Mumei Sho tsuba

[bomulder]

Is this an example of Ko-Nara, or Onin, or yet another tsuba school style?

 

Maru Gata shape. (70.5mm high, 65.8mm wide, 4.5-6.7mm thick depending on relief). Gold high relief and gold hira zogan with colored inlay (Iroe?). Rim is slightly rounded on edges (maru mimi).

 

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/v ... directlink

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2 ... directlink

 

(I think I have figured out the zu on the ura side, but want you guys to look at it first before I make my guess known).

 

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

 

Bo

[bomulder]

Bump. Nudge.

 

As for the interpretation of the scene. After lots of googling, my guess is that it is a depiction of

 

Sugawara no Michizane (菅原 道真?, August 1, 845 – March 26, 903), also known as Kan Shōjō (菅 丞相), a grandson of Sugawara no Kiyotomo (770–842) (known as Owari no suke and Daigaku-no kami), was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in Chinese poetry. (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). With him is his servant named Oimatsu ('Old Pine') who followed him into exile (ref. from http://www.printsofjapan.com/Index_Glos ... _Tombo.htm). Please note the print on this site and the similarity to the tsuba scene.

 

"The ox is the mount of several holy men and sages... [including Lao-tzu].... In exile Michizane frequently rode an ox and he was very fond of the blossom of the plumtree."

 

This plum tree reference is made on the Kozuka that was found as part of the Koshirae (see discussion here earlier by me on "Mei translation into English needed for Kozuka blade&handle"

 

I'm still trying to identify the Shrine as there have been many built for Sugawara no Michizane over time and rebuilt after fires etc. For example: "Osaka Temmangu Shrine Osaka Temmangu Shrine is the most famous of all the many Tenjin shrines located throughout Japan. Fondly called Tenjin-san, every July it hosts the Tenjin Matsuri, Osaka’s most fabulous festival, when gorgeous fireworks dazzle the crowds of worshipers and onlookers. Sugawara no Michizane, a famous 10th century scholar and warrior, is enshrined here as the principal deity, and worshiped by many people as a god of scholarship and fine arts. The original shrine hall was constructed in 949 A.D. on Emperor Murakami’s command to comfort the troubled spirits of Michizane. It was destroyed by fire several times, and the current main hall and the entrance gate were built in 1845." (Wikipedia)

 

All the information on the tsuba seem (to me) to support the above information and I would like to be able to identify the period and school of the tsuba. I'm just really enjoying the intricate beauty and craftmanship of this tsuba and get to know more about it. I'm hoping others here also appreciate this interesting piece and can provide some further insight. Thank you for allowing me to share my growing interest and appreciation in Japanese history through study of Nihonto.

 

Bo

[bomulder]

Some additional pictures to the Koshirae of the found shoto.

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/1003972495 ... directlink

 

I'm trying to identify the Koshirae style, school and period of the tsuba and fuchi/kashira.

 

Let me know if more information or additional pictures are needed for this.

 

Thank you!

 

Bo

[bomulder]

Does anybody here know anything about the bird that is on the fuchi and kashira? What kind of bird are we looking at? What is it's signifigance in Japanese culture. To my uneducated eyes it looks like the paradise birds you find in Indo-Pacific Papua Guinea, but those are so far from Japan. Curious minds would like to know .

 

Bo

[andreYes]

Does anybody here know anything about the bird that is on the fuchi and kashira?...

I think it's Ho-o bird, a kind of phoenix in eastern culture. You can read more here, for example.

[Brian]

Bo,

A lot of people faced with reading all the new posts and having limited time (myself included) don't always follow external links.

Try and post at least one or 2 reasonable shots here, under 800 pixels wide. I think you will get more response. Check the How To section if you need help.

 

Brian

[bomulder]

Thanks Brian :D

[bomulder]

I think it's Ho-o bird, a kind of phoenix in eastern culture. You can read more here, for example.

 

Thank you Andrey! Now we need to see if the use of the "Red Bird" has any symbolic connection to the Tsuba. I have been looking at the tsubas on your website with wonder and deep appreciation. Some appear in a similar style but I'm having difficulty in placing period and school for mine as I posted in my first post. I'm having difficulty in finding other examples that use as much color and fine detail (as the temple gate sign, colored red pine branches, red ox's nose, etc.) while the surface seems to have been left so rough (filing marks under satas, this is not from rolling in the back of the car for 25+ years)

 

Seems like the more I learn, the less I know or understand...LOL.

