Iaido dude Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 This is a recent acquisition that arrived this week--a sukashi-bori tsuba of kiri, tomoe, and karigane papered to Tanshu Sadamasa (mumei), whom I had no prior knowledge of. The strong design, size, and price met the criteria I had set for the purchase of a vintage sukashi to grace my new custom-made katana formed from tamahagane and constructed in the traditional kubose style. I have found great inspiration in the practice of iaido using my swords fitted with very good iron plate openwork tsuba. Preferably vintage, but the iaito that was gifted to my by my teacher when I left Boston has an excellent Owari copy, faithfully hand made in Japan. I wasn't quite prepared to confront such a large and substantial sword guard of well-forged iron when finally in my hands, even though it was as advertised (83 mm nearly perfect circle, 5.6-5.8 mm at the kaku-mimi). The color is a beautiful dark chocolate brown, the patina is even and moist with tsuchime that lights it up especially in natural light, and there are globular tekkotsu evident in several spots on the surface more than the rim. It was cut by a very skilled later-generation tsubako from this school--the lines are deliberate, precise, and sharp. Simply splendid. I am not experienced enough to reflect on the quality and appearance of the iron in order to date it more precisely, but I'd venture to guess it is mid-late Edo (no earlier). I'm finishing my first attempt at tsuba study with research on the first 2 hereditary masters who signed Tansu Ju Sadamasa, but I'll post it later on this thread. I'd be grateful for your thoughts and comments and sharing of any other examples from this school. 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 Interestingly, this late Muromachi Kyo-sukashi from Sasano's gold book shows the identical triple paulownia motif on the top and bottom. This distinctive treatment may have informed the composition of my Tanshu Sadamasa where the motif appears only at the top. Fast forward to the Genroku period and we see the co-opting of the triple paulownia as the crest for the Hosokawa family depicted in this Hayashi sukashi (Sasano's gold book). And this Nishigaki sukashi tsuba in the genroku period uses the tomoe and paulownia motifs (Sasano's gold book). Here, the meaning of these motifs is unclear to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesta Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 I really like the lines on this. The sweep from the top and bottom to encompass the kozuka-ana and the kogai-ana are very reminiscent of brush strokes. Lovely piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 The design is unusual as compared to the few classic signed pieces by Tushu Ju Sadamasa I have found on-line. I haven't found an example with this combination of motifs (kiri, tomoe, and karigane) among his attributed works. The karigane with notched tail feathers are also different and more elaborate, I think, from the very simple depiction of geese seen in the work of artisans from the Owari region during the Momoyama and early Edo periods when the wabi-sabi-yugen aesthetic was so prevalent and profoundly expressed. https://www.britishm...ction/object/A_TS-61 https://www.pinteres...n/12455336453957089/ https://www.aoijapan...masa-thunder-clouds/ https://www.samuraim...n-certificate-t-261/ https://www.samuraim...n-certificate-t-261/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Evans Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 I saw above that you mentioned it was papered to Tanshu Sadamasa (papered by which organization?). The signed tanshu tsuba I have seen usually have fine grained iron, no tekkotsu, and the sukashi elements are usually rather thick. I like their designs but the iron is kinda bland and looks cut out from sheet iron plate rather than hand forged. However, just to consider an alternative, this tsuba looks like it has rather coarse grain hada and you mentioned the flattish, globular tekotsu, as well as being rather thick and kaku mimi. I don't normally kantei by photograph, but from what I can see I would suspect this is an Ohno tsuba. Is there tekkotsu or folding visible on the mimi? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 5 Author Report Share Posted May 5 I purchased it to mount on a practice katana. I'll probably have it fitted tomorrow after I enjoy it a bit more--just as a tusba. I may be overstating the presence of globular tekkotsu on the face of the tsuba. There are no tekkotsu on the mimi. There is no folding of the rim, which is cut definitively square. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 6 Author Report Share Posted May 6 Tim, Steve Waszak speaks vey highly of you. I just familiarized myself with Ohno tsuba and from a design sense at least (very difficult to judge hada from photos) it actually does have a kinship to this school. Thanks for your comments, questions, and thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 7 Author Report Share Posted May 7 I'll be damned. I am looking at my tsuba from the Momoyama/early Edo period and it is actually very possible that the "Sadamasa" is actually an Owari group tsuba of that period. It makes sense because the triple paulownia is identical to plate 26 (gold book) from the late Muromachi period, we know that the domoe motif is of that period (as in an Owari tsuba I have from the Momoyama period), and as you have commented, Sadamasa tsuba have fine grained iron and don't have tekkotsu. Also, the complete departure from the designs of Sadamasa is now explained--because it actually has more kinship to Owari tsuba. I have it next to my Kanayama and Owari tsuba from the Momoyama period and they have a lot of similarities. It also has more positive than negative silhouette and is therefore the weight one would expect from an abundance of iron. You know, when I saw the flat globular tekkotsu on the face of the tsuba and noted the patina and tsuchime, I thought it just seemed older than the Sadamasa of the middle-late Edo. I just wasn't confident enough to trust my impression. I won't be fitting this tsuba to my katana for now, probably not ever. I need more study. Thanks again for steering me in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 7 Author Report Share Posted May 7 The 83 mm diameter remains problematic. Maybe mid-Edo and suitable to be fitted on my katana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 8 Author Report Share Posted May 8 The fitting was successful. The "mid-Edo Ohno style" tsuba looks and feels great. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Evans Posted May 8 Report Share Posted May 8 I think mounting a tsuba on a koshirae is a good idea. After all, that is what they were made for. I sometimes find that a tsuba that is not very interesting to look at in a box or in-hand really shows off well mounted. This happened recently with an Owari tsuba I had sitting around for several years, I slipped it on an old koshirae and discovered it really improved the overall look of the mount. I now have a higher opinion of it than I did before. Also, it is interesting to try different weight tsuba on iaito and learn how that affects the motion of the sword. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 8 Author Report Share Posted May 8 I couldn’t agree more. The mounted tsuba looks nice. This katana is on the heavier side, so added weight doesn’t affect the feel or functionality. I’m very pleased with the final outcome. There was a modem factory made Owari style blackened iron tsuba that quickly lost it’s surface coating. I was shying away from all other options except for a strong, masculine, and severe sukashi style tsuba. This mid-Edo guard borrows from Momoyama period Owari motifs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Waszak Posted May 8 Report Share Posted May 8 Looks terrific, Steve. Well done. I totally echo Tim's thoughts here, too. The koshirae is where tsuba "live," after all. For those who haven't obtained a copy of Uchigatana no Koshirae, it really is a must-have for superb examples of early (pre-Edo) koshirae. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.hennick Posted May 9 Report Share Posted May 9 I often found that if you set a tsuka on a tsuba you get a different view and feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iaido dude Posted May 9 Author Report Share Posted May 9 Oops. I just realized that the tsuba is mounted wrong if you follow tradition. I need to flip it around. I should have paid more attention. Back to the drawing board… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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