Tôu-seal

[Ludolf Richter]

My friend owns a Tsuba which has a seal,I read as Tôu.I have a lot of examples in my database with Yasuchika (and generations) signing with "Tôu" (starting when he became a lay priest).The difference with the above Tsuba is the upper end of the character on the right side:horizontal stroke versus trident.According to Haynes there may have been an artist with Go Tôu,working in the 1st quarter of th 19th Century:No info and pics available.

Has anybody seen a Tsuba with the above Tôu?Ludolf

[christianmalterre]

Dear Ludolf

are you shure this Tsuba shall be Yasuchika?

I just wonder as it´s whole stylism and execution does not make me feel to be an Yasuchika workmanship?

Of course-i am not a Kinko-Guy-such speaking i can be very wrong of course!

At least-it does not match anyways to all those Yasuchika i do have depicted in various of mine books...?

(may this seal ben regarded as an purely aesthetic element rather?)

This Elephant equally,does remember me rather taken from the woodwork of "Ko-Kinkoised" or "Gotoised" than comming from this very school of Yasuchika´s stylism...?

just mine feeling...

The Kinko-Front does but certainly know better...

 

Christian

[John A Stuart]

I have not seen Yasuchika's seal rendered this way. This was sold via e-Bay without papers to support the provenance. The work does not seem typical, so, I am reticent to believe this has any connection to Yasuchika/Tou. This is a very thick tsuba. John

[george trotter]

Too bad our friend Reinhard is no longer with NMB...if I remember correctly he was an expert on Tou... :lol:

I can't help much except to say that Wakayama and Haynes say there was more than one artist signing Tou...only one of whom was the great Yasuchika.

Regards,

[John A Stuart]

That's likely, another Tou. BTW, to avoid confusion the tsuba I pictured is not the one the OP posted, but, very similar. John

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

If I remember correctly there is a famous tsuba by the Shodai Yasuchika (i.e Tou) with a elephant design. Once I am home and can search my books I will post a photograph of it. These tsuba posted maybe trying to copy this.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Ludolf Richter]

Thanks to all,

I believe,John's Ebay-pic is very similar to my friend's one,only -as it looks for me-it is

made of iron.There is no doubt about it for me,that the artist is not Yasuchika.Also the elephant is quite different from Yasuchika's one in my database:look at the pics.There is another elephant from the Nidai.Ludolf

[Soshin]

Hi Ludolf R.,

 

Yes these were the tsuba I was thinking of.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles