Soshin

Hi Dan, A major rule here on the Nihonto Message Board from my personal experience is to sign at the end all your posts with at lest a first name and first letter of your last name. In regards to your tsuba I would say your tsuba likely dates from the late Edo Period to early Meiji Period. The design style and craftsmanship reminds be of Mito school. Here are some examples provided by Google Images: http://www.google.com/search?q=Mito+school+tsuba&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=scXZUOjrIZC00AH8q4HICQ&ved=0CEQQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=681. Hope you find this information helpful to your own research. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian R., Thanks for posting a photo of one of my favorite tsuba. The fine detail and expression on the face of the Buddhist Monk and tiger is just wonderful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the nice Akasaka tsuba example Pete K. and for forcing me to Google to determine what "safu juice" is. Here is a early Saotome tsuba with a design also found in Kanayama tsuba. The design discussed in Sasano's final book page 146 in regards to a Kanayama tsuba as four circles as well as a highly textured surface of hammer marks and iron bones along the rim I think does a fine job of capturing the Wabi-Sabi Japanese aesthetic associated with Zen Buddhism. Again comments and questions are welcome. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here is one of my favorite tsuba with NTHK Kateisho from my collection. It is a unsigned work of the Saga school cira the late Edo Period. I find it has a nice Zen aesthetic that is also clearly about Buddhism in a more general since due to the subject matter of Daruma (Zen Buddhist Master) and a short Koan written in mid air. The revise side has a more symbolic meaning showing bamboo blowing in the wind with a clouded sky. If you have studied any book of classical Koan you would understand the symbology. I remember showing this tsuba to my Budo teacher and his initial reaction was that the tsuba display the concept of Iki (粋) a traditional Japanese aesthetic. Patrick R. thank you for posting this topic that I find really interesting and everyone's replies have been great. Comments and questions about my tsuba are welcome. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pat R., Mostly I purchase tsuba from other collectors that are members of the Nihonto Message Board. These include but is not limited to as I might have forget someone: Grey D., Mariusz K., Henry W., Mark J., and Curran C. I have also purchase tsuba from Jack F. of my local Nihonto study group. In terms of Japanese dealer I have purchase from Aoi Art, Tokugawa Art, Zen Gallery, and Bushi Art. Hope you find this helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I don't see any Akasaka school characteristics except maybe shape in this tsuba including the iron of the rim. Ignoring all the later poorly added gold wash to the tsuba the I have seen similar designs in some other ji-sukashi Edo Period Shoami tsuba. It might be wise to remove the gold wash and have a tsuba with a some what decent openwork design tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Peter M., To me it looks like a late Edo Period or early Meiji Period Shoami tsuba. Sorry can't be more specific with this type of work. This is my opinion based upon my experience. I hope you find the information helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian R., Its called the eBay mark up. Will not offend others by providing more examples of this effect. :? Still a really great book to read and understand the designs on tosogu. All provided examples are Juyo level or above tosogu which makes looking at the book a real treat. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curt R., As John said above he is Bishamonten an alternative name for him is Tamonten (多聞天). He is a tenbu (天部) divine or celestial being mainly acting as guardian of Buddhism. Vaisravana is this name in Sanskrit. In regards to the fitting themselves soft metal is not my focus therefore I will defer to more knowledgeable people that collect these type of tosogu. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mike Y., Could you post the reverse side of these very fine tiger menuki? Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to post on NMB. Are these from your personal collection or will they be listed on Tetsugendo website? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I would agree with Sam and Junichi. A few of this tsuba listed recently for sale on his site I once owned and many of this tsuba show fine taste in my opinion. Here is one of my favorites I once owned: http://yakiba.com/Tsuba_Ko-Umetada.htm. It is at a very fair price in my opinion. As a disclaimer I am not the current owner listing it on this website on consignment. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, A friend of mine who had a copy of Higo Kinko Taikan has provided me with photograhs via email of the two tsuba with this tachibana in mist openwork design and permission to post on the NMB. Here are the photos with added text. I will then follow up with some of my conclusions based upon this new evidence. This tsuba is signed Hayashi Shigefusa who is the third master of the Hayashi school. This tsuba is mumei but clearly is in the Hayashi school style. While my tsuba shares this design it is different and the carving of the tachibana using the kebori technique is different an in my opinion finer and more naturalistic. The seppa-dai of my tsuba while rounded is not as rounded as the signed example provide from the Higo Kinko Taikan or the Sasano example. My tsuba by seppa-dai alone in contrast to the mumei example reminds me of the second generation master Hayashi Shigemitsu work. My tsuba also lack the Hayashi characteristic katsurabishi-zogan of the signed example done by the third generation. My tsuba will be interesting and educational to submit to NBTHK shinsa. I hope to do this early next year. I would love to hear other people comments, thoughts, and ideas as well. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I received my copy of Fukushi sensei book The Art Appreciation of Japanese Sword Fittings today. What a wonderful book and a fine read with many good color photos of Juyo level and above tosogu. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pat R., Thanks for posting this. I have been coming across once in a while the same design of my tsuba in very inferior versions. All of these inferior versions like the one in your post appear to be younger in terms of age but often not in as good of a condition as mine despite being younger. This example you post like the previous one I found is likely made in the late Edo Period or early Meiji Period. Some of the inferior examples like the one your posted is likely shiiremono (仕入物) and not work of Heinjyo school. Here is a link to eBay where I found another poor example of the design: http://www.ebay.com/itm/380481830919?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649. There is one more listed in the original NMB topic I started about this tsuba: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13617&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=0. I also find it interesting that all of the lower quality copies lack the very specific pattern of five round chisel marks on each side around the nakago-ana of my tsuba. I am thinking this was a form of kakushi-tagane that you often hear about. This was used by the Hirata (平田) school in Higo Province but I am hypothesising that this was also done by the Hirata (平田) school in Awa Province. Hirata is the family associated with the Awa Shoami school. These two families were just branches of the same family once based in Kyoto before the Edo Period. In the end I think it would be interesting to submit my tsuba to NBTHK or NTHK shinsa. Here is a link to my website for a complete write up of what I know about this tsuba: http://dastiles1.wix.com/reflections-#!Edo%20Period%20Tsuba%20Part%201%20/c211q. It is the second tsuba on the webpage. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here is the new tsuba and only Higo tsuba in my collection. It has the tachibana in mist ji-sukashi design. The measurments are 7.6 X 7.9 cm with a rim thickness of 5.0 mm and a seppa-dai thickness of 5.5 mm. I think it is a Hayashi school Higo tsuba. The deep purplish black color of the patina is just wonderful and the tsuba is a joy to view in hand and reminds me of the Hayashi tsuba on the Tetsugendo website. I once said that Higo tsuba are a bit over rated but now I understand more as I have such a nice example in my collection now. Learning and development is an important process in this hobby. I hope my photographic skills do this fine (my opinion) tsuba justice. I will be bring it to Tampa show next year to let people see in person. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Evryone, I am going to try to photograph my new tsuba which Ford had with the tachibana in mist open work design sometime in the next few days. I will post the resized images here for everyone to view. Comments and questions are always welcome. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, Thanks for the reply. I find your well worded explanation about the negative and positive elements helpful for my study. I still wish the MFA example was kept in better condition. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pat R., It should be noted that MFA example is not without merit. The continuation of the organic wood bark texture along the rim is nice and reminds of some Higo tsuba. The first tsuba still in my subjective opinion has a better open work composition along with fine gold inlay work. In a more objective area Grey's tsuba is in much better condition then the MFA example. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pat R., In terms of quaily I would agree with Keith G. that Grey's is better. To me the second tsuba shows no characteristics that remind me of Higo workmenship. The best way I determine this first is by the shape of the ryohitsu-ana and seppa-dai. The color of the patina is also not characteric of any the Higo schools. The second tsuba is likely just a later Shoami tsuba of a bit lower quality in terms of design composition. It also lacks the nice gold inlay work. The condition is also far better in the first tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, This topic has been a very good read on a slow Sunday. I remember this fine sword at the Gendai Nihonto NBTHK/AB exhibit at the Tampa show in 2011. The horimono of Fudo-O and bonji on the omote and the hatahoko on the ura side was just wonderful as well. I am also really enjoying the write up done about the Nihonto in note give out to NBTHK members and attendees. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, It is a small world after all. It turns out that I am the new owner of the tachibana in mist ji-sukashi tsuba you had three years ago. It was the big purchase I was referring to in my sale posts on NMB and one reason for the turnover of some of my collection. I really like the color and glossiness of the patina as well as the quality of the iron and the detail work done in kebori. The former owner was thinking it was the work of the Godai Hayashi but I think it is more likely the work the Sandai Hayashi. It is possible that the tsuba is a rare work of the Yondai Hayashi who only lived to the young age of 41. If it is assumed that Yodai Hayashi started working when he was 20 years old his working period was only about 21 years. What was your impressions of the tsuba when you had it? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Patrick, Some true words of wisdom that I completely agree with. Some of the papered pieces zen-galley lists are nice but most things like this tsuba is an aesthetic nightmare and are for the export market. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Keith, Ford, Marc and BaZZa, Thanks for the additional information and photos of tsuba using the tachibana and the tachibana in mist designs. Ford I have a few quick questions about the tsuba you posted. Did you make the tsuba? Chisel marks around the nakago-ana on the omote side are identical to a tsuba I have examined with the same tachibana in mist ji-sukashi design. The fine kebori detailing of the tachibana are also identical. This is different then Marc tsuba and one pictured in the Sasano book. The color of the patina of your tsuba looks much more brownish and not a deep purplish in color compared to the tsuba I have examined. A good example of the deep purplish patina color I am talking about is the tsuba "T-138 Signed Hayashi Shigemitsu Tsuba" from Tetsugendo website: http://tetsugendo.com/. This difference might be a result of the lighting and white balance settings. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Marc, Thanks for the replies and the color photo. From looking at the photo and Sasano book I don't think they are of the same tsuba. Both photos are of the ura side I wonder if anyone has a photo of these two tsuba from the omote side. I would like to examine the chisel marks around the nakago-ana. In a old book of mine titled 600 Japanese Sword Fittings Terms by W. M. Hawley. I came across a figure written in Japanese detailing the chisel marks around the nakago-ana used by the first three generations of the Hayashi Higo school. This might have been used by Sasano to attributed this tsuba to the Sandai Hayashi. Here is a scan copy. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Very nice work Ford. I can't wait to see what he can do with a iron tsuba. :D Yours truly, David Stiles