Akasaka tsuba - what is this design?

[Marius]

Hello,

 

I have an Akasaka (said to be the 7th Tadatoki) with an interesting design. The blossoms look like chrysanthemum, but what are the other elements? The two little holes over the kozuka-hitsu-ana are quite intriguing... Also, please note the asymmetric arrangement of the hitsu-ana...

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated

[christianmalterre]

Dear Mariusz,

 

yes-indeed Akasaka-but here an late one-Tadatoki perhaps(but there were several ones which did copy stylism of Tadamasa Nidai,too).

The Asymmetric arrangement is somehow typical expression to be found in otherwise rather stiff style and expression of Mid to Late Akasaka-school Tsuba.

For comparence of this arrangement(including those both holes above the Hitsu)see again Tsuba made by the Nidai.Those holes are part of the composition-so no later "arranged" (no worry-i see you had thoughts relating...LOL!)

So a typical late Aka with "Renaissance" of Tadamasa...(by the way-don´t you have the Sasano and Kremers?-Lol again!-Cheers!

Nice Tsuba Mariusz!

 

Christian

[ububob]

Nice Akasaka. It has the characteristics associated with later Edo period Akasaka. Very busy design, which may be what Christian refers to when he calls it stiff. I am wondering if the diagonal piece represents a bridge similar to the enduring Akasaka design of iris under bridge sections. Tetsegundo is very sharp on Akasaka designs so perhaps Mike or Cyrus will nail it down precisely for us.

Again, nice piece Marius, I hope you enjoy it. :D

[Bugyotsuji]

No confidence in this but if those are flowers and a bridge, could the scraggly bits be chrysanthemum leaves, possibly truncated, chipped, and/or broken and filed off at a later date?

[Marius]

No confidence in this but if those are flowers and a bridge, could the scraggly bits be chrysanthemum leaves, possibly truncated, chipped, and/or broken and filed off at a later date?

 

No, this is unlikely. It does look like it is part of the original design. The only problem is... what is it? I had an association with a bridge, too :-) But those irregular bits drive me nuts

[ububob]

Marius, just to add to the confusion remember that Akasaka designs often allow for the viewer's imagination in completing the presentation.

[Henry Wilson]

The bar could be a mon. The two holes could be the eyes of the butterfly that I can see so clearly :D

[ububob]

Started celebrating early have we Henry? :D Could it be some sort of tool or implement?

[christianmalterre]

Hello Henry,

 

just saw the comment by Bob...

So ?

or still ?

 

wish you the best ....hope you did arrange

 

Cheers

 

Christian

[ububob]

Marius, yet another thought about that feature in the 10 O'clock position of your tsuba...perhaps it is a representation of a paulownia leaf as it is roughly the same shape although it lacks the pointed tips.

[Michael 101]

The feature at 10am is I think most likely to be a broken fan.

 

Agree with other comments ref bridge and flower blosom

 

All the best

 

Michael

[ububob]

Whatever it is it is similarly rendered by the Godai Tadatoki. It can be found on tsuba #133 in Tsuba No Bi by Kashima, Hayashi and Matsunaga. The theme of that tsuba is also plant life...the puzzle continues.

[Marius]

Bob, Pierce,

 

it seems you are right with the iris-bridge connection.

 

I am pretty sure that those two holes in the upper left part over the seppa dai represent dew drops.

 

The three-pronged, irregular bit may represent the upper part of an Iris.

So what we may have here is a bridge, an iris, dewdrops and chrysanthemum.

 

Below is an iris overlaying the tsuba... I guess we can consider this puzzle solved now :D

[ububob]

Nice work Marius, well done! :D What would we do without Photoshop?