Sukashi shape

[kissakai]

Hi

I thought I'd find this shape quit easily but I didn't

I looked through my books on mon but found nothing

I can describe it as a double diamond but I'd like to be more accurate

Can anyone help?

 

 

 

Grev

 

[johnnyi]

Hi Grev, I was under the impression  that this was pine bark but it could be wrong. Good luck

 

 

 

 

John

 

[kissakai]

Hi Johnny

I think the pine bark/cone has overlapping diamond a bit like a spinning top

 

[ROKUJURO]

I have seen that TSUBA and it looked quite unfamiliar to me. At first I thought of a computer generated, laser-cut design with heavy artificial aging, but that may well be wrong. 

[kissakai]

It was bought from Jonny from the NMB a few weeks ago

It is a very nice pre Edo Kyo sukashi tsuba that Ford did a light restoration and it is in very nice condition

 

All I did was remove the background and the colour depth to two colours so that why it looked strange as it was only the shape I was asking about

 

 

[Akitombo]

Grev,

 

Kawakatsu clan I think

 

David

[Spartancrest]

 http://mon.xavid.us/Mon/Three Color Diamond Banner

[Shugyosha]

Had one of these on the front of my soccer shirt when I was a kid:

[kissakai]

This is on the link

Date	1637
Categories	Geometric: Rhombus (Other), Color: Multicolor (On Banner), Color: Yellow on Black, Color: Black on Blue
Sources	Xavid “Kihō” Pretzer. O-umajirushi: A 17th-Century Compendium of Samurai Heraldry. The Academy of the Four Directions. 2015. pg. 194.

 

Best match but no clan name stated

 

Maybe my Umbro tsuba!

 

[MauroP]

Hi Grev, I'd suggest a descriptive definition like:
四方菱形透鐔 - shi-hō hishigata sukashi tsuba - diamond shapes in four directions openwork tsuba.

Sometimes even NBTHK shinsa panel can't do better.

[kissakai]

Yes seeing some of there descriptions they are a bit naff

hishigata was the word I was trying to remember but not giving up finding a clan name just yet

 

[JohnTo]

Grev,

I have a tsuba identical to this one, except that the diamonds have been removed and its been reheated giving it a melted Kanayama look.  I've posted it before and despite it's modification it is one of my favourite tsuba.  I just love the iron.  But subsequently I found this one with the diamonds intact.  It was on a ko-Enju juyo blade (Gallerie Zacke) and the tsuba was described as  'The exquisite Kyo-sukashi tsuba complements the cloud theme of the saya'.  So maybe yours is an abstract (cubist) cloud design. Sorry did not get a copy of the saya cloud design
 

[kissakai]

That's very interesting - thanks John

 

[Surfson]

Do you think that those diamonds are flowers John?