Marc BROQUIN

Hello, What I got from the Net is : "Citrus Tachibana (CITRUS RETICULATA, BLANCO) Romaji Tachibana English Mandarin orange Kanji 橘 Kana たちばな Season Summer Seasonal Exceptions Winter Auspicious Yes Motif Type Fruit Motif Audio Coming Soon Tachibana (English: Mandarin orange, botanical: Citrus tachibana) is an inedible citrus of approximately 6 to 13 ft in height, grows in dense green branches with young thorns. The leaves are 3 to 6 cm in length, oval-shaped, and glossy dark green. The fruit is smooth-skinned, about 3 cm in diameter, but with a high acidity that makes it is unfit to be eaten raw, though marmalade can be made. In Japan, the leaves and fruit is used in floral motifs and adopted as family crests. Seasonal Use, Exceptions & Pairings Thought to be brought from the legendary eternal land, tachibana is emphasized in poetry for its evergreen leaves, fragrant blossoms, and jewel-like fruit lasting into winter. Though its flowers bloom "out of season", the leaves and fruit motif of tachibana is commonly seen on lined garments meant for the auspicious occasions like the New Year or Coming of Age. For a Heian-era perspective, Minamoto Masasuke, an aide to Senior Grand Empress Fujiwara no Tashi (1140–1202), wrote in "Colors for a Court Lady's Dress" that the tachibana kasane - a golden yellow citrus fruit occurring simultaneously with a white flower - is assigned to the summer cultural season. [1] Likewise, Tachibanaduki (橘月/たちばなづき) is an antique name for the fifth lunar month, or June in the modern calendar. In order to determine the correct season, type of weight and weave of fabric must be considered along with whether it is lined and any additional motifs." Best Marc

Hello guys, :D This is the picture of this HIGO tsuba, said by SASANO SAN to be from HAYASHI TOHACHI. What is strange is that Mr ITO'book doesn't refer to this tsuba for HAYASHI TOHACHI. To be or not to be .... Anyhow the picture is good enough to enjoy. :D Best to all. :D Marc

Hello, I must apologize a lot because it's only today that I become aware of your answers. I do not know what happened but I missed them completely. Anyway thanks a lot, and as we say in french "Mieux vaut tard que jamais" Could be translated as better late than never. Very best regards. Marc

Hello All, Yes indeed the incription is HIKONE JU SOHEISHI NYUDO SOTEN SEI. But the carving is a bit under what the Soten School has normaly produced. So I will prefer to atribute it as HIKONEBORI school or even a SOTEN copy SHOAMI. Discussion welcome. Best Marc

Hello all, Excellent discovery ! According to the picture it as the form of what you know. But if you look at the other extremity they seem hollow. Should it be condoms ? LOL Best Marc

Hello all, You find it ! It seems to be HANASAKA JIJI-I. The old man is carring the ashes of his poor dog killed by jealous neighbors. Those ashes had , according to the mythology, the power to give anew life no any kind of dry tree. If you look well the pine trees from obverse and reverse : the obverse one seems dry in comparison and the reverse one where the needles are clearly cut more vividly. It took me a lot of time to find this difference and understand the theme. Of course you can only look at one side at a time. I took pictures of both side and the light came ! Best to all, You where very quick to discover it, though this theme is not common on tsuba. Kind regards Marc

Hello, Some were asking for an hint. So consider the trees one side and the tree the otherside, and compare. The old man is carrying, not a lantern, but a pot full of ash. I will give you the answer in few days, but already... Best Marc

Hello all, I got recently the pictures of a somewhat nice tsuba from TSUNESHIGE (NARA School) I let you admire this interesting subject. Quizz : what do you think the theme could be ? Good visit. Kind regards Marc

Hello all, I cannot say still about thema. if you look at the 3 cherry flowers : - one seems half open - the second seems full open both of them are "transparent" - the third seems faded and plain. So this evocates the circle of life brought by a stream, course of the time. Just a guess. Tomorrow I will take pictures of both pages of Mr ITO books Bestr Marc

I have found another possibility : NISHIGAKI KANPEI but the obverse of the reference tsuba, at the end of ITO NISHIGAKI book bears some typical Higo hirazogan. Is it the case in your's Curran ? Best Marc

