Unusual cross shaped 'Higo' tsuba???

[Hector]

Hi again,

 

With my poor batting average so far I dread to ask - but is this a Higo style Tsuba (as I've been led to believe)?

 

It's katana size, mumei and described as 'copper' which I presume means shakudo as it's so dark.

 

Thanks for any input.

 

Hector C.

[Curran]

Higo-lite?

 

It resembles the earlier works of this design, but has a crudeness that makes me think later or much later.

A member here has one, but I cannot share the photo without his permission.

I believe this design is also documented and published in Ito-san's texts. Probably in Shimizu-Jingo volume, though it might be in Hayashi as well.

 

 

[Geraint]

Dear Hector.

 

From the colouring in the image I would suspect that this tsuba is in fact in brass rather than shakudo.  Of course it is not always easy to tell but where the patina is thin I would expect to see the reddish tones of copper if it were shakudo.

 

All the best.

[MauroP]

1 hour ago, Geraint said:

... where the patina is thin I would expect to see the reddish tones of copper if it were shakudo.

Patina or kuro-urushi?

[Geraint]

Dear Mauro.

 

I had not thought to distinguish patina from kuro urushi, I was simply commenting on the base metal for the tsuba.  I think the nicest thing about this one is the box it comes in and I would suggest that Curran is right with his suggestion that this is very late.  The shaping of the kozuka hitsu is poor as are other things about it.  Compare here, https://www.ricecracker.com/inventory/mf84_tsuba_kanshiro/mf84_tsuba_kanshiro.html

 

Would you have a different opinion on the original tsuba?

 

All the best.

[Michael 101]

Yes it’s certainly Higo in style. The design represents a stylised version of the Hosakawa family star mon known as Kaku kuyo, and is most often seen within the Hayashi and Kamiyoshi schools.  There are also Jingo examples known - see below 1st Jingo example.
 

I agree with above comments, this example is quite amateur looking and I also suspect probably modern example. Sorry probably not good news. 
 

kindest regards

 

Michael 

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

 

The major difference would seem to be that the piercings are squared on older Higo guards - a bit easier to drill round holes?

            

 

  https://www.instagram.com/p/CmODF4Dvb4E/    +    https://www.instagram.com/p/DQDgniMCX62/   

Kaku-nine-star Openwork Swirl Design   [Nine Star? - I count either eight or with the hitsu - Ten ]
Tsuba 
  Inscription: Rakuju, 

Master Rakuju was a metalworker from Higo Province during the Edo period. 

He is the third generation of the Kamiyoshi school . 
His grandfather, Juhei, the first , was ordered by the Higo Domain 
to study the Hayashi family techniques .

[ROKUJURO]

Dale,

the HIGO masters probably had square drill bits.....

[Bugyotsuji]

The starting tsuba looks to be odo, shinchū or brass to which a patinating agent has been added, or am I being unfair? The holes are not exactly round, though, so it is not simply drill work.

 

The Hosokawa were Christian; the original conception, the kuyō and cross blend, was quite a clever inspiration.

[Hector]

All I can say is a huge THANK YOU to everyone who commented!

 

I have learnt so much from your combined comments and observations - which is exactly what I was hoping to do on the NMB. 

BTW, everyone can breathe a collective sigh of relief; I didn't buy this. My slowly developing sense of what looks right and what doesn't made me think this Tsuba looked 'off'. However, it was you guys who taught me why.

 

Many thanks!

Hector C.

[Jesta]

I know I’m very late to this thread, but I was looking through “The Beauty of Tsuba” (just bought it) and saw the same design listed as Higo. The one in the book looks very similar to one Dale posted, but there are some differences.

[Hector]

The guy with the big, round drill has 

produced another masterpiece - this one looks like a bubble bath. 😳

[ROKUJURO]

That is the famous Swiss TSUBA design:

[lonely panet]

the iron looks like fireplace soot