Tsuba Kantei...

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

I wanted to start a topic thread about the kantei of a tsuba I have in my collection for a while. I remember purchasing it off of the NMB two years ago at a fair price. I will post some photos of the tsuba and would like to requested feedback to facilitate discussion about the tsuba. If you offer an attribution in terms of age and group/school/location of production please follow up with the reasoning for the attribution. I will then in about a week post my own kentei conclusions about the tsuba. This is a informal kantei as I haven't submitted this tsuba for shinsa and don't have an official judgement. Please let me know if you have any questions or require additional photos.

 

Basic Information About Tsuba:

Material: Iron (tetsu 鉄)

Size: 7.7✕ 7.5 cm, 4.5 mm at rim (diagonally length is 9.0 cm because of the odd shape)

Signature: mumei (無銘) 　

Shape: Kawari mokko-gata (変り木瓜形)

Openings: Ryohitsu ana (両櫃孔)

Surface Finish: Migaki Ji (磨地)

 

My Observations:

The shape of the kage-sukashi (影絵透) design is of a single stylized butterfly (cho 蝶) or a family crest (kamon 家紋). The surface is smooth (migaki ji 磨地) with a dark brownish black in color patina (sabi 寂) with some rust pitting in places. The rim (mimi 耳) show a few tekkotsu (鉄骨) but none of the surface of the tsuba. The thickness at the rim is uniform along the other parts of the tsuba. The shape of the Kogai-hitsu ana (笄櫃穴) has a late Muromachi period (室町時代) shape.

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Henry Wilson]

Hi David

 

Below are some thoughts:

 

The shape of the hitsuana makes me think Shoami.

The metal looks Tosho.

The overall shape looks Momoyama.

 

I would say that it is Momoyama Shoami.

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

This is a quick bump to my tsuba Kantei topic hoping to get a few more replies. The original owner of the tsuba Skip Holbrook gave the following attribution "Ko-Shoami of the Momoyama Period". In a few days I will post my attribution and points that lead me to that specific attribution.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

The one week tsuba kantei is now over. Thanks Henry W. for replying with your answers. Here is my write up about my attribution and reasoning. I hope you find it interesting.

 

Time Period:

Late Muromachi to Momoyama Period (circa 1550-1615)

Location:

Kyoto

Group/School:

Ko-Shoami

 

Reasoning:

The large bold abstract openwork (sukashi) design of the tsuba is some what similar to some of the very early sukashi Higo tsuba works which have a Ko-Shoami influence. This (kage-sukashi) style of openwork design was used to a great effect by the early Shoami tsubako. The intermixing of kage- and ji-sukashi as well as the nikubori ji-sukashi (3D carving) technique is often observed in Edo Period Shoami tsuba with openwork. The tsuba being 9.0 cm in diameter would also indicate this late 1500s to early 1600s period of production along with the shape of ryo hitsu-ana. The rim displays a few but prominent iron bones (tekkotsu) which is in contrast to the smooth surface (migaki-ji) of the tsuba is also indicates a earlier period of production. The rim has a rounded-square (kaku-mimi koniku) shape this along with the rounded rim (maru-mimi) shape is often seen in (Ko) Shoami tsuba.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles