Ko-kagamishi

[Okan]

Hi all, 

 

I thought I’d share something neat. Although I haven’t had much experience with Kagamishi, I figured picking one up would be a good opportunity to start learning. These are just some quick photos for now, but I’ll take proper ones when I’m back home.

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Really interesting tsuba. This is described on the box as Kagamishi, (without the ‘Ko’). Someone recently pulled me up on the difference.

[Okan]

31 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Really interesting tsuba. This is described on the box as Kagamishi, (without the ‘Ko’). Someone recently pulled me up on the difference.

 

Dear Piers, 

 

I really don't know the difference between Ko-Kagamishi and Kagamishi..Ko is early Muromachi and without late Muromachi maybe?

 

It's papered as Ko: 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Ah, yes, thank you Okan. That is interesting!

[Curran]

1 hour ago, Okan said:

 

Dear Piers, 

 

I really don't know the difference between Ko-Kagamishi and Kagamishi..Ko is early Muromachi and without late Muromachi maybe?

 

It's papered as Ko: 

 

 

 

 

Wow... that is awesome. Such a rare attribution.

There are a lot of common or low end Edo period kagamishi, but ones from Momoyama or earlier sometimes transcend. They look and feel different in person- often catching people off guard with their density.

 

One of my favorite tsuba in the world is a Ko-kagamishi . It is a Nambokuchu - early Muromachi one that just makes me stop n stare.

Unfortunately, I doubt it will ever be for sale.

It is almost certainly published in a book or two, but I do not recall which one(s).

 

I have one very nice Momoyama example.

One of our Australian members is more of a specialist in this area. Hopefully he will see this and chime in during the next few days.

Edited Wednesday at 04:51 PM by Curran

[Iekatsu]

Interesting that it got a Ko-Kagamishi attribution, which is far less common. There is no clear threshold for the Ko attribution, but it is generally reserved for the oldest examples.

Stylistically I think it is more likely a later variant and would place it in the Momoyama period, the form, size Hitsu-ana and motif all point in that direction. Regardless it is a really nice example that anyone would be happy to have in their collection.

Edited Friday at 06:07 AM by Iekatsu

[Tim Evans]

Perhaps it is designated as ko so it does not to contradict the hakogaki ?

[Bugyotsuji]

The hakogaki says ‘Kagami-Shi’.
Surely the kanteisho which must have come later does contradict Kanzan, well maybe it adjusts his judgement.(?)

[Kanenaga]

That's the kind of kagamishi tsuba I like, with the worm-eaten rim and the little figures, very distinctive.

Herer's another example.

 

 

[Okan]

8 minutes ago, Kanenaga said:

That's the kind of kagamishi tsuba I like, with the worm-eaten rim and the little figures, very distinctive.

Herer's another example.

 

 

 

Hi Les,

 

Yes I know this tsuba. Is it yours?

[GRC]

The introduction of the worm-eaten motif is definitely associated with the Azuchi-Momoyama period. I haven't seen anything to suggest it was earlier than that.

 

Keep in mind , the NBTHK's standards for designating "ko" for just about any tsuba is highly questionable and seems almost arbitrary most of the time.

It's basically like buying a scratch and win lotto ticket where the person submitting a tsuba for papers gets a little surprise "win" with a "ko" attribution... even though it's an extremely tenuous and purely subjective.

 

Great tsuba by the way