Square

[Henry Wilson]

I wonder if anyone can tell me what the square shaped engraving on these tsuba represent?

 

http://www.nihonto.com/11.5.11.html

 

http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/TSUBA64.htm

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

[John A Stuart]

I am just supposing it is a traditional design found on textiles, pottery and other art, it is an ubiquitous design element. John

[cabowen]

I have heard this somewhere and can't remember the specifics- something buddhist as I recall.....

[Surfson]

I think it is a snowflake, but who knows what the square that it fell on is.

[Henry Wilson]

Thanks all for your thiughts. Here are some gleanings from the net:

 

In Chinese macrocosmic symbology, the circle expresses the shape of heaven, with earth signified by a square. When we see a square inside a circle in Chinese art, it represents the union between heaven and earth.

 

Maṇḍala is a Sanskrit word. In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form of most Hindu and Buddhist mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Each gate is in the shape of a T.

 

Stupas are spiritual monuments that represent the enlightened mind of Buddha. These Buddhist symbols represent the five elements. The square base represents the earth, the round dome is for water, the cone-shape is fire, the canopy is the air, and the volume of the entire stupa represents space.

[christianmalterre]

Henry,

i am quite not shure if this theory you mention can be called "still accurate" here?

This may be an possibility-tend,but-rather to agree with Johns post here...

As John says-this is an very common stylism element to be seen on handycraft/folkcraft...

I rather think it´s "loaned" due "vogue" from these....

Buddhism,plus its Japanese sub-group sects,(Shingon,Tendai,Pure-Land and so on)had not such important influence on the warrior-beliefs(if not already extincted entirely) in latter Edo times...(their´s prime was much earlier-such influences already got "extincted"/latestly by Nobunaga,earliestly during Sengoko)

And this-is an very common to see and find pattern(especially on Edo to latter Edo dated pieces)-so i would be critic here-at least.

An possibility-however-may be plausible however...

 

Christian

[Bugyotsuji]

Henry's ideas sit happily with Chinese/Korean/Japanese Asian coinage which for more than 2,000 years found a natural, inevitable and almost inescapable shape of a circle with a square hole. The universe, the earth and the four directions...

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

I was able to see this tsuba in person at the Tampa show. It is a wonderful site to see. A bit out side of my price range. :lol: Here is a papered tsuba I have with the same Chinese coin design for reference. More information about it is at my website.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[drbvac]

Maybe it is actually a baseball field or cricket pitch :D :lol:

 

It is very beautiful in any case Henry - the simplicity of form and pattern is lovely.

[John A Stuart]

It may be a tsuho theme, I am not convinced. Other tsuba, even sukashi, that have this design, minus the snowflakes, are just called 'diamond' shape. John

[christianmalterre]

Always(?) the same Joker John :D !(?)

Christian

 

(you were right of course!)

[runagmc]

I have a question about this one,

On the site and on here people are refering to the designs as snowflakes, but I wonder if that's what they were meant to represent. Would this type of design for a snowflake have existed so long ago? I would've thought of this as more of a modern interpretation. Mabey the design could represent a group of choji. Anyway, sorry to change the subject, but I was just interested to hear others opinions who would know better than myself.

[christianmalterre]

Adam,

just seriously speaking-this is an wonderful! Tsuba

So,either/anyways-if you do have the "willing"-take it-Do that!

Honestly speaking-what do you want else?(??)

It´s Representative!(Much better than plenty of others published)

It´s Nice!(The execution is perfect-at least from what i do can judge here without seeing it in hands...)

It´s offered by Highest Reputation(so forget mine eyes,and hands-thrust the seller...(!)

What do you want else?

 

I just can say-if it´s your´s(eventual "Avatar")-don´t hesitate so to take it!

 

Christian

[runagmc]

Christian, I never said anything about buying it Although it is an exceptional piece, it's a bit pricey for me. My reason for asking about the "snowflakes" was to see if anyone had any evidence of similar artistic interpretations of snowflakes from 500 years ago. I was thinking mabey it was a flower or something like this,

[John A Stuart]

You could be right, a kamon of cloves or something. Snowflakes was just a quick call. Like on this tsuba. John