Matsunoki

Hello again, another recent purchase (eBay again) that I’m posting for any comments and opinions for which I am always extremely grateful. I’m on a steep learning curve with tsuba. I have always loved how the Japanese depict dragons and this tsuba has one nicely inlaid in thick high relief shakudo, quite good workmanship imo..The iron has an almost black patina with old corrosion. Any help with the signature/school/age would be much appreciated….in fact any comments at all! It’s a big and heavy tsuba….H9.0cm W8.3cm T4.1mm Thanks for looking. All the best.Colin.

Or maybe………????

Re the fish…..it has a handle at one end and it looks as if you held it upright the fish would descent the pole in a juddering fashion….I’ve seen similar with monkeys ie a toy….or it could be an older version of this….a cat teaser…again a toy.

……or is it something to tease a cat with?

I think maybe you hold up the fishing pole and the fish vibrates down the line using gravity???

Child’s toys…..a swivel drum and a fishing toy???.?

Small chunky bird sitting on a branch over a stream……kingfisher gets my vote. Wings spread out….could be drying off? Not sure it’s big enough or elegant enough for an egret/heron if the design is to scale. It’s a tsuba that makes you smile, I like it.

Looks more like a wasp/hornet nest?

@SteveM again my thanks Steve. All the best Colin

I think I see Tomonao?….but the rest of it? Many many thanks. Colin

I’m waiting for some glue to set so I’ll chip in. literacy has nothing to do with being able to sign your name. You can learn how to do that together with carving provinces, dates etc without being able to read anything. If you can forge a sword you can carve a few kanji. The more you do it the more proficient you become. Maybe as you age it changes a bit. If you use a new chisel it changes a bit. If you decide to call yourself something else or are granted a title it changes again. But once re-learned you can do it….still without being able to read a thing. We have always accepted that swords are signed by the smith at the time of making, or by his master, or by a pupil and possibly by a specialist Mei carver. Swords are also signed by fakers at the time of making or by fakers at any time after making. Whether or not the Mei is “genuine” is a matter of opinion but requires extensive knowledge and reference material in order to formulate an opinion worth having. “Papers” give us the highest possible expert opinion available…..but it’s still an opinion…and sometimes even these highest level opinions differ. As collectors and enthusiasts we (well, many of us) have learned to live comfortably with this situation because unless you stand next to the smith when he signs it we don’t have a choice. Literacy is irrelevant. imo

Gobsmacking. Thanks for posting.

Piers, I would agree with this. Not based on my non existent detailed tsuba knowledge but on my wider experience with Japanese craftsmen…..they hardly ever do anything accidentally…..deliberate precision is mostly the norm. The tagane-ato (new word for me- thanks) are struck in a trail towards the nakago ana….perhaps to avoid too much hammering in just one spot….to spread the stress? There are other smaller hits that do not show in the images. Or maybe Dale is right and he had been on the sake🙂 @Spartancrest….don’t think there was once a signature…it’s just the surface texture illusion which is pretty consistent/similar all over the seppadai The more I look at it the more I admire it. My old taste in tsuba was for the “art tsuba” made during the Meiji period …big flashy mixed metal pieces but now the quiet tasteful restraint of iron has really “got me”. Any idea re age? Thanks guys. All the best. Colin

Hello again from the UK. Bought this one recently on eBay. (That was brave of me!) Reminds me of the large crab tsuba I posted a few days ago. I really like it…..the sinuous “smooth dragons” are beautifully depicted. Very vigorous. The rust isn’t as bad as the images suggest….I’ll sort it out. H8.8cm W8.8cm T4mm at raised rim Any views, comments, opinions on age/school etc will be very gratefully received. Thanks for looking. All the best Colin

Hello John Looking at yours, the signature section in the right-hand side of the nakago ana is exactly the same as mine. Possibly also,the left hand side. why not out put yours in the translation section…..I bet someone will confirm the right hand bit and maybe have a stab at the left? Can I also see “YOSHI” on the left?

