Ford Hallam Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 Imagine my surprise at discovering that the almost legendary mukansa swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara has been making tsuba. I mean, how would he feel if I suddenly started making swords? I'm kidding of course (I have to add that for those of you who have no sense of humour....you know who you are ) in fact, I've long been aware of Yoshihara San's secret desire to be a tsuba-shi, he knows where the real art of the sword lies :D Anyway, here's one example, I actually really, really like this design. It's very striking. And at only $3000 I think I need to put my prices up. You can see more images and another one here. Quote
Soshin Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 Hi Ford, I was able to see these tsuba along with a dai-sho made by him at the Tampa Bay show this year. Needless to say the swords were great as to be expected but tsuba were a wonderful surprise.:D He is my favorite swordsmith. The only thing I didn't like was that owner of the table was never near his table when I would be walking by so that I could have examine the tsuba in hand. Well there is always next year. P.S Please don't rise your prices I am still in the process of saving my money. Yours truly, David Stiles Quote
Marius Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 Anyway, here's one example, I actually really, really like this design. It's very striking. Ford, I beg to differ. No match for your work. Not even remotely. At least as far as this particular tsuba is concerned. Quote
paulb Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 I think I am with Mariusz on this one. Looking at the illustartion I am distinctly underwhelmed. (guess thats why I better stick to blades!) Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Posted October 13, 2012 Cheers David, I'll stay poor then but at least with my work you'll know it's Daimei and genuine :D Mariusz, you're very generous, thanks. I do like the actual design though, perhaps I should make a version. thank Paul :D Quote
Drago Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 Hey Ford. Nice tsuba. Can you tell me what it is I see there? Do the shapes have a special meaning? Are they letters? Anyway, I think if a swordsmith makes a tsuba it should always go together with a sword made by him. Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Posted October 13, 2012 Tobias, the piercings are Siddham script (a variety of Sanskrit) , called Bonji in Japanese. They are usually a sort invocation and are based on the essential syllables of a particular sutra or mantra. On this tsuba the bonji on the right is 'Hammam' and is the seed syllable of the mantra dedicated to Fudo Myo. I can make out the other one but I think it's 'Hum' , the syllable representing Ashuku Buddha, the Guardian of the East in the Kongōkai Mandara. I actually posted the back view above, my bad, here's the correct orientation. I think the original website owner doesn't realise they're present backwards either, probably because they are 'signed' on the back with a gold seal. Quote
Curran Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 Yoshihara-san has been making these for decades. The early ones could be had for a few hundred USD. As his fame grew, so have the prices. In studying 5 or 6 of them, the workmanship definitely improves with the years. He sticks to his iron and usually sukashi. There is something "right brain" vs "left brain" about them that they feel like gendaito more than tsuba. I don't know how else to explain this. This is one of those instances where I think a non Japanese (Ford) has a better aesthetic for classical Japanese kodogu than the Japanese. As if this years competition didn't put a spotlight on that..... Don't get me wrong, - Yoshihara-san's recent ones are art undo themselves, but they feel like swords trying to be tsuba. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sort of like a very advanced classical portrait painter also sculpting a bit. The processes that work in setting up a skillful painting can cause a few lost-in-translation to a 3-D work if the artist is too set upon using the painting stage settings to make his sculpture rather than empty his mind a bit and build a different sculptor persona and perspective. Quote
Pete Klein Posted October 13, 2012 Report Posted October 13, 2012 recent ones are art undo themselves I never could have said it better. Quote
raiden Posted October 14, 2012 Report Posted October 14, 2012 I like mine, this is the one I received for a prize at the NBTHK Taikai Kantei contest a few years ago. See study does pay off! Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Posted October 14, 2012 That is a very pleasing design, Mike. I'm really enjoying the boji piercings. I feel a version of my own gestating. I find it interesting how Yoshindo San has opted to leave the forged plate essentially untouched and exactly as it looks straight off the anvil. It's a very direct sort of expression, no messing about. I don't like the modern tendency to shape nakago-ana as though they were precision engineered. It seems incongruous given that there's not really a single straight line on a sword blade. My view is that the nakago-ana ought to as carefully considered and shaped as a nakago itself. They both speak to the makers aesthetic sensibilities. btw, you've displayed your tsuba backwards also. It seems Yoshindo san places the gold 'inde' on the ura. Quote
Soshin Posted October 14, 2012 Report Posted October 14, 2012 Hi Everyone, Thank you Mike Y. for posting a photo of your tsuba. I will keep on studying. Here is a modern tsuba done in the Kachushi style that a friend has on his Batto training Nihonto. The artist name of the modern tsuba-shi who made it is Nobuchika. The wording on the photo tells which of the five wisdom kings the Bonji character belongs to. Anyone also interested in Mikkyō (密教) would really like this tsuba. Ford, I hope you find my example helpful for your next project. Yours truly, David Stiles Quote
raiden Posted October 15, 2012 Report Posted October 15, 2012 Ford, I know it is the reverse side, but this pic is for my own records and I only had a pic of the "signed" side. As far as I know and the nakago ana goes, usually tsuba are done so until they have been fitted to be mounted. I have had a few Bakumatsu / Meiji pieces that were never mounted done the same way in the nakago ana area. Tsuba from Yoshindo vary i price depending upon the amount of work involved (just as the same idea as you Ford) They usually start around 200,000 JPY. I will ask him what else he does in regards to tosogu. I will visit his home on this trip. Ford, will you go this trip? Our natsuo passed Juyo this year Quote
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