Iaido dude

The tsuba arrived. It is round-cornered, slightly dished, and actually has a well-preserved patina with a really impressive seppa-dai. The quality of the forging is quite good. The image by seller on Jauce is overexposed. If I were to give this tsuba a single attribution it would be Shoami because of the seppa-dai and it's more generic Edo period production and sensibility that incorporates numerous influences. The only issue is that in order to fit it on my iaito, I would have to significantly alter the sekigane. Somehow, now faced with the prospect of altering anything on this tsuba to suit the original intent for use, I hesitate to "defile" it even though it was purchased for $65. It's not about monetary value. It's just a respect for antiques and the history they hold. Thinking about the tradition of repairing tea bowl cracks with kintsugi, and how these flaws simply add another chapter to the intended Wabi Tea aesthetic like the scars and bruises we all experience through a human life, perhaps I shouldn't hesitate to file down the sekagane (pretty non-invasive). Does anyone have any basic tips for doing this? I include a pic of a Kanayama that I picked up on Jauce for $320 (posted separately earlier), mounted now on a custom-made folded tamagahane katana forged in the kobuse style that I use for tameshigiri practice. The tsuba could be mounted snugly without alteration of any kind. Dimensions: 65.7 x 62.2 mm, 6.0 mm at mimi, 5.4-5.5 mm at seppai-dai Wt: 71 g

This must be a Komorebi tsuba, which Dale posted before. It is Akasaka with some residual gold colored coating (lacquer?), which would be weird for Akasaka. Perhaps just a feature of the crumbly mimi surface patina. Condition is not great, but a nice example. https://www.aoijapan...nbthk-hozon-paper-2/

Ah, yes. I have seen this tsuba before. Very convincing because the extent of battle scars is linear across a large area and there are also multiple scars as one might expect from a fierce battle. Thanks for pointing me to the 2020 thread on tsuba battle scars. It's less credible when there is just a single small kirikomi on the mimi.

Thanks, Patrice. The diamond-shaped motifs that connect the inner disk to the mimi are points of relative weakness, I'm guessing. I'm not experienced enough to discern whether there is delamination. Any such delamination in the nakago-ana doesn't appear to be as clear as with the sanmei construction of Akasaka tsuba that I have seen. The high asking price for this piece is what you might expect for Kanayama, but I don't think this particular Shakoh composition is as lively and dynamic as the the "1st style" that corresponds to the earliest Jesuit image of the rays of light at the time Christianity was introduced to Japan by the Portugeuse. And there is this damage/defect. This one is from the Varshavsky Collection, attributed to 4th Gen Akasaka. This is presumably a later copy of the 1st style. I'm still looking for a good example...

Here is another example from the Varshavsky Collection that is identical in motif and compositional elements--also attributed to Kanayama of the Momoyama Period. Sergei describes the rim as round-cornered, so the mimi is not quite as square.

I would like to solicit the community's expertise on differentiating between kirikomi (I think that is the right term) present on the mimi of a tsuba that represent battle scars from sword strikes likely suffered during battle, as opposed to damage that is due to other causes NOT involving a blade making contact with the tsuba. It's in a location that is not on the mimi. Here is a shakoh tsuba that is attributed to Kanayama by NBTHK certificate. On the small section at 12 'oclock that attaches the central rays of light disc to the mimi, there appears to be a horizontal linear break in the surface. It is seen from multiple angles (see magnification of the same area rotated 180 degrees) and seems not to affect the full thickness of the tsuba because it does not appear on the ura. On the magnified pic there appear to be at least one globular/linear tekkotsu at 5 'oclock, which along with the wide squared rim and the shape of the hitsu-ana is a Kanayama feature. This looks like Momoyama/Early Edo work. This tsuba has the "2nd" style of the Jesuit rays of light (shakoh) motif in which the rays are equal in length rather than alternating long/short. Soon, the ban on Christians and Christianity would come into full swing. In the subsequent syles, the motif will soften and then become partially disguised to avoid persecution. https://world.seiyud...m/product/tu-010225/

Very nice. I see that now. The reason I thought it might be Komorebi is because of the elements of the branches AND what looked like birds in the example on the left that Glen showed at two and three 'oclock.