Hello, I read on Mr ITO book : SAKURAGAWA design But SAKURAGAWA is a city and not a river according to the references I got..... So ? Marc

Hello All, May I propose a school and a name ? The large roundness of the seppa-dai makes me think to Higo, the structure of the design too. My guess would be HAYASHI TOHACHI, 3rd HAYASHI. (cf. N° 119, HAYASHI book, Mr ITO) Happy Christmas to all, enjoy the year end and a lot of wishes for this new year 2012. Marc

Hello Markus and John, :D Many thanks for your precious help, first. But let me add some comment about Markus doubt : """"One little thing what bothers me a bit is how "boshû" (late autumn) is compatible with "fuyu no hi" (a winter day)""" I have perhaps an idea of this divergence between end of Autmn and Winter day : We can perhaps understand that at the end of autumn, ISSHIN visited the vicinity of Mount TAKAO, made some sketch drawings to prepare some carvings, and only some days or week later after having found the good design, he carved the tsuba. When you look at the serial of 8 books about NATSUO, of which 7 are devoted to preliminary drawings, you undertsand that behind the carving work there is a lot a preparation and pre-drawings. So it is not completely stupid to think that ISSHiN having observed the mount TAKAO in late autumn, could have carved the tsuba in Decembre or January, for example. Don't you think ? So on one side he carved what he saw and the period of his visit and on the other side the total description of when and where he carved it. Any comments whished... Best Marc :D

I should precise that this is not my tsuba, but one found in a french auction from last year. I have been attracted some minutes due to the name but hallas.... Best marc

Hello, My dear fellow Jean is perfectly right, I do not know the beginning but the two last kanjis are TEI-KAN and the magnificent kao is ....... false such as the tsuba supposed to be made by the great master. The quality is also not there even if the general design is nice, somewhat like a NATSUO, but a very pale one. Sorry Doc, my Japanese is limited. Best Marc

Hello, :D Did you find this strange kana in the middle of the left signature ? """ 南陽軒？製之 Nan´yôken ? kore o sei (the latter parts means "made this", meaning might change in connection with the rest of the kanji)""" What is NAN'YOKEN ? It looks like a surname ? but it doesn't figure in ISSHIN other artistic names. Dear Morita San, could you add your feeling ? :D Thanks by advance! Friendly Marc

Hello, :D Just as per the request of Markus, find herewith an attempt to better pics of signatures. Friendly, Marc

Hello, :D Many thanks for your help so precious to both of you. Friendly. :D Marc

Hello All, :D I purchased recently this nice tsuba from ISSHIN MASATATSU and dated BUNKYU 2 I must admit that I didn't decyphered the other kanjis. Would need some help ? Thanks by advance Marc

Hello All, I purchased recently this nice tsuba from a french auction and put it as a quizz for a week or so. I must admit that I didn't decyphered all the kanjis but the name of the artist which is relatively well known. Good visit. Marc

Hello, :D Is it a battle of age ? I am actually reaching 64 and retired. And Jean, sorry for him, is still working.... for my pension !!! Anyhow we will be pleased to meet you in Tokyo. :D Very best regards to all of you. :D Marc

Hello all, :D Its a quite long time I am looking for info about this swordsmidth said to be active around 1781. Does anyone have some details about related school, teacher, life, students and so on... ? 豆州 君澤 弘則 Thanks by advance :D Marc

Hello, I am really confused & I apologize for having read too quickly the names of the authors of the answers, being so impressed by the translation, and making a kind of fusion of the two names of the different authors. Of course, dear Morita San, I express here my deepest thanks for your help. Once again sorry for this confusion. We will come for the DTI in October with Mr Laparra, if it is possible for you and also Moriyama san, it will be a pleasure to meet both of You. :D Kind regards Marc

Hello, Many thanks Moriyama San. Very helpful indeed. Those words are not common for us and very difficult to determine. Your's, heartly . Marc

Hello guys, One of my friends asked me to try to find what was written on one of his tsuba. The manner of writing is not so clear but I found the obverse writing : NI-HON TADA-ICHI KA-TCHU RYU-KO MASU-DA MYO-CHIN SHIKI-BU KI MUNEAKI SAKU But the other side is not so obvious for me. Is anyone able to help me ? thanks by advance Marc PS: added 2 pics of the complete tsuba and 2 max. pics of the signature