A little birdie told me....

[Henry Wilson]

This tsuba has had me wondering for sometime

 

http://www.finesword.co.jp/sale/kodougu/htm/0611/547/547.htm

 

The mei reads something like "Hachiman Taro Hatomaru made by Munemasa" from the Myochin Ha.

 

Hachiman Taro is also another name for Minamoto Yoshiie from the late 10th century who is famous in Japanese history.

 

The Nihonto Koza 6 wonders if the making of the tsuba (it does not referred to the above tsuba directly) for the Hachiman Taro Hatomaru koshirae began with Munemasa.

 

What do other members think of the above tsuba? I think it is a bit peculiar and wonder if there someting that I am missing as I feel that it has significants.

 

Also does anyone have pictures of / links to the Hachiman Taro Hatomaru koshirae?

 

Regards

[Pete Klein]

http://www.sanmei.com/shop_e/enter.html

 

Click the link to Tokugawa Art site, go to tsuba in left hand column, then tsuba page one, 3/4 way down there is a listing for this tsuba also, a dai-sho I believe.

 

I am not aware of any specific significance to the work.

[Henry Wilson]

Thanks Pete. I saw them before. I am not aware of a specific significance of the shape etc but some how feel that there is one.

 

Could it be a kinko trying to be original with a new design? Could it be a special order tsuba used by people from a certain group?

[Pete Klein]

from Haynes Index, #6128: This is the artist who made many of the tanto size pigeon shape iron plate tsuba that he signed also, 'I am the greatest armorer in all Japan'.

Big ego, little tsuba.

 

(those who know me are laughing right now)

 

This is exactly why I don't do stand up dentistry.

 

Ba-boom.