Soshin

Thats a good point as tsuba is a Japanese term and there isn't a plural or singular forms of the word like there are in English. Yours truly, David S.

The presence of "iron bones" the Japanese term is tekkotsu (鉄骨) was one of the deciding factor for me to acquire the tsuba for my collection. The first three generations of the Yamakichibei all had good tekkotsu. I am also leaning towards more tosho or kakushi style tsuba for my collection. I will give Gery half permission as posting photo of the tsuba was for educational and not commercial reasons. Yours truly, David S.

Should I be the one to tell him? Well here goes... The second tsuba is not signed Kaneie (金家). It is signed Umetada (梅忠) left side of nakago-ana and Yamashiro Kuni Ju (山城國住) on the right side. The tsuba looks like it dates to the late Edo when members of the Umetada school and those making copies of the school's work started signing Umetada (梅忠) using the original Kanji for Ume (梅) in the family name. I would not say this tsuba reminds me of Umetada school craftsmanship so it might have been made by another tsubako and then just signed Umetada. The reverse might be possible as well. A Umetada tsubako working in a Shoami style. Hope you find the information helpful in your study. Yours truly, David S.

The tsuba looks like a late Edo period work of the Namban school. The kin-zogan and Chinese style dragon and diamond motifs are all classic Namban. Some people sub-categorize the Namban tsuba with a Chinese influence as Kanton tsuba. I viewed the tsuba at the Sloans and Kenyon auction house in Bethesda, MD USA last weekend. Here is the link the auction site: http://www.sloansandkenyon.com/. You don't need to register at their website to see anything. The sale was today and it is part of lot number 831. The lot is dated at Meiji period but I think that time period is in reference to the two mixed metal vases which are also part of the lot. I was sad at the fact that is was the only tsuba up for auction this weekend. Hope you find the information helpful. Yours truly, David S.

I fully understand. :D The tsuba is a nice late Edo period Bushu-Ito school piece. The condition looks good especially the kin-zogan. It is likely a product of Masakata workshop. Or at least a piece done in the style of Masakata by a later artisan. I did notice the similarities between the signatures of the listed tsuba but I am not a expert on this. I did some quick research and Masakata (正方) died 1774 and was the third master of the Ito school of Bushu. Yours truly, David S.

Thanks for sharing Marc. Nice tsuba from the Meiji period with a fake signature. I would love to look it up but most of my books are in boxes as I have started the process of moving. Yours truly, David S.

Hi Andrey, The Echizen Kinai school also had workshops that produced many tsuba with similar motifs or overall designs during the middle to late Edo period likely with different signatures. The Kinai unlike the Bushu-Ito school had I think more of a range in quality very unlike the early Akasaka school. Keep also in mind that there was also coping done by other schools as well. In the case of the Kinai school the Aizu Shoami school would offten copy there original designs during the late Edo period. These copies had a great range in quality as well. I know that at times during the middle Edo period as well other schools would take a motif classically done in one school and do their own version of it. Here is an example of a classic Kinai school design of the rounded dragon done by a Umetada school artisan the second is a Echizen Kinai school artisan doing their own classic design. The difference in carving ability and composition is very apparent and is in favor of the Umetada artisan. :D Yours truly, David S.

There were workshops making tsuba like these during the late Edo period by the Bushu-Ito school. Most of them being made by students of Masakata. I don't think the term mass production with or without quotes should be used as Japan at the time was not industrialized. The industrialization of Japan did not happen until the Meiji Restoration. One must also keep in mind that this idea of workshops is not a late Edo idea or concept in anyway or for that matter a sign of a lack of quality. I think the group to first do this during the early Edo period was the Akasaka school. The first three generations and a merchant (Kariganeya Hikobei) left Kyoto and establishing a workshop in Akasaka, Edo. The merchant helped design the tsuba and also worked with quality control to make sure only the best tsuba were made by the Akasaka school of the early Edo period. Yours truly, David S.

I remember reading a few different places that the Ono school was one of the first schools making early Yagyu tsuba on commission. Some of the early designs of Ono school were also adopted for Yagyu use. Other schools that also make Yagyu tsuba were the Owari, Kanayama, and Shoami schools. Yours truly, David S.

