UMETADA SCHOOL TSUBA

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

For any interested, I just added a wonderful Umetada School tsuba to my website:

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.c ... per-zogan#

 

In the next few days I plan to add quite a few tsuba, menuki, kotsuka, kogai, and a very nicely mounted Sukesada wakizashi also. A ton (or maybe only half a ton) of books are in the mail to me and will go up as they arrive. Please don't forget to check in from time to time.

Thanks, Grey

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com

[Thierry BERNARD]

very nice!

[Grey Doffin]

Thanks Thierry,

Just added solid gold, papered menuki and the Jakushi tsuba pictured in Nihonto Koza.

Grey

[kaigunair]

That was a beaut! Congrats to the new owner...

[Curran]

Went fast. I was told there was a line for it, by at least two of the guys in line for it.

I hope it stayed in North America, but the Europeans tend to be quicker on the draw when it comes to nice kinko examples.

 

Now that it is *Sold*,

With these nicer 'Umetada' condition is very important. Should be handled w/ cotton gloves. These ones are relatively easy to damage.

Finding a good antique one with inlay intact, different metals at different thicknesses, etc.- very rare.

Point in case is even the best preserved antique ones often have seppa dai wear.

 

Careful though, as there are some late Edo copies, mostly in smaller size by a particular skilled artist (cannot remember name off the top of my head... want to say "Jo____". Lucky for us, he signed a few of them and largely stuck to one or two designs. I have seen one of his 'Umetada' tanto tsuba get by the NBTHK with Hozon papers to Umetada.

 

Attached are two. I purchased the Tokubetsu Hozon one a few years ago.

I'm pretty sure the one Grey sold would get Tokubetsu Hozon too.

[kaigunair]

an eye candy thread indeed!!!

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

I don't like to discuss things for sale on the NMB but I must comment. Grey's Umetada tsuba is an example of a first class Umetada tsuba. If I was the new owner I would be submitting it to NBTHK tokubetsu hozon as soon as possible. I wish more really nice tsuba would come up for discussion in the Tosogu forum.

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Curran]

Nothing unseelie meant.

Pretty sure this one will pull TH.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the kind words. Curran, it occurred to me as I was taking the pictures that I shouldn't be handling shakudo with bare hands. I wiped the tsuba with a soft cloth and have mended my ways.

Maybe this tsuba "Don't need no stinking papers" to paraphrase "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre".

And, so the thread will contain pictures of the tsuba that started it, here's a couple.

Cheers, Grey

[wbt]

Attached is a similar Umetada Shigeyoshi I have had for a number of year. Beautiful workmanship and great shakudo.

Enjoy,

Brent

[Soshin]

Hi Brent,

 

Thanks for posting your fine example. Is your example papered by the NTHK or NBTHK? I am thinking based upon the style of rim your tsuba was likely made by the Umetada master one generation after Myoju. His Buddhist name was Myoshin and his artist name was also Shigeyoshi. I think the younger brother of Myoju. Once I get home I will post my fine example of the Umetada school.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[wbt]

I haven't submitted this example. I am always a little nervous about submitting anything with a signature. As you are painfully aware many get rejected as gimei if they aren't spot on with existing examples. If you think this one is worthy of the effort, I may send it in with my next batch of items I send back.

 

Look forward to see your tsubas.

Regards

Brent

[Soshin]

Hi Brent T.,

 

Yes the signature on your fine tsuba is well cut. I would go ahead and submit it to shinsa if I was you.

Here is my mumei Umetada tsuba which is currently unpapered. It is iron and would likely get the Ko-Umetada label if sent to shinsa. The fine crosshatch gold inlay (nunome kin-zogon) is very well done and well intact. The surface between the inlays have a triangular shaped chisel marks of a decorative nature. The rim has a major turn up to make the rim at 6.0 mm much thicker then the seppa-dai which I think could be as thin as 2.5 mm. This causes a deep impression of the rim in the padded box I have this tsuba in. This shape I think as allowed the high quality gold inlays to be protected over the ages. This turned up style rim is often seen on Umetada Myoju and as well as Ko-Umetada tsuba from the Momoyama Period to the early Edo Period. Comments are welcome.

 

P.S. It should be noted that I purchased this tsuba also from Grey D. last year off of this website.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[wbt]

Thanks David. i will definitely submit now.

 

At the risk of being controversial, something I know this board tries to avoid :lol:, what are the advantages of getting origami on Fittings? The obvious one is to validate the school/artist in the case of mumei items, which is when I normally submit for Shinsa, but what are the other advantages? Do you think the papers for fittings are as important to western collectors as they are for blades?

 

On another note, here are a couple of pictures of a fine tanto tsuba I have. I am unsure of the school on this. Surprisingly it is iron and not soft metal. Any educated guesses would be appreciated. (I obviously need to send this in for Shinsa)

 

Regards,

Brent

[Soshin]

Hi Brent T.,

 

This is a very hard question which could be a topic in of itself. I have my own reasons but I am sure there are people that would disagree and say that it is a waist of time and money because they being western intellectuals know better then the Japanese in the identification of Japanese antique cultural artifacts. It would be like a group of Japanese making authentication and attribution of United States Civil War antiques. I generally like to find and submit antique tosogu with good quality workmanship and design in fine condition for shinsa. It allows me to test my kantei ability as I often have an idea who or which group made it. I also sometime have an opinion if a specific mei is correct your tsuba is an example. I also never submit something that I think will fail. The final point which cannot be over looked as I have limited means is that it makes it much easier to resale at or above what I originally paid for it if the tosogu is papered by the NTHK or NBTHK. I like to think of my collection is a ever evolving and growing thing. I am hoping that in 40+ years or so when I pass to the great beyond that my collection will only consist of Juyo or above pieces.

In regards to your tanto tsuba I am not really sure. While the hira-zogan inlays of different soft metals are often seen in Umetada school the high relief carving done on the lower side of the tsuba isn't. The Umetada school would often only use low relief carving as well as decorative chisel or hammer marks. To me the tanto tsuba might get the Shoami attribution at shinsa as the Shoami school would work using both of these techniques in iron. Keep in mind that I have read in the NBTHK monthly magazine while discussing the Umetada school that if a specific Umetada tsuba wasn't signed "Umetada" it would likely get a Shoami attribution. This indicating that there is some overlap in the techniques and designs used by both schools.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles