Kumagaya school...?

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

Has anyone ever heard of the Kumagaya school? I came across this nice tsuba on Fineswords.com listed on 5/31/2014 and the name of the school did not "ring any bells" in my head. Here is a link to the tsuba in question: http://www.finesword.co.jp/sale/kodougu/htm/2001_3000/2101_2150/2149/k2149.htm. The rim pattern reminds me of some of the tsuba made by the independent not a member of any school but still a retainer of the Hosokawa clan Nakane Heihachiro or a nice example of the so called Edo Higo school. The text discusses "Edo Higo" but I cannot read the remaining part of that sentence. I love the gold and silver nunome-zogan on the omote and ura respectively. Any help with the school or translating more of the paragraph text would be helpful.

[John A Stuart]

I have heard of Edo Higo style called Kumagai 熊谷 So Kumagai ha is 熊谷派 John

[Soshin]

Hi John S.,

 

Thanks John. I was able to handle the caption text and 熊谷派 (kumagaya-ha) would translate to Kumagaya school. Not sure the origin of name Kumagaya. In Tsuba and Aesthetic Study Haynes gives the name "Kumagaya" as an alternative name of the Edo-Higo school. Could it be a location in Edo? The most often used metals for inlay were gold and silver sometimes on the same tsuba such as my example. Haynes discusses that they were retainers of the Hosokawa daimyo and that they made other tosogu in addition to tsuba. The overall composition and the contrast of the designs I find nice on this tsuba even though the iron looks a bit boring and plain.

[John A Stuart]

In Markus' book it mentions the 7th head of the Kumagai family, Yoshitsugu as being born in Sendai 1795 and going to Edo and being hired by the Hosakawa family. It is a common name and I can't track it before Yoshitsugu. John

[John A Stuart]

The text describes the theme and physical characteristics. The spool with cloth wrapped around it, and mention that this is a representation of a symbolic spiritual enlightenment. Tsuba is in three parts, the dote-mimi with the zig zag lightning pattern, the silver inlay of cloth and the big spool in the middle. John

[Soshin]

Hi John S.,

 

Thanks for translating the body text of the tsuba description. Haynes in Tsuba and Aesthetic Study lists the names of the following artisans as members of this school during the late Edo Period: Yoshitsugu (義次), Yoshiyuki (義之), and Genshichi (源七). I think these names are listed as there are still likely signed examples of their work. They were all were retainers of Hosokawa family in Edo. I still think the name "Kumagaya (熊谷)" might be a place in Edo where the school was located or something similar such as the name of the Akasaka (赤坂) school. Late this morning I was able to examine four sets of Higo style fuchi-gashira that a local collector and friend owns. Three sets where iron and one was shakudo done clearly in a Higo style that made me think of the Kumagaya school. One set of fuchi-gashira had a base soft metal of shibuichi and had very fine inlays of gold and shakudo. The surface had a combination of a smooth and textured finish to the shibuichi. Here is another Edo Higo school tsuba I found on Fineswords.co.jp that they list as just "Edo Higo (江戸肥後).

 

http://www.finesword.co.jp/sale/kodougu/htm/2001_3000/2051_2100/2098/k2098.htm

[John A Stuart]

I skipped a lot and just related the pertinent info. It is telling that the Kumagai family into the Taisho and Meiji periods were noted for metal craft, maybe the same bunch. There was a town in Musashi named Kumagai. The 5th and 6th gen Nishigaki masters were within the school and certain members of the family had ties to Ikkin and Ichijo. What do you think about them being derived from the Jingo school? John

[Soshin]

Hi John S.,

 

Thanks for the reply good to see I haven't alienated everyone on this message board. That might explain it being a place near or in Edo and also located in Musashi Province. The names kumagaya(熊谷) and kumagai(熊谷) are similar readings of the same two Kanji characters. Here is an example of a work by the kumagai metal work circa the Meiji Period using inlays.

 

http://www.fareastasianart.com/stores/Shippodo/items/1251007/item1251007fareastasianart.html

 

The 5th and 6th gen Nishigaki masters were within the school and certain members of the family had ties to Ikkin and Ichijo. What do you think about them being derived from the Jingo school?

 

I completely lost and confused with this statement. Other than knowing that there was a Nishigaki school I don't know of any connection between the 5-6th generation Nishigaki masters, Ikkin, Ichijo, and the Jingo school. :? I am aware that Nishigaki Kashiro and Shimizu Jinbei had a connection of different types to Hirata Hikozo at the beginning of the Edo Period. The third generation Shimizu learn his craft as a fittings maker from the second generation Nishigaki Kanshiro due the great age difference between second and third generation Shimizu. The second generation Shimizu was likely dead or in poor health when the third generation Shimizu was of the correct age to become an apprentice in the craft.

[John A Stuart]

Markus' geneaology book. I have it, but, is in German. Here is a Google book page showing this family.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=vNwvaPS ... gu&f=false

Iam not sure where I read the Jingo connection anymore. John

[Soshin]

Hi John S.,

 

The funny thing is Google says I have reach the viewing limit for this book. :lol: I think it is about time for me to purchase it in the very near future. I use some of Markus's other publications fairly often. The connection between Shimizu and Hirata schools was that 1st generation Shimizu Jinbei was the nephew of Hirata Hikozo. The Nishigaki school started as a branch off of the Hirata school. Some references cite 1st generation Nishigaki Kanshiro as being a student of Hirata Hikozo and others but him as a student of Hirata Shōzaburō and starting when the third generation Hirata gave up sword fitting making to work only as a valuer precious metals. :? Not sure how this relates to fittings makers from Sendai area who were hired later in the late Edo Period as retainers of Hosokawa family. This is all very interesting nonetheless.