Strange ana

[Ken-Hawaii]

I've never seen anything like these mushroom-shaped ana. Is there any reason for these shapes?

 

[Geraint]

Dear Ken.

 

I wonder if the rounded segments are original and the rectangular sections were cut to allow the insertion of soft metal cut to  shape for kodzuka and kogai?  I cannot recall seeing these shapes as they stand anywhere else.

 

All the best.

[Stephen]

Maybe something like this?

[Ken-Hawaii]

Sure, Stephen, but yours shows those as part of the overall design, & aren't even ana, where the other tsuba ana are just...holes.

[DirkO]

Hi Ken, 

I think the Wada-esque sukashi are original, seeing the inlay and its positioning, the square cut-outs were done later to accomodate a specific mounting. 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Good thinking! I just assumed the rectangular ana were there first, but no reason they had to be.

[christianmalterre]

it is not a forge!

It is simply to be called a cut-out! done somewhere in past.

 

worthless in all the whole aspects of collecting originals!

 

you should take a notice onto the execution of the hitsu! ( if you really do want to learn something about Tosogu! )

 

very simple!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Relax, Christian. I'm not planning to buy the tsuba - I just hadn't seen ana like these. Yes, I can see that the hitsu-ana is flaky. In fact, ALL of the ana look like they were cut out with a hacksaw.

[Japan2112]

You'll sometimes see a variety of different hitsu shapes on Heian jo tsuba - gourds, mushrooms, organic shapes, sometimes to compliment the natural components on the plate.

I think it makes them look more interesting.