FlorianB

An Owari from my collection:

Jean, if I understand it right the punched holes must have raised rims of squeezed material, which have been hammered flat or filed off afterwards. The same hole on my tsuba (front and back side). It seems possible the rims have hammered flat here causing a slight deformation of the circular shape.

I think, rectangular hitsu-ana should evoke the impression of or a reminisce to old age. Sometimes a connection to Genji-chapter symbols seems possible (the first one). The last one looks like a well frame.

Don't think it's gold nunome, just abraded patina.

But wouldn’t punching thin out this area? I can’t see any difference in thickness around the holes, that’s why I thought of drilling.

This was quick - terrific job! I like those old origami writings, although difficult to read. Modern papers are good to read, but in some way aseptic. Thanks a lot!

I’ve got an old Tokubetsu Kicho paper, a part of my latest acquisition. The usual Kanji I’ve deciphered, but there are some of the handwritten I can’t read. A little help would be nice. Yuki __ sukashi tsuba tetsu ji, maru-gata, __ __ ji sukashi mu mei (Echizen Kinai) Thank You in advance!

Interesting, but either the motif or the nakago-ana seems upside down...

Concerning drilling: I own a little Kanayama with two small holes at the top and bottom. The holes have been drilled from both sides as seen on the sketch I made.

The motif is called „Katata no Rakugan“ 堅田落雁, descending geese at Katata, one of the famous Eight Views of Omi at Lake Biwa. This is connected with clouds or fog, thus a view to the sky, so komorebi seems unlikely. There are a variations of this theme in other parts of Japan, for example a series by Hiroshige who locates the Eight Views around Yokohama: https://yokokanaguide.org/?page_id=15064

Is the shiny surface a plating? The inner sides of the sukashi look like another material iron or oxidized copper.

Won't be a drag, but it looks not original Japanese to me…

Steve, have You tried shippō 七宝? The design is identical (?) with itomaki, but means "7 treasures of Buddhism".

Oops, I haven't, I just replied to the Higo notion above. There are Ito-maki on Higo-Tsuba to be seen, but I know only examples without ji-sukashi: A cloud- or snow-design selection from Higo will show the obvious difference of execution to the one in question: After all - not Higo.

Obviously the design (itomaki consisting out of snow/clouds/mist) is based on the Akasaka-style, but the ko-niku mimi and the somewhat clumsy seppa-dai speak against this school. Higo would be more exactly in execution. I suppose an unknown minor workshop trying to copy the mentioned style.

It mustn’t be a menuki necessarily. Large, single ornaments like yours could have been made for tobacco pouches like these sold at Bonham’s:

Found this print, the hangers are obviously wooden rattles here. Florian

A rural scene is depicted: on the front paddy farmers with their typical straw hats are planting rice. On the backside we see a thin pole with four strings (maybe a reduces number is shown?) on which several hangers are attached. These hangers are obviously floating in the wind. IMHO this construction should simply drive off birds from the fields. Best, Florian

Sorry to reanimate an old thread, but this wonderful table caught my eye and matches in here: This display contains Tsuba of the Halberstadt collection in the Design Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark https://designmuseum...n/press-room-wonder/ Best, Florian

Hello Michael, I’m primary an iron guy, however a good starter collection - congrats! Most of those seem to be from late Edo-times, the last one with the insects maybe Meiji, but I’m not an expert. The surface of the one with „cock and bamboo“ seems to have a bluish look, maybe fire damage? But difficult to determine by the pictures alone. There are clouds of red rust which should be removed with deer antler or bones as soon as possible. Best, Florian

Very funny, never saw such before. Seems a collector piece, not for real use. Also nice the scene on the back. People eat obviously onions - to take part in the competition? The costumes suggest an early period, but of course the Kozuka was made around late Edo. Any idea about the signature? Best, Florian

Not a Tsuba, but I like this little character sketch! Best, Florian

Kanzan Sato was one of those who fixed after the war the traditional classification system in question here. In my eyes this comment shows that there’s someone afraid of new ideas. For me Sasanos’ Tosogu no Kigen was very enlightening. Florian

I appreciate the enthusiasm in this topic. However, what we read here are laments about and proofs for the erroneous classification system. BTW criticism which isn’t new at all and popped up from time to time. The topic is labelled „ideas that need to change“, but with all respect we read nothing about attempts or even any suggestions for a revision of the classification. Instead the discussion gets lost in details, which better should be discussed separatly. It’ s easy to tear down the walls but there must arise something new, a heap of ruins will satisfy no one. If in the past attempts have been made (and I do believe so) to establish a new system these efforts apparently failed. And as long as no alternatives will exist I’m afraid we will stick to the old classification furthermore: „We know it’s not good, but it’s the only one we have!“ Florian

Concerning the timeline I waited for this Tsuba with controversial dating to pop up but now I yield it by myself: It is owned by the Museum of Fine Art in Boston and according to Okabe Kakuya who wrote the first museum catalog in 1908 it is a Momoyama piece. Okabe interpreted the combination of gourd and kiri as a hint to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the background pattern of snowflakes is said to have been a popular fabric design at this time, too. I think even today the museum refers to this dating (see also „Lethal Elegance“ by Joe Earle). The very same Tsuba is depicted in Sasano’s TOSOGU NO KIGEN (1979). He focused on the peculiar form of the hitsu-ana. In the named book he sums up the development of Kogai and Kozuka pointing out that the early ones have a flat design while later with the Goto-lineage more and more relief-like decoration appeared. This makes it necessary to change the form of the hitsu-ana to larger, rounded ones. In correspondence with other examples showing similar primary hitsu-ana he dates it back to the Nambokucho period. About 200 years difference! There are others who dated it in between those periods and I don’t think there will be ever an ultimate answer. But why I mentioned this Tsuba is that the age estimation is based on one hand on the design, on the other hand on a technical background. Best, Florian