Robin Posted January 1, 2018 Report Posted January 1, 2018 While I keep my wallet closed for a nihonto until I learned much more...collecting some tsuba's won't do any harm. I like simple sukashi designs most. For now I stick to the more affordable tsuba's not to make expensive mistakes. Like nihonto...I have a lot to learn about tsuba's also. 1. Forged iron. 7,4cm, 6,7cm, 3,9mm. Seems to be folded since it has a crude dasmascus like surface and the mimi shows many layers. The fruit might be loquat (awe 枇杷) or Japanese apricot (ume 梅). It looks a bit small for a katana, so I guess this is a wakizashi tsuba. No idea about how old this is. Tosho school perhaps? I payed 32 euros for it on ebay from a Japanese seller. 2. Copper or copper alloy. 7,8cm, 4,7mm. Crude sukashi blossom (plum?), wagasa umbrellas and a branch. Probably not old(?), but it seems to be a honest used (sekigane made to measure and the "shadows" of used seppa) tsuba. About 55 euros, same seller. Information and comments will be appreciated. Thanks, Robin Quote
Stephen Posted January 1, 2018 Report Posted January 1, 2018 Love love the suaka close to mine id like to pair them up ...lol 1 Quote
MauroP Posted January 1, 2018 Report Posted January 1, 2018 No. 1 Bushū-Itō school, late Edo, depicting 3 oubergines (三茄子透 - mitsu nasubi sukashi). Often those tsuba have very faint inscriptions, so check thoroughly if a mei is present.No. 2 probably Meji or later, depicting a prunus branch (枝梅透 - eda ume sukashi); the supposed straw hat should be part of a branch with a blossom bud.Just my opinion.Bye, Mauro 1 Quote
Robin Posted January 1, 2018 Author Report Posted January 1, 2018 Thank you so much. Do you recommend a book (or several) on the subject? I don't mind making a fool of myself here, but I want to learn how to stand on my own feet. Robin Quote
Grey Doffin Posted January 2, 2018 Report Posted January 2, 2018 Hi Robin, A great book with lots of pictured tsuba and text in English is Tsuba Kanshoki, 1975 edition. Here it is with pix and description on my site: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b823-tsuba-kanshoki-torigoye-1975 Also, and not to be missed: Tosogu Classroom. This is in progress towards a 5 volume set, over 2,000 pages of the writings of Mr. Fukushi as they appeared in Token Bijutsu by the NBTHK and translated into English by Markus Sesko. Volume 1 is out, volume 2 will be out soon, and the final 3 volumes will follow. This is published by the JSS/US and American & European branches of the NBTHK; members of any of these organizations can buy a set at a ridiculously low price. Grey 1 Quote
kissakai Posted January 4, 2018 Report Posted January 4, 2018 As most people on the NMB know I have produced a book on tsuba from the Birmingham museum These isuba in most cases are run of the mill but some schools are well represented to it can give you an idea of differing styles Most tsuba are large colour images The download is cheap from LuLu Grev 1 Quote
Robin Posted January 5, 2018 Author Report Posted January 5, 2018 Thanks gentlemen! Today I received a tsuba I was looking forward to, simply because I like it a lot. Aoi leaves sukashi (please don't say I got this one wrong also ) 71mm, 3,5mm, iron. Signed 國廣作 Kunihiro Saku. From Matsukaze.Japan on ebay. The tsuba box came as an unexpected surprise with it. Maybe, because my $157,50 winning bid came as an unexpected surprise to the seller. Anyway...I just wanted this, so when it's a bit over the top...no regrets. Feel free to facepalm! And now about this Kunihiro mei. I stumble upon this name really often, both tsuba's and swords. I found 10 Kunihiro sword smiths. Were the tsuba's produced by these smiths or in their workshops, or is this a coincidence? Robin 1 Quote
Teimei Posted January 6, 2018 Report Posted January 6, 2018 Hi Robin, looks like aoi leaves to me too. Nice theme and the execution looks quite good. I once heard a theory, that tsuba signed Kunihiro were forged as blankets and a different artist added sukashi or inlays later to finish it. Whether it was a workshop or if there was a connection to the sword smiths, i do not know. regards, 1 Quote
peterd Posted January 6, 2018 Report Posted January 6, 2018 Hi Robin. Kunihiro is Just a common name i think 1 Quote
Robin Posted January 7, 2018 Author Report Posted January 7, 2018 No. 1 Bushū-Itō school, late Edo, depicting 3 oubergines (三茄子透 - mitsu nasubi sukashi). Often those tsuba have very faint inscriptions, so check thoroughly if a mei is present. Bye, Mauro I checked, but no....mumei. My latest on the other hand has a faint mei. Looks like 2 kanji, but most of it faded. 71mm, 67mm, 3,5mm The sukashi? Please help me out...I have no idea. Thanks, Robin 1 Quote
MauroP Posted January 8, 2018 Report Posted January 8, 2018 My guess is 吉次 - Yoshitsugu, possibly Akao school. The sukashi could be kukusaru (括猿).Bye, Mauro 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.