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Tsuba Cross/lock


kissakai

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Hi

 

I have just purchase a new tsuba and was wondering about the description

For some reason I believed this to be a lock but this differs from the Birmingham museum

Mine is smaller at 50 x 45 x 4.3mm

 

Details from the Birmingham Museum

1930M566

School: Kishu

Mei: Sadakane

Date: 1725

Haynes: 07715.0

Design: A cruciform created from two chamfered overlapping rectangles

Size: 76 x 70 x 5.7 mm

 

Mine is smaller at 50 x 45 x 4.3mm

 

post-2100-0-85725200-1519053521_thumb.jpg

 

 

Grev

 

 

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Hi Grev,  Nihontocraft also had such a tsuba.  I believe the Ashmolean might have one which they describe as cruciform also. The Peabody Museum has a variation of the design which they too call cruciform, and attribute to Satsuma and the Island of Kyushu ("stronghold of Christian faith").  Here's a bad picture of mine which Robert Haynes attributed to Bushu 1700.  It seems the key is to find an actual lock that is similar. I haven't found one but hopefully someone here can.  

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,  Johni

post-3005-0-77703900-1519056340_thumb.jpg

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Dear Grev,

 

While I'm not a Japanese lock expert, I have seen hundreds of them over the years.  I've never seen a pre-Meji Japanese lock with this kind of shackle.  Instead, they are usually of the shape shown below (therefore, I do not think that this tsuba represents a lock).

 

post-852-0-66352400-1519062297_thumb.jpg

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Just a thought, could it represent a lock plate, not lock or something common on old Japanese chests.
Found this, long shot, but just a thought and likely not much help

 

And with an edit after a few minutes, im just thinking the tsuba may just be symbolic, as in not an actual lock, but representing a lock = faith, commitment in something..... whatever. Christianity?, I don't know.

 

Forget the chest fittings, might be over thinking it, lol

post-2297-0-53556300-1519110522_thumb.jpg

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Down the rabbit hole again

Not Christian or working lock

Then SteveK throws in a bamboo variation with birds and the chest example

So although I may not find the answer I do believe it is representative of something

PS the Ashmolean example look a bit crappy!

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Hi Grev, describing your tsuba as a lock is at least in accordance with the NBTHK paper here below (reporting 錠前透鐔 - jōmae sukashi tsuba).

post-2065-0-33611600-1519466579_thumb.jpg
Anyway, I'm more leaning toward the kite suggestion, since my tsuba is decorated with carved clouds.

post-2065-0-13742400-1519466587_thumb.jpg

Mauro

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