Terminology

[kissakai]

Can someone explain the these two terms?

Kosukashi Tsuba.
Technique: Migakiji, Kosukashi

 

[ROKUJURO]

Grev,

MIGAKI-JI means mirror-like surface (= polished), KO-SUKASHI is small openwork as you find it on early KO-TOSHO and KO-KACHUSHI TSUBA.

[kissakai]

Thanks Jean

I wasn't sure if Kosukashi was the same as ko sukashi and I'd forgotten the mirror surface term

 

 

Grev

 

[christianmalterre]

Ko-Sukashi may depending on circumstances also mean " Old " - Sukashi.

 

such speaking a " older " Sukashi Tsuba.....if such discussions are done about Edo-times schools or artists....

 

Tsuba in Sukashi done before the Tokugawa reign....so far.

 

Such old terms are always to ben taken individual in view to the writing /- and, or date such writings were published.

 

Christian

[christianmalterre]

now the mentioning "Migaki-ji"....

 

this is a modern Edo expression by one of those three late atributors who did origami and evaluations for arsenal swords... ( Honnami is one of them f.ex.)

 

much more historic and accurate would be the expression Kagami- ji ( "Mirror - done" ) or better Kagami-michi

( Kagami  /  Mirror ) 

 

it would be more wise to use Kagamishi instead of Migaki....as there is seemingly lack of knowledge in modern collectors circles...?

( also the Jap. Migaki which is meant here by those inventors was traditionally made of polished stone or brass.../  a traditional Kagami was made in Bronze- same like old Kagamishi Tsuba )

 

old days- Kagamishi or Kagami / new style "hype" Migaki.....both is the same meaning per se. - does but get totally diffused and misunderstood todays...

 

Christian

[ROKUJURO]

MIGAKI-JI is done with a MIGAKI-BO - a hardened steel rod, which is also used by TOGISHI for the SHINOGI-JI, MUNE and BO-HI. It has nothing to do with KAGAMI.

KO-SUKASHI  ( 古  透 )  is used in opposition to JI-SUKASHI in TSUBA. 

[MauroP]

13 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

KO-SUKASHI  ( 古  透 )  is used in opposition to JI-SUKASHI in TSUBA

Actually not. Ko-sukashi is written 小透.
Ko-sukashi written 古透 means "old openwork", and makes little sense. Here below a NBTHK paper reporting a ko-tōshō (red box) tsuba with ko-sukashi (blue box) decoration.

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you Mauro,

for your correction! I copied it wrongly from an article!