194  Tsuba in yamagane with gold , silver and shakudo  6.67 cm x 5.72 cm x 0.48 cm

Subject of Setsubun ritual . Signed Jo-I Nagaharu - 19th Cent.

This wakizashi / tanto sized tsuba appears to have been mounted at some time . It shows soybeans being thrown about with great relish during Setsubun - an unimpressed Oni hides and watches .

The word for bean - mame - is also a homophone for ' destroying evil ' in Japanese , hence the association of bean and setsubun.

Illustrated in Hawleys' Sword Fittings in Southern California publication , somewhere near the back  , No. 1409 , I believe.

Item No. 192  Iron Tsuba  8.18 cm x 7.94 cm x 0.52 cm

Myochin Mokume Ji .  An unaltered original condition guard ( without additional hitsu-ana ).

Strong mokume grain pattern also visible in the mimi.

NTHK Kanteisho papers

Item No. 193  Kozuka in shibuichi with gold , silver , copper and shakudo

Subject of Benten and attendant under a flowering cherry tree.

Very finely detailed scene of Benten reaching out to her attendant , who is carrying a Biwa ( traditional Lute ) wrapped in a Furoshiki cloth for travelling.

The piece painstakingly engraved and inlaid , signed Hamano Naoyuki ( Hamano School , 19th Cent. ).

Item No. 190   Iron tsuba   7.94 cm x 7.88 cm x 0.57 cm

Subject of snowflakes  - Kyo shoami Mid edo 

Good colour / patina

Item No. 191  Iron Tsuba   7.10 cm x 66.2 cm x 0.65 cm

Akasaka Kiri & Tomoe - NBTHK papered

Re Item Nos. 188 & 189

Sorry , no papers for either of these ...

Rgds

Item No. 188   Iron Tsuba  8.07 cm x 7.18 cm x 0.61 cm

Akasaka axe and lightning / pine tree theme , this time in first master , Tadamasa style.

Item No. 189   Iron Tsuba   7.24 cm x 6.93 cm x 0.48 cm

Soto design of paulonia and window , Akasaka or perhaps Nishigaki ?

Good , lustrous patina

Item No. 186    Iron Tsuba   7.77 cm x 7.62 cm x 0.47 cm

Subject of grasses and dew ? Akasaka , Mid Edo.

Item No. 187   Iron Tsuba   7.38 cm x 7.26 cm x 0.52 cm

Subject of axe or hatchet and lightning . Akasaka , Mid Edo .

Two classic subjects with typical Akasaka treatment .

Item No 184  Iron Tsuba  7.92 cm x 7.26 cm x 0.55 cm

Traditional style and motif , possibly late edo

Item No. 185  Iron Tsuba with gold details  8.22 cm x 7.71 cm x 4.40 cm

Subject of fruit , leaves and tendrils , small dots of gold as water drops nicely carved from the solid plate . Unsigned ,  Bushu - Ito ? Mid to late Edo ?

Hi George , Hi Pietro ,

Many thanks to both of you for this interesting ' adjunct ' to the thread. It seems that you have both come to a similar answer although by different routes and at different speeds .

Your willingness to research the subject is surely an example to us all and is , in large part , one of the ideas behind the thread.

Please continue to look at the thread from time to time and pass on any views / comments  -  it is MUCH appreciated.

Best Regards

Bob

Re Item No. 181

Hi Pietro ,

Well found ,that looks pretty convincing - translation anyone ?

Regards

Hi Pietro

PM sent

Don't worry about hogging the thread - the whole idea is to promote discussion and thought about the art of the sword fitting .

Regards

Re Item No. 181

Found this image under the heading 'Chinese Qilin' . Seems to have most of the salient features of the Tsuba image ?

Are we saying , then , that the tsuba beast is a lion dog with variations of flames and moustaches ?

Re Item No. 181

Thanks to everyone for their contributions on this.

From the evidence presented , I think we must accept that the creature depicted is a Hakutaku , as suggested by Pietro . However there appear to be multiple interpretations and varying images in Japanese literature and art and so we should keep an open mind on the subject.

Thanks again !

Regards

Bob

Item No. 182   Iron tsuba   7.32 cm x 7.18 cm x 0.50 cm

Sukashi Tsuba attributed as a ' Ko Shoami Spool '

Delicately carved with rounded rim and good patina.

Item No. 183   Iron Tsuba 6.93 cm x 6.68 cm x 0.53 cm

Tsuba attributed to Akasaka  18th cent. subject of Mon

Good colour

Item No. 180   Iron tsuba    7.22 cm x 7.05 cm x 0.51 cm

Subject of tori and pine trees  Tosa Myochin Kuniyoshi ? Mid Edo ?

Good even patina , tactile piece.  Is this artist referenced anywhere ?

Item No. 181   Iron Tsuba   7.52 cm x 7.20 cm x 0.42 cm

Subject of  - well , what is it ? single horned , cross between tiger/lion and shishi  or part kirin ? Signed Choshu Toyomasa Saku ? Late edo ?

Another tsuba from a labyrinthine school as previous item. Is there a mention of this artist out there ?

In fresh unmounted condition.

Item No. 178   Iron Tsuba    8.73 cm x 8.65 cm x 0.29 cm

Subject of  -   Signal Boards ? or Monkey Toys ? or Temple Bells ?  ' Hozon Katchushi ( unban ) '  Any opinions ?

Thin Plate almost circular with carved sunbursts and nicely forged rim. Apparently mounted several times , also featuring good ' face of stone ' texturing together with deep brown consistent patina.

Item No. 179    Kozuka in shakudo , gold , silver and copper

Subject of decorative present wrap cords and holder ?

Unsigned , acquired as part of an auction lot about twelve years ago. 

Nice ' spot the difference ' ! - the 'Japanese Kazoo' is in fact a Buri Buri - and is a New Year toy perhaps more analagous to a Mexican Pinata . Don't think it is as noisy as a Kazoo, except in decoration 

Regards

Second Tsuba - in Shakudo , Ishiyama Mototada  , NBTHK papered , subject of Male and Female tigers

A couple of pieces amongst this years acquisitions , due to be posted on the long running thread ' A Series of fittings ' towards the end of next year - 

I should add that 2021 has been a very busy year ,  purchase wise , by my standards . Seem to have got hold of a number of reasonable quality fittings , but more by luck than judgement.

First Tsuba Iron sukashi - Akasaka 5th generation NBTHK papered - subject Hikiryo Mon & Kiri

Just a quick post to send Season's Greetings to all contributors to and viewers of this thread.

Can't believe it's been ten months since we started . Lots more to come !

Best Regards to all.

Bob

Item No. 176  Kozuka in Copper with gold and shakudo details.

Subject of two immortals - the Taoist sage Laozi ( Roshi ) and Tekkai Sennin . Signed on reverse Hamano Naoyuki and kao.

Roshi is reading a scroll and wearing a robe. Both characters have teeth and eyes detailed in gold , while Tekkai Sennin has a staff shown in shakudo. Some fine work on this piece.

Item No. 177  Tsuba in Iron with lead plugs   8.82 cm x 8.37 cm x 0.40 cm

Tsuba with morning glory, wheel, and hexagonal patterns engraved . Myochin Nobuie ? Early to Mid 19th cent. ?

Heavy piece showing some evidence of mounting and wear - could this be earlier than 19th cent. ?