New Tsuba

[Ken-Hawaii]

I picked up a nice iron tsuba at our sword club meeting this afternoon. However, the mei has stumped even our three sensei who used to run shinsa in Japan. Any ideas?

 

Also, I love the one-eyed deer by the brook or stream (messenger of the God of Kasuga Shrine?), but what is the significance of the bearded grinning face at the top of the stream?

 

Measurements are 70 x 71 x 5 mm.

 

Ken

[cabowen]

kazumi 和見　???

[Bazza]

Dare I speak the unspeakable????

 

BaZZa.

[Brian]

No, it's not Chinese or cast Bazza

 

Brian

[Ken-Hawaii]

It's actually quite well cut, Bazza, definitely not Chinese.

 

Ken

 

[Kevin Adams]

I think this might be Jurojin, he is often shown with a deer in artworks.

 

I don't know about the mei, but the carving is very clumsily done. The pine tree is hastily executed, and the facial features are contorted. The nunome-zogan is basic at best (have a look at the cross-hatched chisel marks around the deer, they really shouldn't be visible). But what really bothers me is the textured strip that surrounds the man's head and continues down the body - it doesn't seem to represent anything, why is it there?

 

Frankly, this is amateurish work - look also at the ryo hitsu, and how it interferes with the design of the man. I think someone recently took an existing tsuba and carved on it, rather than it being a considered piece of work from the beginning.

[Soshin]

Hi Ken,

 

Agree with Kevin Adams the composition is a bit strange and amateurish in my opinion. This tsuba is not my "cup of tea" so to speak. It likely dates from the Taisho Period to early Showa Period and therefore isn't antique. This is only based upon the one photo provided to study. Would like to see more photos including the backside.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Here's the obverse of the tsuba.

 

Ken

 

[Soshin]

Hi Ken,

 

Thanks for the additional photo. This photo shows some signs that the tsuba has been mounted on a sword for a while. Your tsuba might be an antique circa the end of the Edo Period to Meiji Period. The war fan on the ura side is also assoicated with Jurojin one of Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. Here is any example of Jurojin showing the deer and war fan.