Another Zogan

[svarsh]

I would appreciate an advice regarding the school and time period. It is round, 3 inches diameter. 

[Ford Hallam]

Sergei

 

this one is about as easy as they come. A 5 minute image search for "brass inlaid tsuba" will bring up many similar examples. Half an hour of study will then leave you pretty well eductated as to the varieties of brass inlay on iron tsuba.

 

I could give you a fish and you'd have a meal for today but if you learn to fish yourself you'll have a hobby you can waste money on for the rest of your life

 

Good luck

 

Ford

[Jean]

Sergei,

 

There is an active topic at this very time on the Board.

[MauroP]

Hi Sergei,

I'm a bit dull-minded, but the answer is not so easy for me. Someone would say Ōnin, others Heianjō-zōgan, and I'm unable to decide which is the right answer. But I'm studying tsuba only for few years...

Bye, Mauro

[svarsh]

Thank you all for responding. I have some reference books but they are currently in another location (or I am). I found a good resource at http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/heianjo.htm:

"Heianjo tsuba are considered to have developed from the Onin work in the early 1500s. They are normally of the suemon type, but the inlay is cut out from sheet metal rather than cast in a mold. Any surface detail on the brass is carved in. Production of Heianjo and Onin styles went on in parallel for some time before the Onin school died out. Some pieces are seen with a combination of cast and cut brass on the same plate. I am not convinced that there is any real distinction between the "school" of Onin makers and the "school" of Heianjo tsubako. As with Ko Tosho vs. Ko Katchushi guards, I believe that we are using these names as a convenient way to classify the work of professional tsuba makers according to various categories of style and age. To take it a step further, it's likely that "Katchushi" tsuba were being made side by side with "Onin" guards. The tsubako would add brass inlay according to the taste and budget of the customer. These can be considered decorated Katchushi, although the plate tends to be of softer iron, perhaps to make the inlay process easier."

This was written by Jim Gilbert long time ago, and I wonder if there is any new research on the matter.

 

Sergei

[BMarkhasin]

Sergei,

Nothing substantive has been done recently to further this area of study.  Jim's was a good synopsis, and holds true.  This is a group where there is general consensus of age and affiliations.  The question of brass sourcing, quality etc... is still a subject of some debate and speculation.  If all these tsuba are yours, its a great collection!

Boris.