Questions about Tsuba for project

[Hannah]

Hi everyone! I am an eighth-grade student at the International School of Prague. Recently, our Social Studies class introduced a new project known as the Curator Challenge. Each of us received an undisclosed artefact from the Lobkowicz family collections. Our objective is to identify our assigned artefact and contemplate its placement in a museum exhibit. Additionally, we're tasked with delving into its historical context by researching its origins, purpose, and societal significance. This entails understanding who crafted it, why it was made, its intended use, and how it reflects the beliefs and practices of its era. Ultimately, we'll write an essay analyzing the historical importance of the artefact and its implications on the societal values of its time. To excel in this task, our group must collaborate effectively as museum curators.

 

 

Our group was allocated what we believe to be a tsuba. So far we know that:

 

Dejima (Japanese for “exit island"), was an artificial island off Nagasaki that served as a trading post for the Dutch (1641–1854). For 220 years, it was the central conduit for foreign trade and cultural exchange with Japan during the isolationist Edo period (1600–1869), and the only Japanese territory open to Westerners. Until the mid-19th century, the Dutch were the only Westerners with exclusive access to Japanese goods, and, to a lesser extent, society and culture. 

We believe our tsuba is from the Edo Period and that it was brought over to Amsterdam by the Dutch East India Company. We know is often considered the first truly multinational corporation. From the 17th to the 18th century, VOC acted on behalf of European governments. Their initial goal was to develop trade links for prized items. In 1610, VOC gained a foothold in Batavia (Indonesia / Dutch East Indies) and conquered most of the island of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) by 1640, establishing the stronghold of Galle. As Cape Town (South Africa) was only founded in 1652 we know that our tsuba can’t have travelled to Europe from before that date. Cape Town was a crucial stage for the long Europe-Asia voyage. 

 

Different designs symbolise different things. A tsuba is like a crest or coat of arms of a family. A family would have several tsubas that are the same. It is the most decorated part of the Japanese sword, usually bearing engravings of the clan coats of arms or crests, and occasionally purely ornamental motifs that often elevate the tsuba to the condition of genuine works of art. It is the most decorated part of the Japanese sword, usually bearing engravings of the clan coats of arms or crests, and occasionally purely ornamental motifs that often elevate the tsuba to the condition of genuine works of art. Many tsubas are signed by the maker on the seppa-dai (the area around the nakago ana). When mounted, the tsuba seppa-dai is covered by seppa (metal spacers) and the signature (mei) is not visible. 

 

According to Trukatana, during the Edo period, the Tsuba was a symbol of cultural identity as it represented the warrior spirit as well as artistic sensibilities and craftsmanship. Those are all parts of Japan's cultural identity. Furthermore, as per the University of Michigan Museum of Art, family crests were important in samurai classes. That is important because the Tsuba showed the owner's political connections, bloodline, and marriage relationships. Therefore, they would represent one’s social status or value. A Tsuba can highlight naturalistic scenes, and secular stories, which are tales that are not directly directed to religion. Additionally, this object can give an insight into religious symbolism which shows someone's beliefs. 

 

 

Now as it stands, we are trying to figure out where the tsuba originated IN Japan as well as where the tsuba was after it arrived in Amsterdam. We are looking into "cabinets of curiosities", which were collections of objects whose categorical boundaries were (in the Renaissance) yet to be defined, and trying to see whether our tsuba was in one of them. So far, we have not had any piece of our timeline after it would have landed in Amsterdam. We would like to know whether there are any clues or paths we could go down to figure this out. We are also trying to find out where it originated. As of now, we are looking at the designs on the tsuba as well as the writing on the side. So far, none of it has been of much help as we can't seem to find geographical clues. However, we are trying to find out whether it might have belonged to a prominent Japanese family. If you have ideas or clues we could go down to figure out anything related to origins, makers, the people it belonged to, or a timeline of its travels, please feel free to reply or guide me to another post on here. 

