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 July 15 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 July 17 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 

[Okan]

Some better photos:

 

 

 

 

 

[Brian]

Something very appealing about these.

[Iekatsu]

Beautiful Patina, and again a really nice example. I know what you mean Brian, it is why they are the focus of my collecting these days.

[Kanenaga]

Hi Okan, yes, the second one is mine.

Round with 3 1/8 inch diameter.

 

Les

[Okan]

13 hours ago, Kanenaga said:

Hi Okan, yes, the second one is mine.

Round with 3 1/8 inch diameter.

 

Les

 

 

 

[MauroP]

Another close example from https://shibuiswords.com/haynesTsu-924.html

 

[Dan tsuba]

Hey guys,

I know nothing about these tsuba.

Is the motif hot stamped onto the plate?

I mean to my old eyes, the motif doesn't looked carved.

 

Oh wait a minute!

I just got on the website that Mauro posted above.

It states-

 

"A typical middle size Kagemishi tsuba. It is a cast work and has the usual design elements of its style and period, ca.1400. The hitsu-ana, probably added later, have now been filled and are hard to see, much in the works favor. See KoKubo book for a very similar example.

Certified by NBTHK Hozon, dated Heisei 27, 2016. Mumei, Kagemishi work." (Long)

 

Wait a minute.  Are they saying this was cast in about 1400?  It looks like iron to me!

This might have to be added to my other thread!

[MauroP]

9 minutes ago, Dan tsuba said:

Wait a minute.  Are they saying this was cast in about 1400?  It looks like iron to me!

Sorry, the paper says yamagane...

[Dan tsuba]

Thanks Mauro!

Yeah, I just figured that out!

Oh well, I got excited for a minute!

Ha, ha, ha, ha, etc!

[Kanenaga]

Okan,

Same tsuba. I picked it up at DTI 2 or 3 years ago.

What book is that?

[Okan]

18 hours ago, Kanenaga said:

Okan,

Same tsuba. I picked it up at DTI 2 or 3 years ago.

What book is that?

 

Zabō Tsuba Sen. I'll pm it to you. 

 

 

[Iekatsu]

Kagamishi are all cast in bronze. The several similar examples above are likely from the same workshop. There are enough examples with the same designs that we can establish that they were likely created in batches and were cast from masters.

Edited Monday at 02:03 AM by Iekatsu

[Curran]

45 minutes ago, Iekatsu said:

Kagamishi are all cast in bronze. The several similar examples above are likely from the same workshop. There are enough examples with the same designs that we can establish that they were likely created in batches and were cast from masters.

 

Hi Thomas-

Of the NMB crowd, I would say you are the go to person for Kagamishi.

What are your thoughts on this sort of one just listed:  https://ginzaseikodo.com/en/product/fittings/kagamishi/

Workshop created, or more of a carved 1 off?

 

You also remember the one I have, where I think it was cast and then worked for a bit more detail. More of a momoyama era product between these early ones and the more mass produced Edo ones.

It will be my reference piece until the day I can own my ideal one, which I will add tomorrow once I can find a photo.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Something I need to get my head around. Many years ago a friend handed me a tsuba and said 'Kagamishi'. It looked like a sandwich construction, with a copper core and identical design (bronze?) plates on the front and back. Could that have been an example of later Edo period construction?

[MauroP]

2 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

a friend handed me a tsuba and said 'Kagamishi'. It looked like a sandwich construction

NBTHK papers usually attribute sanmai construction to ko-kinkō tsuba (and, exceptionally, to Nagasaki and Umetada schools). The defining construction technique of a kagamishi tsuba, however, is casting (鋳造 - chūzō).
 

[MauroP]

Here multiplate kagamishi tsuba are reported: https://tsubakansho.com/2020/01/02/hollow-kagamishi-tsuba/