Generally this idea of a need for quick draw of a katana from its saya is I think a incorrect assumption mostly develop by the exposure to Iaido and similar Nihonto drawing arts. In a real combat situation (think battlefields of the Pre-Edo period) trying to draw any katana with or without kogai or kozuka would spell death. A quick observation of some of the remaining kenjutsu techniques indicates this fact as well. Quick draw techniques only became important until the Edo period during a non battlefield civil situation such as self defense along the street or during a single duel for honor. This question of having two kogai hitsu-ana I have seen some Pre-Edo tsuba with two kogai hitsu-ana or only one kogai hitsu-ana. I have recently purchased a tsuba for my collection that dates to the Momoyama period and it has two kogai hitsu-ana. A contras to this I have a late Edo tsuba that also has two kogai hitsu-ana. As for the use of a kogai I am really not sure but the use as a hair styling tool sounds reasonable. Just my two cents. I am really enjoying the discussion while waiting for better photos of the original tsuba in question. :D Yours truly, David S.

Hi Keith, I have often equated the large number of smaller size tsuba of the Edo period to belong to one of the two possible categories: 1. Belonging to a samurai's wakazashi. 2. Belonging to a merchant's wakazashi. This is due in part to the fact that merchant's were allowed to wear wakazashi. I am also aware that peasants were allowed to wear tanto in public if I am not mistaken. I do see many Edo period tanto tsuba as well ranging in quality. This social structure was finally implemented by the government of the Tokugawa Shogun but started by Oda Nobunaga. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear Keith, Being a Tsuba or Tosogu guy in general I would say you need to take some good in focus photos of the tusba under normal lighting conditions. The quality of the scans that you have of the tsuba are just not that great and the color and contrast looks strange. There is a old saying that looking at a tsuba under direct sun light is the best as it will allow you to see and possible photograph a image where the true condition of patina of the tsuba can be observed. The overall color and condition of the patina can help determine age. With the current quality of the images I am not even going to try and guess. Yours truly, David S.

Paul, Just sent Mr. Heckmann a email asking for more information about this upcoming publication. It looks really nice as I have read other works by Robert E. Haynes on this topic and found them very helpful. Yours truly, David S.

Dear Kris, I would say late Edo. Please follow the link to a related thread about Kunihiro: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7377&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a. I have a tsuba by them as well. There was a total of four to six artists in total working in Edo during the late Edo period (circa 1770 to 1868) using that name. Not sure which Kunihiro is mine or yours for that matter. I like there simplistic Tosho styled designs. I don't know much about Myochin school. There was a Kunihiro that was one of the "Founding Fathers" of the Shinto sword period but I don't think he made tsuba. I hope I was helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

The first photo is out of focus and not at the best angle. The second one is much better. There is what looks to be active red rust on the tsuba which isn't a good thing. The design reminds be of the following Ko-Shoami piece. Overall it looks like a nice tsuba even with what looks to be a really bad photograph. The design is called Matsukawabishi in Japanese. Here is a similar tsuba with the same design. The tsuba in question is likely a high quality Edo period copy that would look wonderful in my collection. It might belong to the Edo period Shoami group as designs of the Ko-Shoami were copied by it and many other schools in the Edo period. Just my thoughts I am sure someone more knowledgeable will chime in on the discussion. Thanks for sharing. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear Eric, Yes this was the Nihonto that that was originally for the Koshirae in question. Thanks Eric for taking the time to find a PDF of the thread. I was not able to find anything else about the Nihonto in my file folders. I was able to find another Nihonto made by someone working in the same school at a latter time period. Here is the link in has nice photos and good amount of information. http://www.sanmei.com/contents/en-us/p1445.html The sori of my daito was much greater then this Nihonto in question and it had more of a Koto overall character to it. For someone who has given up Nihonto I sure still enjoy talking about them. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Tiffany, One thing you need to keep in mind is that there was many different tsuba schools in medieval Japan (1185-1615) including the Kamakura, Nanboku-chō, Muromachi and Momoyama periods. As well as pre-modern Japan (1616-1867) Edo period. The Meiji period onward is considered modern Japan. I found it better to study the different schools of tsuba and other Japanese sword fittings by first studying the history of Japan. Once I had a historical context I was able to better learn them quickly. This was a long process of about seven years of work in my free time. I am fairly sure you don't have that much time unless you are working on a Ph.D.:D I quick rule to help you would be to remember that whenever you see a "Ko" beginning a name of a tsuba school it means before the Edo period. The Kanji for "Ko" (古) means old. So for example Ko-Nara is the Nara school of the Momoyama period. When someone says such a piece is done in some style it likely means the artist was trying to emulate a specific style or technique from some earlier time period. This is very common in all Japanese art not just Tsuba. I hope this helps. Here are some good books to start you off on your learning process with some wonderful photos. They are intended for a general educated audience. 1. Lethal Elegance The Art of Samurai Swordf Fittings by Joe Earle 2. Art of The Samurai Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868 edited by Morihiro Ogawa Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Keith, I tired this and it didn't work likely due to the fact that the sold Nihonto thread was deleted as Brian has indicated. I am going to check through some of my written papers to see if I have any written records of the Nihonto in question. I will reply again if I find something. What you said about it being more practical then decorative koshirae would fit very well with the reputation of Mino swords in general even the one made by a good representative swordsmith such as Yoshitane. I am basing this on Nagayama sensei comments on page 245 of The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Keith, After spending the better part of 15 minutes searching for my "For Sale" post I was not able to locate it that section of the website. Maybe a site administrator can help us out by posting a link for the discussion. I posted the Nihonto for sale late last year around Oct. to Dec. The Nihonto that was attached to the koshirae dates to the Kan'ie (1624-1644) of the Edo period and was made by Yoshitane of the Echizen Seki school of the Mino tradition. The Nihonto came along with NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho shinsa origami. I noticed a mistake in my original post I mixed up the fuchi and gashira in my attached photo. Sorry about that. The kashira is plain iron without gold inlay work but with a nice dark patina. The ito isn't leather as I first expected but is silk covered with a massive amount of black lacquer. Currently in the koshirae I have a full length wooden sunagi of the original Nihonto. Yours truly, David Stiles

