Plant identification on a tsuba.

[Spartancrest]

Has anyone got any idea what plant this tsuba represents? Not Chrysanthemum or Peony.

It is by 'Masataka' of Hagi. Thank you for any ideas.

[Geraint]

Dear Dale.

 

Paulownia?  Didn't we have another piece just recently with the same question?

 

All the best.

[Bugyotsuji]

Tried two or three times to download but it eventually took ten minutes to appear. 
(Still got my thinking cap on.)
 

[Spartancrest]

Thank you both, I had a look at Kiri /Paulownia the leaves in the photo are similar, I found a woodblock print of a Paulownia tree but the guard would need to use a very stylized design of the flowers [which is possible]  You can tell the print was very small and blurry when enlarged.

[vajo]

From the leaves and the blossom my guess is cornus kousa.

[Spartancrest]

Thank you Chris - Dog wood, they are showy and produce an edible fruit [cornus kousa chinensis] the Asian variety -  For our American friends do not eat the Florida plant it is poisonous! The fruit look like either Lychee or Irish Strawberry tree fruit (Arbutus Unedo). 

https://www.tyrantfarms.com/introducing-kousa-dogwood-cornus-kousa-the-edible-dogwood/

[Bugyotsuji]

Sorry guys, but I'm placing my money on 梔子 Kuchinashi (Gardenia), because of those distinctive standing buds, the wonderful scent, and the colo(u)r, which is used for traditional yellow dye.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=gardenia+buds&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=goMqcXaEfsShsM%2C_9kvLnePRWzjFM%2C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRD41Fon4oXHx8lRgQjA5ZUZyL8HA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiF8Lbsr4TxAhXhLqYKHTW1CxsQ9QF6BAgLEAE&biw=1366&bih=625

[Spartancrest]

Great Piers - you don't happen to know of a woodblock print I can use for a visual comparison in my book? I am adding where possible images that coincide with the tsuba themes, just a bit extra detail other books don't include. 

I have this one, I will use if I can't find a better likeness.

 

 

Hold on a moment What about this Bitter Orange? it has the standing buds as well - I am beginning to think it is a total guessing game, I could do with my late father's expertise on horticulture - unfortunately it's not something he passed on to me [ just a dicky heart a bad back and baldness]

 

Thank you all for the help.

[vajo]

Dale btw it is a nice tsuba!

[Spartancrest]

Thank you Chris, I wish it was one of mine, I am doing a book on the Cleveland Museum of Art and using it to show how some of the designs were developed and more or less it is for beginners in the field. There is some detailed information but it doesn't target the experts [who really shouldn't need it after all !] I am sure when it is finished there will be criticism that I didn't mention this or that about the examples, what amuses me is that when someone does that - they don't need that information to start with do they? They already know it! I don't want to bombard people with page after page of detailed descriptions most of which can be directly seen in the images - nor do I personally like a heap of Japanese terms that must be explained into English anyway, why make a subject more difficult to start with? If it was going to be a technical book, that only 'experts' would appreciate I can't see much point to it. I will get off my soap box now.  

 

I do wish to thank you and the other members for all their help - now and in the past. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Have had a look around for suitable old paintings, prints, etc. but they are not so common, and each does not quite fit the bill in some way.

(It was an interesting discovery to realize that various varieties of Kuchinashi Mon/Kamon were in use back then.)

 

PS This tsuba does grow on one…