New Tsuba by Funada Ikkin

[FriskyFritos]

Been in the Market for a Funada Ikkin Tsuba after finding out my Fuchi/Kashira set were his work. Luckily @Curran saw the listing and sent it my way. I couldn’t be more happy with it. It captures his very distinct style of work and even though the entire mei is a bit hard to read his kao is perfectly on display. It’s not papered but the workmanship and mei seem to really fit so I wasn’t too nervous about purchasing it. 

This is actually my first real purchase as well since the other pieces I simply inherited. Thanks to Curran for the assistance and hope you all like this fun new/first addition to my collection!
 

Purchased from JPAuctions via Buyee on Jan 19, and just arrived today Feb 7. Overall positive experience with them. The actual packaging could have used a little work. It wasn’t very secure but since it’s iron it took the trip well. I would maybe be more concerned about more delicate pieces however.  
 

Thanks for looking,

Cole
 

Edited February 8 by FriskyFritos
Forgot signature

[ROKUJURO]

If possible, change the title to "New TSUBA by Funada Ikkin"

[FriskyFritos]

Oh nice catch! Thanks total typo

 

Cole

[Brian]

It's interesting that the tsuba was signed after the sekigane was added. This means the tsuba was originally made with it installed, for later fitting by the owner. We tend to think of tsuba being made to fit after they were purchased but this shows (if shoshin) that they could be made with that already installed for fitting to your blade. hmm

[FriskyFritos]

Brian,

 

I noticed the same thing but didn’t know what to make of it. It actually made me slightly nervous about the piece being gimei but the artistry fits his style so I figured I was pretty safe. Definitely a unique feature.

 

Heck maybe the client brought it back and said, “Throw your John Hancock on there!” 😉

 

Cole

[Spartancrest]

2 hours ago, Brian said:

This means the tsuba was originally made with it installed

Certain schools fitted kuchi-beni type sekigane as a standard feature [Tanaka - Nara].  

"Kuchibeni were also used by masters of other schools - Akasaka, Hoan, Kinko". [ https://en.topwar.ru/152197-legenda-o-cuba-cube-chast-3.html#:~:text=Kuchibeni were also used by,of the kogai-hitsu-ana and kozuka-hitsu-ana. ]

 I guess it made fitting easier or was a decorative feature for those that collected tsuba without intending to mount them?

[Shugyosha]

3 hours ago, Brian said:

It's interesting that the tsuba was signed after the sekigane was added. This means the tsuba was originally made with it installed, for later fitting by the owner. We tend to think of tsuba being made to fit after they were purchased but this shows (if shoshin) that they could be made with that already installed for fitting to your blade. hmm

 

Is that actually seki gane though? From the photo above it doesn't look like metal inserted into the nakago ana but rather colour added to the metal to create the impression of seki gane. Perhaps a photo on the angle showing inside the nakago ana might clear it up?

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

Following this one. 

[Geraint]

Dear John.

 

I think that if you look closely at the top kuchibeni in the third picture you can see that they are solid inserts.

 

All the best.

[Exclus1ve]

3 hours ago, Shugyosha said:

Is that actually seki gane though? 

I don't see any issues with the sekigane; everything looks good here. But the work itself differs from most of Ikkin's works, in my opinion, it lacks refinement.
It's very interesting that kao is written in the sekigane. So, it seems the master was fitting the tsuba to the sword…

 

[DoTanuki yokai]

I think sekigane is a common thing in later iron Tsuba from the start simply to have a softer material on the Nakago. 

Edited February 8 by DoTanuki yokai

[FriskyFritos]

Woke up to a handful of replies here. Interesting insights. I’m not sure I would agree it lacks refinement but I get how the design looks a bit plain. Since I’ve been looking around for an Ikkin I’ve seen some mind blowing pieces and some relatively simple ones. Considering Ikkin’s son used the same kao it certainly makes it challenging to identify shoshin or gimei or just the son. 
 

Either way I took some photos of the nakago ana but with the quality limit they might be hard to discern any details.  

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

One rule for me with Japan auctions

if it’s not papered and it’s in Japan

its probably not getting papered 

[FriskyFritos]

Yeah you have a point, I guess we’ll see. Still learning all of this and just to my eye it looks similar to some other pieces of his work, albeit aged a bit rough.

[Curran]

2 hours ago, Infinite_Wisdumb said:

One rule for me with Japan auctions

if it’s not papered and it’s in Japan

its probably not getting papered 

 

I disagree with that.

While there have been several big mumei ones like the Miyamoto Musashi tsuba and the Hayashi Matashichi, there was also a huge signed one that someone managed to buy before auction ended.

I think there is a fair chance that one will make Juyo next year. Unfortunately, not mine, so it has to stay at that for now. I've papered a few signed ones like Jochiku Murakami.

 

Like Norisuke, Ikkin works seem to be at whatever level someone was paying.

 

 

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

16 minutes ago, Curran said:

 

I disagree with that.

While there have been several big mumei ones like the Miyamoto Musashi tsuba and the Hayashi Matashichi, there was also a huge signed one that someone managed to buy before auction ended.

I think there is a fair chance that one will make Juyo next year. Unfortunately, not mine, so it has to stay at that for now. I've papered a few signed ones like Jochiku Murakami.

 

Like Norisuke, Ikkin works seem to be at whatever level someone was paying.

 

 

Meh. I stand by my statement. A few examples out of tens of thousands doesn’t hold water