Itomaki Gata, (Vertical Spindle Shape Tsuba), Historical Examples ???

[Barrett Hiebert]

Forumites,

 

I really do love the Itomaki Gata, (Vertical Spindle Shape), style tsuba seen here in this diagram, bottom left.

 

Though, as much as I've tried, I've never found any historical tsubas in such a style online. I've only found such a style ever with a circle surrounding the equidistant symmetrically sized spindle shape.

 

Though, does anyone know of any historical examples that they can direct me to of this Itomaki Gata, (Vertical Spindle Shape), tsuba? If I can find an antique example I'd like to purchase it for study and replication.

 

I really love it because it seems very uncommon, rare and the equidistant spindle shape that is symmetrical along its horizontal and vertical axis makes me think of a shorter style of crossguard on either axis. As if this were taking inspiration from traditonal cruciform medieval sword crossguards, though I know entirely such reason for development was not at all occuring.

 

Thank you for your attention in reading my post.

 

Best regards,

 

Barrett Hiebert

[Kantaro]

Hi Hiebert,

 

Indeed, I only encountered ones with a rim too. 

 

Tsuba Japanese antique iron Mumei (Shoami 正阿弥) Itomaki sukashi NBTHK kicho paper | eBay

 

 

[Spartancrest]

 

  This is a modern "Ninja" Shuriken - how are you going to throw it if it is on a sword? And just how much damage will a 5mm point do?

 

  Would this shape be considered "Itomaki"?

[Kantaro]

16_Tsuba Tosho 2 — Owazamono

 

 

[Iaido dude]

A different variation. 

 

[FlorianB]

Can’t believe, that there are much pure itomaki-gata out there, because it is not convenient for practical use.

The spikes could entangle with the clothes while wearing or drawing a sword mounted with a Tsuba of this particular form.

[Spartancrest]

2 hours ago, FlorianB said:

The spikes could entangle with the clothes while wearing or drawing a sword mounted with a Tsuba of this particular form.

Not only itomaki but many other jagged shapes would be clothes shredders. Most would be because their rims were deliberately removed. [I have images of uncut versions of all of these]

 

[Kurikata]

Same design in a maru gata tsuba......

[Deez77]

Still with a "rim"

 

Damon

[Bugyotsuji]

Thread card plate might be a more accurate translation. (?)

(A spindle or spool gives the image of something that spins, whereas these itomaki versions are simple flat storage boards for sorting out and storing thread or string.)

[Bugyotsuji]

Like these:

 

[Michael 101]

This is an example from my collection made by the third Jingo master Nagatsugu but again in the round shape. Interesting as it uses brass inlay for the cord around the bobbin. 
 

hope you manage to find the example you are seeking.

 

kind regards 

 

Michael

 

 

[Teimei]

I used to own one, never really warmed up to the shape. 

[ROKUJURO]

Some time ago we had a thread on ITOMAKI TSUBA here on NMB which I can't find now.

[DKR]

An ono tsuba.
But for design reasons, the inner cross was rotated 90 degrees. Otherwise, it's just the motif of a thread spool.

[Spartancrest]

On 5/25/2025 at 6:55 AM, ROKUJURO said:

Some time ago we had a thread on ITOMAKI TSUBA here on NMB which I can't find now.

Was it this "THREAD"  ?  If not I will keep looking. These designs are a different orientation.

or this one?

Or very much older:

 

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you Dale,

for your kind efforts! These are all related, but it was still another thread with ITOMAKI TSUBA. Not so old if I remember correctly.

[Bugyotsuji]

Came across these Mon/Kamon today.

 

 

[Spartancrest]

38 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Came across these Mon/Kamon today.

The third mon reminded me of a tsuba from "Sword-Guards of Feudal Japan" by Gardner Teall, Jan - 1917

The image is of a mokume iron guard - now I know what it represents, thanks Piers 

 

As a footnote in 1897 - Lewis Carroll's "The Hunting of the Snark", was illustrated and decorated by Gardner Teall - a tenuous link to tsuba and Wonderland! 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Yes, DAIKOKU's hammer, and even three of them!

[Curran]

On 5/24/2025 at 4:03 AM, Michael 101 said:

This is an example from my collection made by the third Jingo master Nagatsugu but again in the round shape. Interesting as it uses brass inlay for the cord around the bobbin. 
 

hope you manage to find the example you are seeking.

 

kind regards 

 

Michael

 

 

 

 

I remember this stunner very well.

Incredible inlay. 

 

The spindle I owned long ago was ex-Jim Gilbert, passed to Mr. Orr (I question my memory), and on to Bob Haynes.

Lovely piece with one of those faux sword strikes across the tsuba in an impossible location.

Sort of like those bullet tested "battle aged" armors.

 

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you Curran, 

for showing this beauty! Is that KO-SHOAMI or OWARI or....? Does it have an added FUKURIN/DOTE MIMI or an integrated one?

