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"Mass production" or copies?


andreYes

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I found several almost identical tsuba (according to the photos) signed "Bushu-ju Masakata".

 

One tsuba - on e-bay,

another one - here,

and the third - in "The Hartman Collection" Christies catalogue (lot #6), here it is:

 

The inscriptions on these tsuba seems to me very similar.

 

Are they all made by Masakata? Of course not by the famous third Ito master, but by the "...later artist who used this

name in the Ito school, about 1825—50" (Robert E. Haynes)?

 

Or all these tsuba (or at least two of them) are copies and gimei?

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There were workshops making tsuba like these during the late Edo period by the Bushu-Ito school. Most of them being made by students of Masakata. I don't think the term mass production with or without quotes should be used as Japan at the time was not industrialized. The industrialization of Japan did not happen until the Meiji Restoration. One must also keep in mind that this idea of workshops is not a late Edo idea or concept in anyway or for that matter a sign of a lack of quality. I think the group to first do this during the early Edo period was the Akasaka school. The first three generations and a merchant (Kariganeya Hikobei) left Kyoto and establishing a workshop in Akasaka, Edo. The merchant helped design the tsuba and also worked with quality control to make sure only the best tsuba were made by the Akasaka school of the early Edo period.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S.

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Thank you, very interesting information! I didn't hear about such workshops.

 

 

One more question about tsuba with similar design, if you don't mind :)

 

I saw several tsuba with same aoi leaves:

- this one has inscription "Echizen ju Myochin Yoshihiza";

 

another one is "Echizen ju Kinai"...

 

Could it be that different masters (or workshops) made tsuba with same design?

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Thank you, very interesting information! I didn't hear about such workshops.

 

 

One more question about tsuba with similar design, if you don't mind :)

 

another one is "Echizen ju Kinai"...

 

Could it be that different masters (or workshops) made tsuba with same design?

 

Hi Andrey,

 

The Echizen Kinai school also had workshops that produced many tsuba with similar motifs or overall designs during the middle to late Edo period likely with different signatures. The Kinai unlike the Bushu-Ito school had I think more of a range in quality very unlike the early Akasaka school. Keep also in mind that there was also coping done by other schools as well. In the case of the Kinai school the Aizu Shoami school would offten copy there original designs during the late Edo period. These copies had a great range in quality as well. I know that at times during the middle Edo period as well other schools would take a motif classically done in one school and do their own version of it. Here is an example of a classic Kinai school design of the rounded dragon done by a Umetada school artisan the second is a Echizen Kinai school artisan doing their own classic design. The difference in carving ability and composition is very apparent and is in favor of the Umetada artisan. :D

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S.

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Thank you, Jason!

I couldn't resist and bought it just now :)

 

I fully understand. :D The tsuba is a nice late Edo period Bushu-Ito school piece. The condition looks good especially the kin-zogan. It is likely a product of Masakata workshop. Or at least a piece done in the style of Masakata by a later artisan. I did notice the similarities between the signatures of the listed tsuba but I am not a expert on this. I did some quick research and Masakata (正方) died 1774 and was the third master of the Ito school of Bushu.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S.

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I looked through several books, and found that there was at least two Masakata:

- the third (or second, according to Haynes - H 04068.0) master of Ito school, he died in 1774, and his signature is a little different.

- a later artist of the same school, worked in 19 century (Haynes wrote: "There also seems to be a later artist who used this name in the Ito school, about 1825—50"). The most tsuba, which image I found in internet, seems to be his work (or his workshop).

 

 

This bamboo design is so popular, that there is an obvious fake cast tsuba :D , this one:

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