NTHK Shinsa Results...

[Soshin]

Here is the write up I have of the Daruma tsuba after the results of the NTHK shinsa:

 

Item Name: Bodhidharma in Meditation Tsuba

Japanese Title: 達磨図鍔 (Daruma zu tsuba)

Material: Iron (tetsu 鉄)

Age: Late Edo (1770-1870) (江戸時代)

Size: 7.05 ✕ 6.50 cm ✕ 0.40 cm at mimi (0.38 at seppa-dai)

Signature: mumei (無銘)

Shape: Otafuku-gata (お多福形)

Openings: Kozuka-hitsu ana ( 小柄櫃穴), Sekigane (責金)

Surface Finish: Tsuchime Ji (槌目地)

Attachment: NTHK Kanteisho Origami (Dated: 02/12/2012)

The omote (表) side displays famous Buddhist Monk Bodhidharma (Daruma 達磨) setting in meditation with eight different Kanji characters floating around in the air. The top Kanji at 12:00 is atama (頭) and the kanji over top of Daruma head is soko (底). The two Kanji between them is unreadable due to thumb rubbing. The Kanji at about 10:00 AM is yon (四). The Kanji at about 8:00 AM cannot be identified nor can the one at 11:00 AM. The eye and earring in nicely highlighted with gold inlay. On the ura (裏) side the design is different and is composed of bamboo and clouds. The surface of the tsuba has a tsuchime ji (槌目地) with fine hammer marks.

This tsuba has been attributed by the NTHK to the Saga Tsubako (佐賀鍔工). A method of acid etching yakite kusarakashi (焼手腐らかし) as well as Sukidashibori (鋤出彫り) was used to execute the designs. The overall design of the tsuba is reminiscent of Shodai Kaneie (所代金家) of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (安土桃山時代). The patina is brownish-black in color with a fine luster to it. The iron is homogenous and very tightly grained. The rim is a fine uchikaeshi-mimi (打返耳) without any tekkotsu (鉄骨). The NTHK shinsa team liked the tsuba (70/100 point score) and said it was a good representation of the Saga Tsubako school.

I came across something interesting in reading Tsuba An Aesthetic Study by Robert Haynes and Kazutaro Torigoye:

Tetsujin school is more commonly called the Saga Kaneie school. The majority of pieces turned out by this school are signed with a facsimile of the signature of the second Kaneie. Occasionally we see the signatures of the artist who actually made the piece. The names of these artists are: Kaneaki, Iyehiro, Iyetsugu, Kugimoto Yazaemon, Koten, Dosaku, and have been recorded along eith a few others. The best of Saga Kaneie work is either unsigned or with one of the above names. The unsigned pieces, in later work, sometimes show the best craftsmanship.

I think my tsuba represents some of the later (i.e. late Edo Period) unsigned work showing the best craftsmanship of the school. Thanks for taking the time to read though my results. I asked the shinsa team to translated the Kanji but they weren't able to as it consisted of ancient Chinese characters. Mr. Yoshikawa said that his father could have been able to translate the characters but that his knowledge was not as great as his father's in regards to such old characters.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Eric H]

A prime example of a detailed explanation on this fine Tsuba...expert opinion !

 

Is it possible to see a pic of the Origami ?

 

Thanks for sharing

 

Eric

[Soshin]

Hi Eric,

 

Thanks for the kind words. The origami will be issued in about four to six months from the date of the shinsa. I can post a scan of the worksheet if there are no objections. If no one has any objections I will post it when I get home from work.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[rkg]

What was the original attribution on this piece again?

 

thx,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Soshin]

Hi Richard George,

 

The original attribution made by Skip H. was Hoan, early Edo Period. I asked Jim G. about this after the shinsa and he said the iron is too homogenous to be the work of the Hoan school even the later work. The design is also made classic by Meijin Shodai Kaneie. When I get a chance I will look for a photo of the oringial Kaneie masterpiece.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Henry Wilson]

I think these are useful reference peices. The first being the Kaneie David mentions and the second a rubbing of a Nobuie tsuba. The Dharuma design was more than made classic by Kaneie, if my memory serves me correct, it was first done by him.

 

 

[Soshin]

Hi Henry Wilson,

 

I would agree both the Nobuie and the Kaneie has some influence on the design of my tsuba even though the school was well known to copy Kaneie masterpieces. Does anyone know if the Nobuie tsuba with Daruma and Kanji was part of the orignal publication of the Nobuie tsuba Oshigata made by Nakamura circa 1850? If so then my tsuba was likely made around 1850. The Kanji in the air above Daruma head is likely a Zen Buddhist Koan (公案) as Daruma is a common subject of many Koan used as a Zen meditation aid. A really well know one featuring Daruma is as follows:

A monk asked Zhaozhou, "What is the meaning of the ancestral teacher's (i.e., Bodhidharma's) coming from the west?" Zhaozhou said, "The cypress tree in front of the hall."

Hi Eric,

 

Here a black and white copy of the NTHK worksheet. Some of the information I have taken and included it in the write up. Thanks for the interest.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Henry Wilson]

Hi David

 

Do you not think the image more representive of Bodhidharma?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma

[Soshin]

Hi Henry,

 

I would say that my tsuba Daruma image does look more like the woodblock print by Yoshitoshi circa 1887 freatured in the Wikipedia entry for Daruma. Especially when comparing them to the classic pieces made by Kaneie and Nobuie posted on this thread.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Ford Hallam]

David,

 

I would have to agree with Henry. My understanding is that today the Daruma is generally considered to be the roly poly doll which is a representation of the historical figure, Bodhidharma.

 

The print you cite is described as being of Bodhidarma despite being in the wikipedia entry on Daruma dolls. But Daruma and Bodhidarma are actually the same person anyway.

 

[Brian]

4 and a half years later?

You took your sweet time Ford!

[Ford Hallam]

Brian, I've been patiently waiting for someone to put things right here...I couldn't bare the suspense any longer