Tsuba identification

[Sensche]

Can somebody identify this tsuba?

hope it’s fine to share the reddit link!

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Katanas/s/3o9RyKM9tY

[MauroP]

Could be a late Edo Hizen?

 

[Spartancrest]

Willkommen Sensche,

I agree, late Hizen with rain dragons - rain dragons routinely have a split or two tails

[Tcat]

I guess Kaga-zōgan.

[Geraint]

Dear Alex.

 

There are some few spots near the mimi where losses would indicate nunome zogan, is Kaga not known for honzogan?

 

All the best.

[Tcat]

18 hours ago, Geraint said:

Dear Alex.

 

There are some few spots near the mimi where losses would indicate nunome zogan, is Kaga not known for honzogan?

 

All the best.

Hi Geraint,

As far as I can see, all of the better lit areas on this tsuba show the hallmarks the honzogan technique. Note the channels / recesses where the soft metal wire inlay is missing. If you zoom in on the left hand side of the image they are clearer.

 

The right hand side doesn’t have enough light to make out the channels, but they seem consistent enough on the left of the image where inlay is missing Meanwhile, the subject matter and execution is very much in the style of kaga-zogan, so if not true kaga-zogan then I think it’s “in the style of kaga-zogan”. Here’s a couple papered examples along with an “anecdotal” example of what I consider to be classically representative of “kaga-zogan” (the rain dragon tsuba).  Cheers 🍻 

 

[MauroP]

Hi, I suggested Hizen relying on style alone, but of couse other schools/traditions can be considered. I assume the tsuba in made in iron, and the decoration is silver and gold nunome-zōgan (may be wrong). I'm unable to see true channels where inlay is missing, just minor wears in gin-nunome-zōgan could eventually result in that images. Finally, in my humble opinion the “anecdotal” example of what Alex consider to be representative of Kaga-zōgan is indeed a fair example of Kyō-kenjō (including the kin-zōgan kaō).

[Sensche]

Info I got from an Asian art museum :

 

 

In my opinion, the piece shown is an authentic original from the Edo period. I would date it to the late 18th to 19th century.

 

The material is iron, complemented by inlays in the zōgan technique (copper, silver, and gold). The depicted theme is Buddhist: stylized dragons can be seen, as well as a Buddhist jewel in the upper section

[MauroP]

2 hours ago, Sensche said:

The material is iron, complemented by inlays in the zōgan technique

Unfortunately zōgan means just "inlay", and does not describe the technique used to make it ...