Nice video on tsuba from the NY Met - Adam Savage

[Charlie C]

4 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

In the light of the images above do you still stand by that statement?

Come on, man, I don't want to be accused of anything more evil, and you don't have to be ALWAYS right. 

I give up. Hats off to you, Matsunoki.

 

Still,

21 hours ago, Charlie C said:

Attached is a similar tsuba made by the 杣田 school I mentioned. 

This tsuba is almost identical to the one in the video, and it is not Ryukyu. It is 

10 hours ago, eternal_newbie said:

杣田 - Somada, a school that was particularly well-known for their mother-of-pearl inlay techniques on lacquerware

 

Not every lacquer with small MOP inlay is 'Ryukyu lacquer'. The whole point I have been saying is that I have never seen a Ryukyu-style tsuba, and I would very appreciate it if you could enlighten me if you have any solid evidence. You just don't. You fed me with many Ryukyu-style other things and showed hostility against me for using a non-English language. I am sorry that the discussion made you quite emotional. I could be wrong too. Let's rest the case and continue one day when either of us has some solid evidence that there was a tosogu industry in Ryukyu applying MOP on tsuba.

[Matsunoki]

8 minutes ago, Charlie C said:

The whole point I have been saying is that I have never seen a Ryukyu-style tsuba,

Well maybe you have now?

 

9 minutes ago, Charlie C said:

Let's rest the case and continue one day when either of us has some solid evidence that there was a tosogu industry in Ryukyu applying MOP on tsuba.

Please read what I have said. I have never said that these tsuba were made in Ryukyu. I agree with you that they were not…..but they were made elsewhere using Ryukyu  techniques and borrowing Ryukyu subject matter (these geometric Shippo designs) and this tsuba viewed against the other images I show are pretty solid evidence of that (imo)

 

I agree…..it is best to be accurate when discussing such things.

[Charlie C]

8 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

I agree…..it is best to be accurate when discussing such things.

I am glad to see that you have regained some of your professionalism.

 

I have to point out that, again, the tsuba shown in the video was neither made in Ryukyu nor in the so-called 'Ryukyu style'. The tsuba was at most 'Somada style'. Not every MOP on lacquer is called 'Ryukyu style', and 七宝 (the geometric design) was not a Ryukyu design. The comparison you showed in the picture was not solid evidence to support the claim that this is a Ryukyu tsuba, in whichever definition.

 

Let's end this what you called 'a stupid discussion', as you and I are both average bears. Average bear should not make statements about things bear doesn't know.

[Matsunoki]

I give up.

[Robert S]

On 12/20/2025 at 1:16 AM, Matsunoki said:

If this is the one you refer to the black background is lacquer. It is not inlay into metal. The technique is generally referred to as Ryukyu lacquer.

Phew!  That makes sense!  I was really puzzling about how one would even think of inlaying all that in metal.  Lacquer, still amazing, but at least imaginable!

[Curran]

On 12/21/2025 at 10:21 AM, eternal_newbie said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyuan_lacquerware

 

It's more a style, prevalent in the Ryukyu islands, than a specific technique. The technique for inlaying itself is called raden (as Charlie pointed out) and the material, mother-of-pearl, is called aogai.

 

Wow, that is a pretty butterfly cabinet example of lacquerware.

Wife would probably permit that in our house. I'm glad I clicked on the link.

 

As you guys debate this, I have no real knowledge to share. I'm familiar with the Korean furniture versions of this, and have watched videos on how they make it. I've never much delved into the Japanese versions.

[Winchester]

There was an almost matching F/K for sale here on the forum a couple years ago IIRC.