Tsuba question?

[historian2]

I have seen many tsubas with a signature on the front.

Can a tsuba have a signature on front and back or just the back?

Erich

[Thierry BERNARD]

This tsuba is only signed on the back

This is partly responding to your question,

[Soshin]

Dear Thierry BERNARD,

 

Thanks for posting such a interesting photos of tusba on the forum. Generally If I am not incorrect and have things backwards the ura side of the tsuba has the mei on it most frequently. The ura side being also the most ornate side of the tsuba facing the tsuka and hands. As in Thierry Bernard case his tusba has it on the omote side of the tsuba which is rare.

 

 

Yours truly,

David

[docliss]

Oh dear, it looks as though a brief intro. to tsuba is required here!

 

To quote Robinson: ‘A pictorial design [on a guard] is set so as to be properly viewed when the narrow end of the tang-hole is uppermost, that being its natural position when the sword is thrust through the girdle. If the design on both faces of the guard is not identical, the more important part of it will be on the side next to the hilt and on the right rather than on the left of this, in logical furtherance of the same idea.

 

‘If present, the signature is almost always placed on the seppa-dai, on the side next to the hilt (omote), overflowing if necessary on to the other side (ura).’

 

It is true that signatures sometimes occur solely on the ura side of the guard. This may simply be a personal preference on the part of the artist, or may sometimes be an indication that the work was specially commissioned. It has been suggested that it may also be an indication of humility on the part of the artist.

 

Regards, John L.

[rkg]

Hi,

 

I've seen them signed on both sides, depending on the artisan/school and probably who the piece was for as well...

 

Best,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Rich T]

The Akasaka group had mei that ran on both sides of the tsuba, generally with something like Bushu Ju Akasaka on the omote and whoever's name on the ura. This was very common with both Tadashige and the Tadatoki group.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Soshin]

Oh dear, it looks as though a brief intro. to tsuba is required here!

 

To quote Robinson: ‘A pictorial design [on a guard] is set so as to be properly viewed when the narrow end of the tang-hole is uppermost, that being its natural position when the sword is thrust through the girdle. If the design on both faces of the guard is not identical, the more important part of it will be on the side next to the hilt and on the right rather than on the left of this, in logical furtherance of the same idea.

 

‘If present, the signature is almost always placed on the seppa-dai, on the side next to the hilt (omote), overflowing if necessary on to the other side (ura).’

 

Thanks for correcting me John. I wasn't sure if I had the omote and ura sides correct on a tsuba when I posted.

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Ludolf Richter]

Here he signed on the "right" side.Ludolf