 

Below are photos of both sides and the writing, (sorry for the link but they wouldn't all fit here)

Thank you so much

Hannah

 

https://drive.google...cTflsiyq?usp=sharing 

[Brian]

Welcome Hannah,

Uploading a few of the pics edited to show clearer, and the correct orientation.
Interesting tsuba, that has me puzzled. Has cloisonné on it, and some odd features. The hold for the tang is usually very precise to fit a Japanese sword. This one isn't. The nakago ana is very crude, and wouldn't fit a nakago (tang) very well. But it is undoubtedly a tsuba, so I am unsure.
Hopefully some of the members will be able to provide some input into it.

Brian
 

[Brian]

You may want to search the forum for cloisonne, and read a few threads like this one:

 

[Brian]

I think we're looking at a Nagasaki style export/trade item here from the Edo period. But let's see what others have to say.

[Matsunoki]

It looks heavily fire damaged.

[Bugyotsuji]

Was the fire from an event in Japan (fires were/are common in an earthquake country with wooden houses), or something that happened in the West? Even with the damage, there is much there to appreciate.

 

Two Tokugawa mon on one side. Enamel/cloisonne tsuba are rather rare and quite sought after by collectors. 

 

(PS The information collected above so far is interesting but it does have an AI or ChatGPT feel to it. One long sentence is repeated, for example, so it will definitely need further editing and polishing.)

[ROKUJURO]

If it was not fire-damaged as Colin also suspected, it could possibly have been a test piece to try some techniques. But looking at the TSUBA closely, the first option is more likely. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Not only did the fine detail of the Tokugawa mon change with every succeeding Shogun, but this basic design was used by the greater extended Tokugawa and Matsudaira ruling families as they controlled Japan for 260 years or so.

[Geraint]

Dear Hannah.

 

I love this assignment, it opens so many doors!  Here is a link to a well known collection of tsuba which might be of interest, http://jameelcentre....ection/7/10237/10373

 

There are many others available but this is a good start.

 

I would not say that family mon were very common as tsuba or tsuba decoration, as you will see if you browse the collection in the link.  The mon on your tsuba is of the Tokugawa family, (I see that Piers has done that bit of research for you), a name you will quickly recognise as you study Japanese history, however it is also widely dotted around on all sorts of goods made at the end of the Edo period, and indeed later,  for export so you should not place too much emphasis on this.  

 

There is one other possibility which I will try to find for you.  In a collection, I believe in Germany, is a complete mount for a sword that is European but made in the style of an enameled short sword.  This is a very long shot but I will see if I can find the photograph.

 

All the best.

[Spartancrest]

A comparable one here https://aggv.ca/emus...23A5A90E080202207F8E

  The nakago-ana is also distorted and the enamel/cloisonné is "sloppy". There may be a sekigane at the base of the nakago-ana but no other evidence of being mounted, no seppa shadow or chipped enamel from tagane-ato.

Cloisonné Swordguard
DATE 1600 c.
Material: metal; iron; brass; enamel
DIMENSIONS Overall: 8.3 x 7.7 x 0.6 cm

[Kurikata]

Similar one with a copper base.https://drouot.com/e...chool-shippo-yaki-cl

[Spartancrest]

These three have the same wire-line marking the outline of the nakago-ana and the middle example has a much more refined version of the Tokugawa Mon.

Sorry the images are small and one has a no-longer active link.

 

https://www.beaussan...et-emaux-closearch=&  This link has the best image and some information on the middle example [in French]

[Matsunoki]

Further thoughts…..

Cloisonne tsuba would usually point to Hirata school.

That lineage goes way back to the start of the Edo period and they were I believe appointed as official craftsman to the Tokugawa shogunate. That might explain the Tokugawa kamon that are actually quite well done. 
In early Edo period cloisonne enamelling  was in its infancy in Japan and rather unrefined. The enamels available at that time were largely those used by the Chinese which were quite “dull” and had a mottled and pitted appearance after firing. The palette was limited to a few colours…off-white, powder blue, dull yellow, brick red etc and  were nothing like the enamels that emerge later into Edo.

I’m actually thinking this is old and is Japanese and represents the only quality that could be achieved in the early 1600s so in a sense as Jean suggests…..experimental?……interesting object.

