Is This A Christian Tsuba And What Era Might It Be?

[manfrommagnum]

Here are some pictures. .

 

Mike

 

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Fred Geyer, a Member of the KTK published a really ground breaking essay in the 2006 catalogue of that group and comes very close to illustrating the exact tsuba you show. I would say, based on that essay and other similar things Fred has published that the answer is yes. There might not be universal agreement with Fred, but for me the issue is settled that such "clock gear" tsuba are really Christian tsuba and made directly to signal that association.

 Arnold F.

[manfrommagnum]

How would I know what era?

[johnnyi]

IF it is a hidden Christian symbol and if the tsuba is genuine, then you would look up Christianity in Japan and find when Christianity  was outlawed. I think for the most part it was roughly around 1600 to 1630's.  Regards, John

[Henry Wilson]

Despite what a lot of our peers portray, we really don't know what was in the minds of the people that made kodogu. Therefore I believe, if something could be possible then there is a chance that it is possible. So applying Wilson's Razor I see what looks what could be a reference to a Christian motif (see the illustrations in the reference Arnold above quotes). Christian motif it is!!!!

[manfrommagnum]

My assumption was that it is for a multitude of reasons:

 

1 cruiciform

2 32 points matching the Jesuite IHS

3 the six major points like the IHS rays

 

Now the question is...what school and what era??? Owari? Not sure what school made stuff for Omura or Otomo.