One happy collector
I bought this tsuba from a NMB member, Christopher Klojer
As I was delighted to own this tsuba and I wanted to share this with other NMB members
I always wanted a true sukashi ito tsuba as many are wider gaps that have the edges 'rolled' over
I checked the cutouts under a medical microscope and can find no indication that these are 'rolled' edges
I sent some images to Bob Haynes and he filled in the gaps in my description
Details
Mito in the province of Hitachi. Sugiyama School?
Signa
From J Gilbert's website:
Q: Is there a story behind the squirrel and grapes motif?
A: I don't know of any textual reference, but squirrel and grapes is a very common kodogu motif. People in the US often mistake the squirrel for a fox. I can understand that, since Aesop’s fable of the fox and grapes is more familiar in the West.
The squirrel and grapes motif probably entered Japan in the Nara period by way of Tang China via the silk road. It may have originated in Greece. It’s a