I would agree I have used this website before it is very informative about Japanese Buddhism. I have used it to identify Buddhist designs and motifs in my tosogu. As well as identity details about some of my other Japanese art outside scope of this forum. To discuss the topic at hand I really like the second tsuba with the shi-shi and the peony. What school would it likely fall in to? I was thinking Nara but I could be wrong. As for the Soten tsuba (i.e. first tsuba) this school went into near mass production during the late Edo. The early tsuba of the Soten were masterpieces. Yours truly, David Stiles

I would agree with Martin on this it looks like a late Akasaka school piece to me dating from the late Edo period. How the sukashi is done is also very characteristic of Akasaka school all through the Edo period. Thanks for sharing and asking for an opinion. Here is a tsuba from my collection using the same motifs in a some what different style that likely dates to the same Late Edo time period as your tsuba. I would likely consider my tsuba belong to the Shoami school based mostly on how the bird motifs are arranged and the overall size and shape of the tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear Carl, Here are some links about this topic already discussed on the forum: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8087 http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7868 You need to be extra careful with your tsuba as there is many soft metal inlays on its surface. Good luck. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi everyone. He is a koshirae for a katana I have taken photographs of today in my free time. This is my only complete koshirae in my tosogu collection. The tsuba is of the Tempo shcool and was discussed on this Tosogu forum here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7814&p=63580&hilit=Tempo#p63580. I would now like to discuss the fuchi-gashira set for the koshirae as well as the set of menuki. Here is what I already know. The fuchi-gashira set are made of iron with a dark patina. Contrasted with kin-zogan (gold inlays) applied in in a snowflake and vine designs intermixed with crosses. These designs appear on both sides of the kashira even though I only photographed one side. The menuki are of two shi-shi dogs made of what I think is copper. The ito and same of the tsuka have both been heavily covered with black lacquer which does a wonderful job of matched the black lacquer saya not photographed. I find this simplistic fuchi-gashira design very different then most fuchi-gashira made using soft metals or alloys such as copper or sakudo. Does anyone know of a specific school that would work in hard metal (iron) fuchi-gashira with kin-zogan inlays? Thank you for taking the time to read and reply to my topic. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear Steve, My Masafusa I purchased on eBay back in 2008 and is located on the WorthPoint website. From my examination and research I think it dates to the late Edo and was crafted by a artisan of the Shoami school. The size, workmanship, and design all point to Shoami. Which specific line I am not sure but a good educated guess is Aizu Shoami as they made many tsuba. Here is photos of both sides for your reference. Measurements of the tsuba is: height: 6.5cm, width: 6.0cm and 0.6cm thickness at mimi. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear Steve, I think the tsuba looks fine for its age dating it to the late Edo Period. I have enjoyed other pieces by Masafusa of Bushu. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has some nice pieces by artist as well. I have a very different tsuba signed just Masfusa which I have attributed to the Shoami school and not the Bushu-Ito school as yours belongs. Just keep the tsuba as is and prevent any red rust from developing. Yours truly, David Stiles