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

I include this link https://bid.sofedesi...-chinese-enamel-work  which also shows the wire outline and presents the theory that though the tsuba is Japanese the enamel work may have been done in China [they do not present any evidence however]  From the rather crude enamel I would say not Hirata work [or at least not that schools usual extremely fine quality] JMO      [examine the Hirata work here: https://www.christie...m/en/lot/lot-4870268 ]

[Matsunoki]

14 minutes ago, Spartancrest said:

presents the theory that though the tsuba is Japanese the enamel work may have been done in China

Hi Dale, that theory of theirs sounds like a load of cobblers to me. That tsuba looks 100% Japanese to my eyes….

Early-mid 1800s? But granted my eyes are getting on a bit! 

[Hannah]

3 hours ago, Brian said:

Welcome Hannah,

Uploading a few of the pics edited to show clearer, and the correct orientation.
Interesting tsuba, that has me puzzled. Has cloisonné on it, and some odd features. The hold for the tang is usually very precise to fit a Japanese sword. This one isn't. The nakago ana is very crude, and wouldn't fit a nakago (tang) very well. But it is undoubtedly a tsuba, so I am unsure.
Hopefully some of the members will be able to provide some input into it.

Brian
 

Hi Brian, thank you so much, I think the reason the nakago-ana looks distorted is because of the 3D model camera we took the photographs with. On the other side of the tsuba, there are no pointy sides, though I am unsure whether that is what you are talking about. 

 

Thank you do much,

Hannah

[Matsunoki]

A technical point…..the wire work or cloisons around all the ana is there to prevent too much of the surrounding enamel from flowing off the main plate and through the ana during firing. A blank of some sort would be used to fill the ana which would be removed after cooling…..leaving a chipped and jagged edge around the ana in places where it had stuck to the blank.

If that makes sense it’s a miracle!

[Hannah]

4 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

It looks heavily fire damaged.

3 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

If it was not fire-damaged as Colin also suspected, it could possibly have been a test piece to try some techniques. But looking at the TSUBA closely, the first option is more likely. 

 

4 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Was the fire from an event in Japan (fires were/are common in an earthquake country with wooden houses), or something that happened in the West? Even with the damage, there is much there to appreciate.

 

Two Tokugawa mon on one side. Enamel/cloisonne tsuba are rather rare and quite sought after by collectors. 

 

(PS The information collected above so far is interesting but it does have an AI or ChatGPT feel to it. One long sentence is repeated, for example, so it will definitely need further editing and polishing.)

 

Hi Colin, Jean and Piers, 

From what I understand, you believe that the reason half of the tsuba appears "colour-less" or with its original bronze colour is due to a fire? Which would mean that originally it was fully coloured, right? 

 

Also after researching more about cloisonne, it says "The renaissance of Japanese cloisonné manufacture is credited to one Kaji Tsunekichi (1803–83) of Nagoya in Owari province". That would imply that our tsuba's cloisonne had to have been "manufactured" towards the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868). Would this also mean it had to have been made in Owari by Kaji Tsunekichi? 

 

Thank you so much, 

Hannah 

[Matsunoki]

19 minutes ago, Hannah said:

Also after researching more about cloisonne, it says "The renaissance of Japanese cloisonné manufacture is credited to one Kaji Tsunekichi (1803–83) of Nagoya in Owari province". That would imply that our tsuba's cloisonne had to have been "manufactured" towards the end of the Edo Period. Would this also mean it had to have been made in Owari by Kaji Tsunekichi? 

No that’s not correct. The Hirata school (Makers of cloisonné tsuba) (as I said earlier) started in the early 1600s and worked directly for the Shogunate. They used techniques annd knowledge  inherited from China via Korea. You are referring to a renaissance ie a re-emergence of an existing technique and that indeed did happen during the 1800s when new enamels and techniques were discovered. If your tsuba was from the 1800s it would be of far better technical quality and with more vibrant enamels.

Here is a link to a complete cloisonne sword mounting from the late 1800s. You should be able to see the difference in quality. Yours is earlier, probably much earlier

https://www.bonhams....rkshop-meiji-period/

[vajo]

this is what fine cloisonne should look like.

