Shakudo nanako “sweetfish” tsuba

[Matsunoki]

Hello yet again, posting this one also just for interest.

It’s another one that I sold about  4 years ago but that I am now glad to reacquire. When I first bought  it eons ago in an auction the auctioneers contacted me saying they had a Japanese man very keen to acquire it and would I name my price. I didn’t…..but sold it to a UK dealer eventually. I wonder why he was so keen to get it? It’s nice but nothing exceptional imo.

Rich black shakudo with minuscule nanako. Inlay of sweetfish on bamboo. Old lacquer Japanese collection notation?

it’s been mounted at some point but retained beautiful condition.

7.5 x 7.0 cm

[Brian]

I think that one may be far better than you think. The nanako is remarkably well done, perfectly even. Wonder what @Ford Hallam would say?

[Kurikata]

This tsuba shows similarities with an Iwamoto school tsuba to me. Very nice indeed!

[Winchester]

My opinion doesn’t really matter as I am only three years into studying, but my initial thought is that it is higher quality—like Brian said and same reasoning—and probably late Edo.

 

 

[Ed]

Could have been as simple as he needed it to complete a koshirae, which would be my first guess.  My rationale, is it is a very nice tsuba, but nothing super incredible, not a lost national treasure.

 

Maybe he has a thing for fish depicted on Kodogu.

 

This is a koshirae with a fish/fishing theme.  https://yakiba.com/koshirae-fish-theme/

 

[kissakai]

Ed that was my thinking about a theme and we can all be guilty of this. At one time I bought almost anything that had kanji in the design!

I had an enquiry about buying horse related items and after sending him the images he bought the lot.

I sold at my normal price but I'm sure he would have paid more but that is not my thing

I only charge more if it is one on my 'keepers' but that is very rare

I have a friend who has been trying to the last three Haynes catalogues which is his personal goal but it's to expensive to buy outside the UK. Any help appreciated

Edited December 2, 2023 by kissakai
One line added

[Matsunoki]

I guess also possible that either he or a family member/ancestor once owned it in view of the apparent Japanese collection markings? Who knows…..I wish I had asked the auctioneers to ask him why he wanted it. In retrospect if it was once his fathers or similar I would have let him have it.

[Bugyotsuji]

I have a wakizashi Koshiraé, all fittings consistent throughout with gold and silver fish. Mostly gold flatfish but one sweetfish (?) in silver. Nice, but not quite of Matsunoki’s superb Iwamoto level quality though.

[Ed]

33 minutes ago, kissakai said:

Ed that was my thinking about a theme and we can all be guilty of this. At one time I bought almost anything that had kanji in the design!

I had an enquiry about buying horse related items and after sending him the images he bought the lot.

I sold at my normal price but I'm sure he would have paid more but that is not my thing

I only charge more if it is one on my 'keepers' but that is very rare

I have a friend who has been trying to the last three Haynes catalogues which is his personal goal but it's to expensive to buy outside the UK. Any help appreciated

Grev, 

I had a incomplete set, but I don't see them.  I must have sold them. If by chance I stumble across them I will let you know.

 

Best,

Ed