I came upon this tsuba with composition that is described as rokugan (descending geese or geese alighting). Apparently there is a traditional Japanese hard candy with this name because it resembles descending geese. I think that it has some of the elements of komorebi. https://world.seiyud...m/product/tu-010415/

Thanks, Dee. I think that if I were inclined to invest in a sword for this koshirae, I would have a gengaito made to fit it.

Here's another Jauce auction item with more historical significance and elaborate ceremonial grandeur. https://www.jauce.com/auction/1160871811

I started by calling it “generic Edo” for all of the reasons that you discussed. The size might suggest that it was made for wakizashi. The size and weight make it ideal for my practice iaito because I use a 30” blade that handles best with a smaller, but heavier tsuba mounted to shift the balance point closer to the tsuba. I can’t see putting a piece of high end art on my iaito, but the motif has to be meaningful. For $65 it was a good buy for my specific needs.

Very nice, Glen. I now "see the light" shining through the leaves. I hope that you and Bruce produce that paper on what is a sublime motif. What are your thoughts, though, on the guard I originally posed for this post? It is small and relatively thick, endowed with a large seppa-dai, and without tekkotsu it would appear. If not Akasaka, then which category does it resemble the most--fully acknowledging that it may have features of a number of styles? The "komorebi" 木漏れ日 appear not to follow rules of symmetry, which imbues them with a wonderful sense of organic movement, dynamism, and the beauty of the natural world.

Thanks, gentlemen. Mine is thought to be Showa era. It is a family heirloom. I just happened to stumble on that Aoi Art tachi kosirae while looking at tsuba.

Yes, I agree with you Colin. It appears modern and with the same construction material and style as mine. I was surprised that the starting bid was so high. Could this really be the going rate?

This tachi koshirae on Aoi Art auction is very similar to mine: https://sword-auctio...4270-tachi-koshirae/

Having a blade made to fit the koshirae seems to be quite doable, but I will sit tight for now. For $7K, I would sooner buy an excellent Nihonto katana or an important tsuba masterpiece from the Momoyama or Early Edo periods. I have seen this website before. Thanks for your help.

This style shows up quite frequently. I just never really understood the symbolism. My narrow collecting interest is tsuba with religious iconography. So, the shippo motif is definitely something to add.

Terrific, Florian. This now makes entire sense. Here is what I found on the buddhist meaning which explains why this symbol would appear on a tsuba. ［七宝］ ( shichi-hō or shippō): Also, seven treasures or seven kinds of gems. Precious substances mentioned in the sutras. The list differs among the Buddhist scriptures. According to the Lotus Sutra, the seven are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl, and carnelian. In the “Treasure Tower” (eleventh) chapter of the sutra, the treasure tower adorned with these seven kinds of treasures appears from beneath the earth. In a letter known as On the Treasure Tower, Nichiren associates the seven kinds of treasures that adorn the treasure tower with the seven elements of practice, writing: “It is the treasure tower adorned with the seven kinds of treasures—hearing the correct teaching, believing it, keeping the precepts, engaging in meditation, practicing assiduously, renouncing one’s attachments, and reflecting on oneself.”

You are right, Tim. I corrected this. There are also additional black seppa for both sides, which I placed facing the tsuba. Thanks.

Thanks for the information. It will be passed down to my son in due course as is—a fourth generation family heirloom.

Apologies, Florian. I turned it cutting edge up to photograph the rest of it at high resolution.

The koshirae is pristine. The mon is Honda tachi aoi on the saya and fittings. It could very well be a very good early 1900s copy, I suppose. This koshirae was passed down from my paternal granduncle (eldest brother of my grandmother) who was raised in Taiwan like my own grandparents, were schooled during a benign Japanese occupation. My first languages included Japanese and I have half-Japanese uncles and cousins, and half-Korean nephews. When I was growing up I spent my summers in Taiwan. We often traveled to Japan to visit with my grandparents’ friends who were civil servants posted in Taiwan during WW II. Grand uncle and his two sons were very successful bankers and developers. He had exquisite taste and collected high-end Chinese and Japanese art. When he died, my uncles sent the koshirae to me because of my interest in Japanese art and culture. I would not be surprised if granduncle purchased it during a trip to Japan or received it as a gift from Japanese friends or business partners. I have every reason to believe it was made in Japan, but have no information beyond that. Additional pics to follow.

The nagasa measured from tip of tsunagi to the habaki as it abuts the tsuba is ~70 cm. It is a narrow blade.