 

[Hannah]

16 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

No that’s not correct. The Hirata school (Makers of cloisonné tsuba) (as I said earlier) started in the early 1600s and worked directly for the Shogunate. They used techniques annd knowledge  inherited from China via Korea. You are referring to a renaissance ie a re-emergence of an existing technique and that indeed did happen during the 1800s when new enamels and techniques were discovered. If your tsuba was from the 1800s it would be of far better technical quality and with more vibrant enamels.

Here is a link to a complete cloisonne sword mounting from the late 1800s. You should be able to see the difference in quality. Yours is earlier, probably much earlier

https://www.bonhams....rkshop-meiji-period/

Thank you, that makes a lot more sense. According to this website about the Hirata School, they can't find any pieces of work with each maker's inscription because pieces of work for the shogun family must not be inscribed. When comparing our tsuba to another inscribed (right now I'm looking at the tsuba inscribed by Yoshitane), I can see that the inscription is of his name next to the nakago-ana. Based on the information I stated above (and your previous response) since our tsuba doesn't have an inscription like this, it was meant for the Tokugawa shogunate. I also can't seem to find where the school was/is located. 

 

Thanks, 

Hannah 

[Matsunoki]

18 minutes ago, Hannah said:

since our tsuba doesn't have an inscription like this, it was meant for the Tokugawa shogunate. I

No, that’s a big assumption. It was a long time ago and reliable records are not plentiful. It is likely that pieces for the shogunate were indeed unsigned but it is also possible that pieces not destined for the shogunate were unsigned as well. 
It is also possible that your tsuba emerged from its final kiln firing in this rather damaged condition. I was  not clear earlier…..it could be fire damage from firing or fire damage from a later incident. There is no way to be sure…..and that’s pretty frustratingly normal in this complex often undocumented subject☹️

I can’t help you re exactly where the school was but if they worked for the main Shogun family then Edo is a good guess. You’ll have to do some more digging🙂
 

[Hannah]

15 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

No, that’s a big assumption. It was a long time ago and reliable records are not plentiful. It is likely that pieces for the shogunate were indeed unsigned but it is also possible that pieces not destined for the shogunate were unsigned as well. 
It is also possible that your tsuba emerged from its final kiln firing in this rather damaged condition. I was  not clear earlier…..it could be fire damage from firing or fire damage from a later incident. There is no way to be sure…..and that’s pretty frustratingly normal in this complex often undocumented subject☹️

I can’t help you re exactly where the school was but if they worked for the main Shogun family then Edo is a good guess. You’ll have to do some more digging🙂
 

Would there be a reason for someone to have a tsuba with the Matsudaira/Tokugawa mon if they weren't part of that family? 

When we look at the sides of the tsuba, on one end there is some writing in white, and on the other, there is a huge crack. In that case, the tsuba could have gotten the burn and the crack in the kiln, meaning it was never actually used. Would there be a way to see that? If the tsuba had been used, would we see scratches on the inside of the nakago-ana or any other wear-and-tear to suggest it would have been used? 

 

Thanks,  

H

[Brian]

I wouldn't have too much faith in this being a high end tsuba. To me, it looks more like Nagasaki trade work, or something made for export for the Dutch. Not Hirata, and I am certain not for the Shogunate. The aoi mon was used on export pieces to create interest. Fire damage is very possible. But the misshapen nakago ana (even if you take the pic flaws into account) don't look to me like it was made for serious use. Maybe it's early cloissone. Maybe just a crudely made one.
If he visits here, perhaps @Ford Hallam would have some input. It's an intriguing piece. But with the Dutch connection, then maybe the trade item would explain how it got there.

[Matsunoki]

Yes @Brian is right……it’s not good enough for Hirata. Wrong rabbit hole.

 

 

[DoTanuki yokai]

I tried to look at it but the pictures kill my eyes  Seriously it looks like the Tsuba melts with the background and other LSD Stuff. 

I cannot say that i can provide any useful information with clear pictures but i certainly cannot with this .

