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Square hole Nambans?


Peter Bleed

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Peter do you mean this square hole?

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"The Namban Group of Japanese Sword Guards: a Reappraisal" by Dr. John Philip Lissenden

https://www.mandarinmansion.com/item/asian-export-sword-guard-0

https://archive.org/details/CRBoxer1931394/mode/2up?q=European+influence+on+Japanese+"sword-fittings%2C"+"1543-1853"+by+C+R+Boxer

 

For those who like to know the author.

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square cut nakago-ana.jpg

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Dale,

Thank you very much! Indeed, that is exactly the feature that I was asking about. I must also acknowledge that I was aware of Dr. Lessenden's work. Indeed, I served as the outside evaluator on this thesis committee in 2002. He viewed these as "altered nakago-hitsu"and tried hard to link them to VOC symbology. I certainly respect this work, but I am suspicious of that explanation. I am trying to frame my suspicions positively.

I especially appreciate the copy of the Boxer study. Indeed, I have never seen it so I am looking forward to reading it this evening! Thank you

Once again the NMB has worked!

Peter

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Peter, well the hitsu have not been altered in at least one design, of which I have images of three [one being my own]. The 'niku' around the nakago-ana proves it was part of the original design and not added later.

mask faces namban niku.jpg

 

Three other designs all with niku around the square cut nakago-ana.

image.thumb.png.dac527afa9066cb93b07e668fc52afab.png

 

links to same:

https://www.mandarinmansion.com/item/asian-export-sword-guard-0

https://www.facebook.com/Asian-Export-sword-guards-and-Nanban-tsuba-564035753684007/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0&_rdr

https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/refined-beauty-Japanese-art-of-the-edo-period/a-group-of-nine-nanban-tsuba-52/18656?lid=4&sc_lang=zh-cn

Altered European guards -  

 

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6 hours ago, Peter Bleed said:

Dale,

Thank you very much! Indeed, that is exactly the feature that I was asking about. I must also acknowledge that I was aware of Dr. Lessenden's work. Indeed, I served as the outside evaluator on this thesis committee in 2002. He viewed these as "altered nakago-hitsu"and tried hard to link them to VOC symbology. I certainly respect this work, but I am suspicious of that explanation. I am trying to frame my suspicions positively.

My opinion is simple and arrogant:

Unfortunately almost everything concerning namban tsubas being "really" reworked european or reworked chinese or vietnamese is more bizarre than its not. The curvature is wrong (too flat), the mimi is wrong, the manner of carving is wrong, unless in almost all cases we are talking about Japanese imitation or something inspired by outside influences.

And I thought the square ones are "supposed" to represent altered smallsword-European items, Chinese ones tend to be rectangular, sometimes large enough to be actually filled in with copper rather than expanded? I've seen couple of Hizen tsubas which indeed looked very Chinese and probably were reworked Chinese examples...

Kofun and earlier Nara will be rectangular, whether continental (very rare) or Japanese, but I guess its not about those?

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I see that Dale has posted two examples of nanban mask tsuba  from my collection, so I won't post them again.  A different line of research that I have tried to follow is Korea.  The Japanese invaded Korea in the late 16th C under Hideyoshi and finally withdrew when Ieyasu established the Togugawa shogunate in the early 1600s.  Some people date these 'Canton' tsuba from this time period, whereas others date them later, but I think both dates are guestimates rather than based upon evidence.  I have failed to find any detailed examples of Korean swords from this period, but some looked very much like Japanese swords.  Could these tsuba have originated on Korean swords and been taken back to Japan as war booty and reused?

As I said, my research has drawn a blank, particularly with regard to the shape of Korean sword tangs.

 

Best regards, John   

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This thread has produced some interesting insights, worthy observations, and a couple of informative conversations. Thank you.

Please allow me to attach this image of some of the various types of tsuba that are behind my initial inquiry.

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

big tsuba image.jpg

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Sorry I don't have any more square hole namban but you might want to add this strange mask face to your list - a real blend of features.

The hitsu are clearly Japanese design but that is about all.  69.9 mm x 67.9 mm x 7.5 mm    Wt. 89g.

 Hizen? [likely cast and reworked]

image.thumb.png.6a23179d2d4ab882548145f4aa5ee20b.png

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The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has two square cut nakago-ana namban, amongst their other examples. The holes look cut in at a later date. [Which would seem odd given the date on the second guard?]

http://jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/collection/7/10237/10367   Each guard has a good written description.

 

EAX.10809  Two symmetrical ascending dragons amid a little scrollwork; between them, above and below the plain oblong seppadai, are two rosettes with sunk centres (settings for stones?); to right and left are two similar rosettes with palmette extensions above and below them; gold dot eyes; gold nunome on rosettes and palmette borders; kozuka-hole cut later. 18th century (1701 - 1800)   7.4 x 6.9 cm

 

 

EAX.10815   The front modelled in low relief with a demon-mask above and below, each between a pair of divergent "horns", which help to enclose on either side a panel of fine undercut scrollwork; this is, however, largely invaded by the wing-like ornament beyond each of the ryōhitsu; similar conventional ornament covers all other parts of the front, including the seppadai. The back is cupped and plain, except for the seppadai and winged ryōhitsu, which here rise to the normal thickness of the guard and are decorated as on the front. Kōgai-hole plugged with gold of basketwork surface. 19th century (1801 - 1900) 6.9 x 6.5 cm

 

image.thumb.png.ddfc7892760b393b21a4a7e724fb88ad.png

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  • 2 weeks later...

This guard is having a bit of an orientation problem, The way the nakago-ana is cut, allows it to be fitted either way around. Not sure this guard fits in with the thread but it does have a cross shape hole? From a Bonhams auction 2010 https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17945/lot/307/?category=list&length=12&page=1

image.thumb.png.08432392a028aadd0334797a7bed1fe2.png

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Dale, and friends, this has been an interesting bit of conversation. I am wondering - and truly unsure - about how active sword barrers (samurai, I guess) were in adjusting their koashirae. We individual free/able/ and expected to switch out their guards? Could guys change their tsuba as we (used to) change ties or cuff links?

Thank you all for an interesting - and edifying - thread!

Peter

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Dale.

 

I would sugest that this example fits with the suggestion regarding yari converted to tanto that Jacques made above.  As you say there is nothing to suggest that the guard is anything other than Japanese but it would make perfecct sense as part of a tanto koshirae  to accomodate the square tang of a yari.  

 

All the best.

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  • 1 month later...

I was reading some old books and noticed a nice tsuba with a VOC- ship. It has also a square hole in the middle of the nakago hitsu ana. Not much information about the tsuba and the book is printed in Japanese with only a few English sentences.

20221008_113046.jpg

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This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

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