 

Bo

[bomulder]

Some more pics

 

 

 

Bo

[Brian]

I resized and re-uploaded.

Folks...try and keep pics less than 100 pixels per inch, and less than 800 wide. Anything over 100 dpi is wasted and makes for a huge file.

 

Yep..that's a Ho-Bird. I like that fuchi. I thought the tsuba was fairly generic, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. Hopefully some of the tsuba guys will be able to give some advice. I suspect it is around Mid Edo period.

 

Brian

[bomulder]

Again, thanks Brian

 

[bomulder]

Some close ups of the areas of very interesting (at least to me) details.

 

I'm very puzzled by the detail in the Torii (temple gate). Why only depict half of it? What is it? A gold vase? Chinese character? I'm open to any other suggestions.

 

As in my earlier post, I'm thinking the person on the ox is Sugawara no Michizane (菅原 道真?, August 1, 845 – March 26, 903). Looking at the print that Wikipedia uses for him you see similarities in head-dress etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugawara_no_Michizane

 

It has been documented that he liked to ride an ox when in exile and the ox stopped unmovable at reaching current temple grounds when Sugawara died.

http://www.printsofjapan.com/Index_Glos ... _Tombo.htm

 

A print from this site credited to Sadahide has some similarities to the scene on the tsuba, with holding books while riding ox that is being led by servant among pine tree.

 

 

Any thoughts be much appreciated.

 

Bo

[bomulder]

per Wikipedia: "Within the passing of Emperor Uda, Michizane's position became increasingly vulnerable. In 901, through the political maneuverings of his rival, Fujiwara no Tokihira, Michizane was demoted from his aristocratic rank of junior second to a minor official post at Dazaifu, in Kyūshū's Chikuzen Province. After his lonely death, plague and drought spread and sons of Emperor Daigo died in succession. The Imperial Palace's Great Audience Hall (shishinden) was struck repeatedly by lightning, and the city experienced weeks of rainstorms and floods. Attributing this to the angry spirit of the exiled Sugawara, the imperial court built a Shinto shrine called Kitano Tenman-gū in Kyoto, and dedicated it to him. They posthumously restored his title and office, and struck from the record any mention of his exile. Even this wasn't enough, and 70 years later Sugawara was deified as Tenjin-sama, or kami of scholarship."

 

Looking closely at the details on the habaki you can see the depiction of rain, hail, lightning?

 

 

 

Wikipedia's information on Dazaifu where Sugawara was exiled to; "In the Heian period, Dazaifu was a place of exile for high-ranking courtiers. Nobles exiled there include Sugawara no Michizane, who was later deified, and upon whose grave the Dazaifu Tenman-gū shrine stands."

 

This exile to the south of Japan kinda fits with the use of the Ho bird on the fuchi and kashira, which astologically can stand for south and have Phoenix symbolism as well by the re-instating deification.

 

Maybe I'm just trying to hard to make my case. What you guys think?

 

Bo

[Brian]

Bo,

Don't get caught up too much in themes etc. The fittings on these swords were almost "disposable" and were changed at a whim. You are lucky your fuchi, kashira and menuki match. Your tsuba isn't part of the set imho, and the habaki "cat scratch" design is a common aesthetic one meaning nothing in particular.

So your tsuba bears no relationship to the rest of the fittings meaning-wise.

 

Brian

[bomulder]

Thanks Brian for that insight. I never realized the inter-changeability till just recently.

 

I would really appreciate some opinions if any are worth the cost for a shinsa?

 

Bo

[bomulder]

Bo,

....... You are lucky your fuchi, kashira and menuki match...... .

Brian

 

I have been wanting to have a better look at the menuki's. The Ito over one of them is worn through and the Same is broken up. Should I sacrifice the Ito and rest of the tsuka to have a look at the menuki's?

 

Not wanting to do any unnecessary harm.

 

Bo

[Grey Doffin]

Bo,

Unless you plan to have the tsuka rewrapped I think you'd be foolish to cut the ito; leave it alone so nothing gets misplaced/separated.

Grey

[bomulder]

Bo,

Unless you plan to have the tsuka rewrapped I think you'd be foolish to cut the ito; leave it alone so nothing gets misplaced/separated.

Grey

 

OK, leaving it alone. Putting away the box knife

 

While we are on the subject of the tsuka. Does the markings (mei?) on the inside under the fuchi mean anything?

 

 

Bo