 

[Spartancrest]

6 hours ago, Hannah said:

According to this website about the Hirata School, they can't find any pieces of work with each maker's inscription because pieces of work for the shogun family must not be inscribed.

There are a number of tsuba decorated by the Hirata school that are signed - however many of the tsuba were signed by the tsubaco [tsuba maker] not by the decorator, so it is possible that cloissone work can be signed by almost anyone.

 

 

NOTES ON SHIPPO
A SEQUEL TO
Japanese ENAMELS
by
JAMES L. BOWES, 1895.

Printed for private circulation: To the Members of the Japan Society.

                    - - Amongst the examples we have seen are various sword mounts, the tsuba; which are executed upon iron, shakudo, shibuichi, and coloured bronzes. They are generally powdered with the ornamental forms associated with the school, rendered in gold cloisons and enamel pastes, translucent and opaque, the former often of exquisite quality; their works are further enriched with the spirals and other devices in gold wire, and they have the added beauty of skilful chasing, and, in some of the works of Harunari, we find shakudo, silver, and shibuichi blended or inlaid. Coming now to our illustration, we have a sword guard from Mr. Gilbertson's collection. No. 7, Plate B; it is an iron guard, made by a Miochin, decorated on both its faces by Harunari with small medallions containing blossoms, in opaque white, blue and pink, and translucent white, disposed upon a ground of translucent green. In addition, there are other forms rendered in gold wire and enamels. --- It may here be mentioned that many sword guards, which certainly were not made by the Hirata family, have been ornamented at a later period by them, sometimes with their signatures added, but oftener without, and it is necessary to bear this in mind when one meets with such guards, for the name upon them will more probably be that of the maker of the guard than that of the enameller who decorated it. The guards so treated and ornamented by the Hirata family are, no doubt, the genuine works of more or less celebrated makers, but during the past two or three years a number of spurious guards, produced for the market, have been decorated with devices in enamel, either after the Hirata style, or in a fashion which shows, by the character of the workmanship and the colours of the pastes, that they were made for export by the shippo workers of the present day [1895].  

 

[ed.  J. L. Bowes' booklet contains a good genealogy of the Hirata family.]

[Steves87]

I'm not sure if Geraint's first posted link was later made obvious, but there is a Haruta section in the Jameel centre - Church collection. This is the direct link:

http://jameelcentre....ection/7/10237/10398

[Spartancrest]

http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10398/21528   this one is signed : Hirata saku.

http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10398/21529   this one is signed : Hirata Ichizō  Narisuke. (Seventh Master, d. 1816.)

http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10398/21530   this one is signed : Hirata (as a gold-cloisonné double-gourd shaped seal with red ground), and in roughly engraved characters on the other face, Tadakage. (Unrecorded.)

http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10398/21532   this one is signed : Hirata Harunari. (Eighth Master, d. 1840.)  The signature is not shown [omote view only available]

http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10398/21533   this one is signed : Hirata Harunari. (Eighth Master, d. 1840.) but the signature is on the opposite side of the guard compared to the one above. (?)

 

 

http://jameelcentre..../7/10237/10398/21531   this one is signed : Bushū no jū Akasaka Tada-toki    [please note Bushū not Hirata]

[Bugyotsuji]

Unfortunately there are few absolutes in the tsuba world, so we need to hedge our language throughout, Hannah, with phrases such as, "There is a (weak/medium/strong) possibility that a, b or c." "It has been suggested that..." "Some people think that..." etc.

 

It sounds tiresome, but it gives a better impression in the end, i.e. that we are not jumping or rushing to conclusions simply to complete an assignment, but collecting scholarly opinions for and against, (quoting sources as much as possible) and finally adding our own (subjective) feelings in conclusion on one side of the other, or even if very lucky using freshly-discovered material to form a hybrid or new hypothesis.

 

It is for you of course an assignment, which means having to do something that may not really interest everybody, but the professor will be looking for people with patience and balance and an ablity to get a message across.

 

Ultimately the only 'absolute' hard and fast fact here is the tsuba itself, sending us a message through space and time, and we enjoy the struggle to refine and comprehend it. You have already gathered quite a useful mountain of information and leads. Go for it!