Tachi tsuba, iron

[Bugyotsuji]

Picked up this slightly lop-sided tsuba the other day, why? ...because I liked it.

 

The gold-plated (?) shinchu braided fukurin is said to be Nawa-ami I think, i.e. woven straw. Early inome design?

3 sizes approx: 7.8 x 7.6 cm; the mimi at the central hitsu ana is around 3 mm, at the edge maybe 6 mm including the fukurin.

 

The quality of the metalwork tells me that it is relatively old, but from there the question-marks start.

 

Gentlemen and gentle ladies, start your engines.

[TETSUGENDO]

Piers,

 

I like it as well, the construction is very interesting, the pinned straps at the center of each lobe are notable.  Are the pins holding them in place copper?   The design has a Momoyama feeling to it, dare I say there seems an emphasis on the Cruciform.

 

-S-

[Bugyotsuji]

Very good question, Steve.

 

Just had a good look, and as far as I can tell under this light the majority of the pins are the same material as the fukurin, although the less polished ones do indeed look the same colour as the sekigane/ategane. The pin surrounds look like flowers, roses?

 

Momoyama and cruciform might well be in the mix.

[TETSUGENDO]

Or trefoils?

 

-S-

[Bugyotsuji]

That one got me searching. The central pin kind of gave it a wild rose look! I will check Japanese flower Mon too.

 

Budded, trefoil, cloverleaf, apostles cross, 3 x 4 = 12 apostles...? Many formerly hidden Christian churches use that in the islands off Western Kyushu.

 

Also, cross of Lazarus, (Wiki)

A cross with the ends of the arms bottonee (or botonny, i.e. "furnished with knobs or buttons"), sometimes called a cross trefly, as the ends are shaped like a trefoil. 

 

[TETSUGENDO]

Indeed, passes the prime test for me,  it is subtle, it "feels" natural and unforced.  The iconography is so RIGHT, this is as worthy a candidate for a true "Kirishitan" tsuba as any.  BTW, what were your first thoughts on seeing this?

 

-S-

[Bugyotsuji]

Thought bubble: "Me want"... but more as an example of a nice old tachi tsuba, even if a little on the small side. I liked the emerging inome, especially as there has been some interesting discussion on the inome-Kaga connection on another site. The possible Christian element did not bubble up at first.

 

I was standing next to a collector of Nihonto-related things, and commented that it seemed kind of out of kilter. (Was needing encouragement to commit to buying it. A negative comment will often elicit positive information.)  "Ah, but that naivete is what makes it attractive, jya nai desu ka?" says he.

 

Recently I found a more obviously Christian Owari iron tsuba with four inome sukashi. Am I collecting these subconsciously? Are they collecting me?

[TETSUGENDO]

Clever ploy, LOL!  The "naïveté" does add to the charm of the piece, like one of those grand Daimyo pieces turned down a few notches....not crude in any way, just missing the "in your face" ostentation.  Cheers, you found a goody.

 

-S-

[Bugyotsuji]

The person who first encouraged me to start on Tsuba looked at a photo of this yesterday and said 'Heianjo'. He did not say why, but when pressed, he simply expressed a feeling that it was.

Until now I have  associated Heianjo with shinchu zogan inlay, but this tsuba does not show 'inlay' in that sense, with most of the brasswork lying above the iron surface, i.e. not embedded into and flush with the surface.

[TETSUGENDO]

Hi Piers,

 

Heianjo encompasses a wide range of appearances, not just the shinchu inlay style we immediately associate with it.  As far as I can recall I have never seen a piece like this with a Heianjo attribution, one would think that if THIS was a part of the 'range'.....we would have seen others!  If anyone has photos of others like this I wish they would post them.  It's an interesting thought, but????

 

-S-

[TETSUGENDO]

Piers, came across these two tsuba and thought you would find them of interest.  Your friend/mentor probably saw something similar in the past and made the Onin connection on seeing your photo.   As your piece is constructed very differently I don't think they are directly related, but share a superficial resemblance.   I do find the kindred forms and dates....interesting.

 

-S-

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks Steven. Yes, I have seen those while thumbing through various books.

Here is a similar one, but it is listed as 16C.

[Bugyotsuji]

On the other hand I found a Hoan iron tsuba with Fukurin and Shinchu Mon zogan which the text says ‘may have been added later’. Just food for thought...

 

And interestingly, this one is given as Hoan Kanenobu http://img-www3.hp-ez.com/img/osakishopcojp/img_20170107-152723.jpg

 

http://osaki-bijutsu.com/page28/detail-29106

[TETSUGENDO]

Piers,

 

Unless we can unearth your pieces twin, we are stuck between negativity and optimism.  Any tsuba with an applied fukurin is possibly suspect?...decoration could have been added?  In this case there are two solutions, we must find a documented exemplar or obtain a certified expert opinion.....or balance on a knife edge forever.

 

    -S-

p.s.- Personally, I'm feeling positive today.  Your choice, at this place in time, is a simple one.....the guy with the best 'papers' wins!

[Bugyotsuji]

Well, I put one tsuba in for Kantei in January for the April sitting, and as of the end of June no word yet. And I am still waiting in Japan! 

 

Half a year is a lifetime at this age...

[TETSUGENDO]

Terrible, at least you're spared the additional time and expense of ferrying it across the waters, small consolidation...but something.  'Time and tide wait for no man', still, you've got many Shinsa left in you!

 

What to do,what to do,

             Cheers, 

                  -S-