tsuba-mei

[John A Stuart]

Hi All, The signature on the following tsuba was touted by the seller as Shigemasa. It is papered and the same kanji are written on the NBTHK Hozon papers. I think it reads Yamashiro no Ju Shigezane Saku. However I can not find this mei anywhere. Does anyone think it is indeed 'masa' not 'zane'? John

[Nobody]

Hi, John,

 

I do not know the correct reading for the 重真. But it can be read as both Shigemasa and Shigezane. There are more than 20 readings for 真 (such as atsu, sada, nao, sane, zane, shin, tada, chika, nao, maki, masa, masu, ......), when it is used as a name.

 

So, reading for proper nouns are always difficult for me. :?

[John A Stuart]

Hi Koichi-san, That is great. I was starting to think it might Choshin or Jushin as some Umetada tsuba are signed Jukan and Meishin along with Umetada. Shigeyoshi signed with Yamashiro no Ju. It may be a descendant of him. I'm fairly certain it is Umetada school. Thanks for your help. John

[Pete Klein]

John -- tsuba is by Yamashiro Kuni (no) Ju Shigesane, Shoami, Kyoto, died ~1650 - 1700, Haynes 08450.0, mei is in Kinko Meikan pg. 126.

[John A Stuart]

Hi Pete, Thank you, that is a definitive attribution. It sure looked like an Umetada tsuba. So it is in the style of the Umetada school, I guess. I'll have to translate all the rest of the papers and see what they say. John

BTW, I see by the furigana how the mei should be pronounced. I wish more dealers would use that system. It would make translation so much easier. John