Himono? themed rusty tsuba.

[bradc]

Hi All,

 

I recently picked up a very rust damaged tsuba because I liked the theme and had not seen it before.

 

I originally thought it might be spawning salmon but the only similar tsuba I could find is suggested as Himono (dried salmon).  Link: http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10364/20915

 

After some gentle red rust removal with a fiberglass pen I can see remnants of what was possibly a signature before the rust degraded it too far.

 

 

I also see a curious line inside that looks like a casting seam? Or maybe I just havent examined enough sukashi.

 

 

So I had a couple questions:

 

1) Would people agree this is  a dried salmon theme.

 

2) Based on the linked tsuba, would it be a reasonable assumption that this is from (or maybe a copy of) the Akao school?

 

3) Outside of the linked tsuba has anyone seen this style  before?  I would love to find a better example some day.

 

 

Thanks for any insights you can offer!

[Matsunoki]

1. Yes….a theme often also used in netsuke eg-

https://www.bonhams....5-1868-19th-century/

 

[ROKUJURO]

Brad,

this might indeed be the "dried salmon" theme.

It looks like a cast copy of a TSUBA (not typical AKAO school) in badly corroded and damaged condition. I hope you did not pay for it.

I am optimistic that you could find authentic TSUBA with that subject.

[Spartancrest]

Hi Brad, welcome to the world of tsuba! This design is reasonably common and I suspect there are both traditionally carved and cast examples getting about in various condition. One here with a bronze/brass fukurin added, but from the large casting bubble on the seppa-dai I would say it too is cast and reworked.  https://www.jauce.com/auction/c812486163  or https://buyee.jp/ite...o/auction/c812486163

 

https://drouot.com/e...-sukashi-en-fer-peri  [ended]

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285322839100  [ended]

 

Royal Ontario Museum [ROM] https://collections....of-four-dried-salmon  it is unfortunate that the museum can't count, there are in fact five fish just like the one in the Ashmolean.

And the one you found from the Ashmolean Museum with inlaid eyes -  With the few extra fish thrown in!

Five examples to get you started, I am sure others will be added. 

 

https://nihontofranc...lmon-menuki/?lang=en  Menuki pair of dried salmon

 

PS. I will send the ROM a note to let them know the number of fish! 

[Spartancrest]

Past auctions with the same tsuba design.

https://www.bonhams....-to-19th-century-24/

https://www.bonhams....ctions/15088/lot/19/

https://www.bonhams....uctions/14885/lot/2/ [No image available] A ROUNDED SQUARE IRON SUKASHI TSUBA UNSIGNED, EDO PERIOD
Chiselled and pierced with three dried fish 6.8 cm. 4 Apr 2007 Sold for between £ 80 - 120

 

https://www.invaluab...73fd5232fad4616b3c68

Sold: Galerie Zacke   April 01, 2017 Vienna, Austria

 

 

https://www.invaluab...73fd5232fad4616b3c68

Sold: Galerie Zacke  March 22, 2019 Vienna, Austria

 

 

https://www.invaluab...ccb1affc43c8287e9cfe

Unusual 'maru' version described as Akao.

 

https://www.invaluab...ccb1affc43c8287e9cfe

described as "toothy fish"

 

[Spartancrest]

Another one in the NAPRSTEK MUSEUM in Prague  https://publikace.nm...Kraemerova_ocred.pdf

Fig.No.15a,15b
Sword guard, iron, rounded square shape, pierced, Akao school, three three-dimensional dried fish, height
68 mm, width 63 mm, 18th century. Inv. No. 32 129. Published in: Bohdackovd, p.36.

 

 

One round with five fish as in the https://www.invaluab...ccb1affc43c8287e9cfe one above can be found https://www.agsa.sa....y-fish-design/36406/ THE ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Accession number 865A259 Akao school 7.2 x 6.6 cm  it shows clear signs of casting particularly in the hitsu 

             

 

[bradc]

Thank you for all the helpful replies.

 

This rusty one was cheaper than the shipping so don't worry I didn't spend much on it.

 

I'm excited to be armed with some new search terms from the other examples to eventually get my hands on a better condition example.   And perhaps some menuki 🤔.

 

 

[Spartancrest]

On 7/8/2023 at 9:05 PM, Spartancrest said:

PS. I will send the ROM a note to let them know the number of fish! 

Well I did send the Museum a note and I even got a polite reply.

 

Dear Dale,

 

Thank you for pointing this out – when I went to our original card file to check on the description of this tsuba it did say 5 dried fish.

 

Gwen

 

Gwendolyn Adams Technician, East & South Asian Collections

[Spartancrest]

Another 'Himono' up for auction at a reasonable starting price. https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1075448316  or   https://buyee.jp/ite.../auction/c1075448316

[Spartancrest]

A five fish design from the British museum, in the rounded rectangle shape. certainly some variations getting about.

https://www.britishm...ction/object/A_TS-98

[Kurikata]

Akao tsuba in my collection....