Help with my Soten Tsuba

[Jaron]

Hello members,

 

I am new to this site and also new to owning a Nobuyoshi blade (Tokebetsu Hozon) that came with this Hozon Soten Tsuba.  I am not concerned as to the Soten authenticity as I am aware of the Gimei out there and I also have read from hundreds of pages of Soten school information(like Haynes) as well as comparison photos that look close of this kind of Soten , but I am more interested in the story this is telling.  I have included some close ups of the faces, robes, and some of the landscape.  It wasn't until I was brave enough to take the sword apart, that I could really see better and the figures came alive.

 

I know there was much Chinese and Japanese folklore that this younger Soten did, as apposed to the older Soten that did more warriors.  The figures appear to be monks/sages in various different robe markings.  The one figure with the brush/knife has what appears to be skulls on the cloak but I can't tell even with a jewelers loop.  The big mystery is the figure sitting at a table with a silver face?  I can almost see the face of a racoon dog face, one of the key animal protectors, but maybe it was just damaged at some point.  I have blown up the detail on the one robe that is a dragon, and the others have the tortoise longevity markings.  What is also a mystery are the gold multi-circular items that could be the wind?  I hope someone that knows Soten well might be able to solve the riddle of the Tsuba.  

 

Thank you in advance for your input.

[ROKUJURO]

Jeff,

welcome to the NMB, and congratulations to the ownership of a Nobuyoshi blade (TOKUBETSU HOZON) and a nice and valuable O-SOTEN TSUBA.

[Jaron]

Thank you kindly Rokujuro (Jean).  I am looking forward to my journey on the history of this sword and Tososgu.  Also, after disassembling the sword, I discovered the fuchi is signed Kaneishi Nomura Kanenori.  Certainly the authenticity is questionable as I have no paper on them and with such a famous student of Soten's, but the fittings are beautiful anyway.  I will post a few just FYI. 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Jeff,

I don't think that the FUCHI has the same quality as the TSUBA. It maybe the photo, but if you look at the NANAKO, it appears to be by a different hand.

[Jaron]

Yes that is indeed true, but if you compare to other Kaneishi Naimura Kanenori examples I have found on the web, the artistry is very close, certainly not the same quality as Sosheishi Soten, but that of Kanenori, his pupil or his older brother/ father’s pupil.  Much brighter gold and the monks with odd long faces ( I have no idea what they are with crowns on their heads).  The Soheishi Soten is much greater detail.

 

A photo I found of a very similar Kaneishi Nomura Kanenor in a museum that has similar faces…and same signature.  Again, I am not as concerned about the validity of the Soten student Kanenori, but what stories are they telling.  Especially the Soten tsuba.  What is that depicting?

 

 

 

 

[Jaron]

And thank you for your invaluable input.