My first High-End Jingo Tsuba

[Mushin]

A friend picked this up for me from Itoh-san at the San Fransisco Show. I originally saw it in Chicago in April and have been lusting after it ever since. I've previously purchased a piece by the 5th Master Shigenaga, but this is the first piece by an earlier Jingo smith that I have ever owned. Love the plate and the treatment of the iron. Was included in the 2013 NBTHK Kurogane no Hana exhibition, and has variously been attributed to the 2nd and 3rd Master. (Second by NBTHK and 3rd by Itoh-san.) Love the whole package and hope you all do as well. Hope you enjoy and thanks for looking!

[kissakai]

Very nice - you must be pleased

 

[Steve Waszak]

Well done, Bobby.  I saw this while visiting with the Itohs on Friday.  Beautiful work.  Congratulations.    

[Michael 101]

A beautiful example of the third Jingo masters work. I regretted not buying this one when it was offered to me by Choshuya many years ago. Congratulations. 
 

 

[Curran]

6 hours ago, Michael 101 said:

A beautiful example of the third Jingo masters work. I regretted not buying this one when it was offered to me by Choshuya many years ago. Congratulations. 
 

 

I don't remember seeing this one at Choshuya.

Strong piece. Do we see twisted rope inlay any earlier than the 3rd gen in any of the earlier Higo schools?

While I know the Kamiyoshi artists did this well, I cannot recall the earliest I have seen it in the older Higo schools.

 

Just getting back from the NC mountains and catching up on a lot of posts that I have missed.

[Michael 101]

It was with Choshuya around 2010 - with the benefit of hindsight I would have bought it. 
 

Twisted rope inlay goes back as far as the first master in the Shimizu Jingo school but rarely seen in the work of the first or second. When used by the early masters its very finely done and quite different.

 

Here is another similar example of its use by the third master, again signed with his earlier signature style. Incidentally this is also specifically identified as being 2nd master by the NBTHK due to the confusion of the generations within the school.

 

kindest regards 

 

Michael