@Spartancrest…….brilliant Dale. You are so helpful. My research skills are obviously pretty useless. I did try, I promise!….but got nowhere. I guess knowing where to look is the key. I will digest all of the above and make a few notes (can’t rely on memory) …..but a sincere thank you for your time, knowledge and patience. Until the next time…..not that far off🙂…..all the best. Colin

Hello yet again from the UK. Please can you enlighten me? (Oh no not him again I hear you sigh🙂) I’ve tried on the internet but no luck. I acquired it because I thought the subject was very “samurai” (daft thing to say) and also quite elegant and well conceived. I’m trying to convince myself that it’s not cast (can’t see any casting seams anywhere). It looks as if it’s been on several swords and has quite some signs of some age….lots of wear on the seppadai. Delicate engraving to the mane and tail is very worn. Very dark even patina. Kozuka and Kogai ana both the same….. There is a ghost of a signature. H 7.0cm W 6.8cm ie wakizashi sized. Thanks to you all. Best wishes. Colin

In the image posted by Chris the shape of the kissaki looks heavily modified especially as it approaches the yokote….looks to flatten quite a bit…..many chips removed? Hamon looks like it just about creeps back on to give a thin boshi? Anyone else see that?

Interesting point…do you think it may represent Yoritomo or his pursuer?…..or something else? Thanks for your thoughts.

Good evening Michael In my previous comments I did ask for “professional opinion” and I also stated “provided no damage is done to any sword”. Let’s be clear, I am not advocating anything inappropriate be done to any sword. Thank you for your expert opinion. I promise you I respect all expert opinions. (But very often experts disagree don’t they🙂). I’ve been in the Japanese Art world for over 40 years and you cannot thrive in that world without learning the importance of respect. All I am saying, as many have said before and still do, is that I prefer swords in sashikomi. I do understand that both styles can be done well or very badly. I’ve not seen a badly done sashikomi but I’ve seen some hideous and inappropriate hadori. In those instances the polisher showed no respect whatsoever for the sword. Its great if you can chose your togishi to suit a particular sword but in reality we are heading to a situation where most of us will be lucky to get any swords polished in any style unless we actually take them to Japan and are still alive by the time they get done! (Postal theft, customs problems, lost packages etc etc.) I’m not looking for a fight!!!!……but my opinion, or perhaps I should say my preference remains. Its nearly wine o’clock. Best wishes Colin

Provided there is no damage done to any sword and provided the polisher is capable in both styles I believe we are entitled to express a preference for how we wish our sword to appear if it is possible. And given that this is a divisive subject with strong views on both sides I still firmly believe that it is a matter of opinion. If it wasn’t then we would all agree wouldn’t we? Hadori is a fairly modern cosmetic innovation and clearly not everyone is a fan of it. I prefer the natural face without makeup. It is just my opinion….as I very clearly stated.

Good afternoon Soren Indeed that is what my memory was attempting to recall…….without much luck! Now not so sure if my tsuba does relate to that legend as the positioning of the spider web is somewhat different ie in the one you post it does look to cover an opening in the tree but in mine it doesn’t. Who knows….let’s see what others think(hopefully). Greatly appreciate your time, very kind of you. Many thanks. All the best.Colin

Hello again from the UK, yes it’s me again with another recent acquisition asking for your help and guidance. I bought this one recently (same auction as the crab tsuba) simply because I like the subject and I thought it looked well made. I have some memory that a spiders web on a tree was something to do with someone hiding in a tree during the Gempei wars. I must do some rooting around. Meantime can I please prevail upon you and ask for your help on possible school, age etc? I’ve not had much luck on the internet. The hornet or wasp is nicely inlaid in shakudo and gilt. H8.7cm W8.0cm T4mm

@Franco D……..I’m not upset that you downvoted my post but I would be interested to know why.