Nanban Tsuba

[Fred Geyer]

Have had this one for awhile and always wondered about what is going on here, is he yelling at someone ??? and look at the guys hair! Who would the tsuba maker see at that time would have hair like that????? 

 

 

Fred Geyer 

[Fred Geyer]

here is a larger photo

[cabowen]

The Donald Trump of the day?

[Brian]

Wow..interesting one. Can we get a close up of the top left part where the object of the "cone" is directed?

Would appear to be a native, but no idea from where. Even the usual seppa dai decorations are unusually done. What is the other side like?

 

Brian

[Tanto54]

Dear Fred, this is Tekkai Sennin - An immortal who can breathe out his spirit to allow it to go on long trips.  Once he breathed out his spirit to allow it to visit his master on faraway Mount Hua.  When his spirit returned, someone had cremated his body and scattered the ashes, requiring him to inhabit another recently deceased body. Unfortunately, the only available body was of a lame beggar, so he is often depicted in Kodogu leaning on his walking staff and breathing his soul out (sometimes shown as a small figure or a cloud).

 

[Brian]

George,

I envy your detailed knowledge of Japanese legends and folklore.

And that tsuba is a beauty. Can you tell us who it is by?

 

Brian

[Fred Geyer]

you asked...here you go 

[Peter Bleed]

Terrific thread. Thanks Fred and George. My take away is that use of many motifs, techniques, and elements of "namban" style on a tsuba DOES NOT mean that everything on the guard is about foreigners. "Namban" was a style that went in many directions. It was the "Hello Kitty" of its era

Again, thanks

Peter

[Tanto54]

Dear Brian, the Tsuba example that I posted is signed Shomin and is from the Wrangham Collection (unfortunately, I don't own it...). Thanks for the kind words - I really enjoy trying to decipher the meaning of many of the motifs found on Kodogu. As you know, the Japanese have long loved puns and word play, and I believe that almost all of the motifs on better fittings have an intentional, but not always readily discernible, deeper meaning.

[christianmalterre]

Hi Fred   

 

an immortal as Geaorge already attributed it to....

 

Christian

 

here he is:

[jason_mazzy]

That is tekkai sennin. I have a tsuba or two with him in it. my understanding is he is a crotchety old hermit that could help people and also kind of teleport by blowing wind to his destination. often seen with a frog.

[jason_mazzy]

I actually may be wrong about the toad. I think he has a gourd. And another senna has a toad. I appreciate someone who nudged me in my research.

[Geraint]

Hi Jason.

 

Gama senin with a toad.  Nice example here, http://art.thewalters.org/detail/35169/tsuba-with-the-chinese-immortal-gama-sennin/ You have to look at the back to find his toad.

 

All the best.

[Guido]

The one with the toad is Gama Sennin 蝦蟇仙人.

 

P.S.: Oops, Geraint posted while I was typing ...