Tsuba mei help

[menpo]

Hi guys!

Just purchased this mokome tsuba but i cant translate what the mei is . Can anyone help please? Thanks!

 

Gethin

[Nobody]

鬼鏡有徹 - Kikyo Arito (reading?) : seems to be a smith name.

古河剣工 - Furukawa Kenko (reading?)

[menpo]

Thanks very much for the reply sir. most appreciated. Ill have to learn more about it. Never heard of the smith before though.

 

Gethin

[John A Stuart]

It is a strange signature that I can't find recorded. I want to say Ariaki for 有徹 I did try other readings and found nothing. Even 鬼鏡 Kikyo, which combines Oni and Kagami is really descriptive and strange; Devil Mirror??? And then 古河 furukawa or hurukawa, old river 剣工 kenko, sword craft; sounds like the name of the workshop where it was made. Gethin, can you tell us anything told to you when you bought it?? Like, period it was made or where. John

[menpo]

Hi John,

Thanks for your reply. I won the tsuba on Ebay. The seller just listed it as late edo 1800-1850. It does look late edo to my eye but i'm not 100%. It's a strange set up for a mokome tsuba because every other one i've seen has an irregular grain pattern whereas this one has a regular graain that sems to have a crisscross pattern. I've seen the pattern before in western damascus forging patterns where steel bar has been twisted and then hammered flat, but never on anything Japanese. Could it relate to some forging method used or some certain type of steel used i wonder? Here are some better pictures for you. I'd like to know what your opinions are.

Gethin

[John A Stuart]

It looks more like 玳瑁 Taimai, tortoise shell. I haven't seen one before. John

[menpo]

It does look alot like tortoise shell now you come to mention it John. I've never seen anything like it either. I would say it was the work of a swordsmith. I dont think anyone else would have the forging techniques to create such a uniformed pattern.

[Nobody]

FYI;

Look at the 8th item in the following list.

http://nihontoclub.com/view/smiths/meis ... sc&page=23

[John A Stuart]

Hey, great!! Koichi san, you've done it again. I didn't check for that signature under swordsmiths names just tosougu artists. Smart. I wonder why he isn't mentioned under tosougu, not prolific in tsuba, rare?? John

[menpo]

Thank you very much Koichi san. At least we now know that it is the work of a swordsmith. Thank you also Mr Stuart for your help.

Gethin