[Curran]

5 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

Thank you Curran, 

for showing this beauty! Is that KO-SHOAMI or OWARI or....? Does it have an added FUKURIN/DOTE MIMI or an integrated one?

 

It was very thin across the plate, yet felt like tank armor.

The mimi was a high dote mimi,  all one piece.  Most of the sword cut (faux) or test cut, was into the mimi and left very little mark on the main body.

 

I believe it was signed Unshu-Ju-Yoshihisa or similar, which doesn't quite match up in Haynes.

I think last year I stumbled on something in researching Saotome, Haruta, and Myochin tsuba felt like a much better fit. 

Never completed my notes on it, and I sometimes wish I had the confidence in my earlier years to keep something that didn't quite line up peg for peg as my western books taught then.

 

 

 

 

[Barrett Hiebert]

Forumites,

 

Thank you all for the replies.

 

I do admit while I read all the replies I didn't know much what else to reply until now.

 

While it has clearly been noted such a shape is a clothes shredder and hence why we barely , (or not at all) , see any real examples without rims I never thougth this would be the case of the "itomaki gata" if the spindle edges were wide enough and rounded or flat.

 

Obviously I was basing this off the assumption that European medieval swords with their shorter to longer cross guards and "nagel" construction such as we see on the German War Swords, etc. that such would be okay for use, such as form follows function.

 

Obviously I love the itomaki gata shape because it reminds me of a cross guard or nagel at each 4 corners or cardinal points to mimic a cross guard and nagel on both ends although on a flat plain horizontally.

 

Of course I know the weapon guard developments are of two totally different cultures and form follows function but it has been an interesting query none the less.

 

Thank you again to all who participated in this thread.

 

It has been most enlightening.

 

Best regards,

 

Barrett Hiebert

[MauroP]

At least a true itomaki-gata tsuba, unfortunately from an auction dead link.

 

[Barrett Hiebert]

Mauro Piantanida,

 

Yes, thank you for finding me such. Perfect! Much obliged! 

 

I'll definitely be saving that one! Hehe.

 

It's my favorite tsuba style! 

 

 

I don't think such would be a clothes shredder considering how wide and flat the cardinal point edges are.

 

I'd buy it in a heartbeat if it was available and I could afford it.

 

Thank you again for bringing a true itomaki gata type tsuba to my attention.

 

Wishing you well. All the best.

 

Best regards,

 

Barrett Hiebert

[Spartancrest]

   https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1144246914

 

  https://www.jauce.com/auction/l675304642

 

    https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1183155298

 

 

    https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1205692100

 

A very expensive design if the auction asking prices are anything to go by!

[ROKUJURO]

From my own collection:
 

[Barrett Hiebert]

Dale and Jean C. ,

 

Thank you for the lovely examples. Always great to see.

 

Best regards,

 

Barrett Hiebert

[JohnTo]

Hi guys, a couple of tsuba from my collection to add to the thread (sorry)

The first is a shibuichi tsuba ‘inscribed’ Goto Mitsunobu (sometimes transliterated as Mitsutoshi), Tsujo, 11the generation master (1663-1721) living in Edo.  The design is a shippo tsunagi (shippo chain) a symbol found in ancient Egypt as well as Asia and is 3,500 years old and embodies a wish for family happiness and financial success.  No one has mentioned that the itomaki gata tsuba presented in this post can also be considered to be a single element of the shippo tsunagi design and I have never seen this mentioned anywhere.

The second tsuba is a particular favourite of mine, maybe because it has seen better days and I can emphasize with it.  A previous owner also loved it to judge by the old tsuba box in came in, maybe because it exudes wabi sabi.  Although it is now an itomaki gata spindle, it was not always so.  Inspection of the four large openings reveal that there were once inserts that have been removed.  It took me several years before I stumbled across a picture of a tsuba with the missing elements, four jiguro bishi kamon of the Takeda clan (see pics).  So why were these removed?  Here is my rather fanciful explanation, for which I have no evidence.

The jiguro bishi kamon version of the four diamond shapes of the Takeda kamon was used by Itagaki Nobutaku(1489-1548), one of Takeda Shingen’s 24-generals and although he won several battles became over confident, celebrating victories before the battle was finished.  He did this at the battle of Uedahara in 1548, where he was killed.  The Takeda were famously slaughtered at the battles of Nagashino in 1575 and Tenmokuzan in 1582 by Oda Nobunaga using volleys from matchlock muskets.  I think that my tsuba may have been on a sword taken from a fallen Takeda samurai and as the new owner did not want to be falsely accused of being a Takeda clansman had it modified.  My tsuba and the intact versions seem to shout ‘Kyo sukashi’ and the sale catalogue sources described them as such.  However, Kyoto was in the hands of the Takeda’s enemies, so it would have been unlikely that they were made there.

All the best, John