three ko-kinko tsuba from one workshop?

[Ford Hallam]

:D ...ah, somehow I can't picture you as a little muffin

 

always important to laugh at ourselves once in a while, ne

[Kai-Gunto]

Here in Denmark Thomas is a name and not a cake

But the danish name Bo is a Japanese "stick"

Sorry off tropic.....

[Ford Hallam]

'Thomas' is a brand of 'English Muffin' only sold in America ....never heard of them back in England

 

Our colonial cousins get confused about quite a few English words though

[Ron STL]

Just to notice of this subject of what is being represented on these early tsuba. I can't help but call these critters, "squirrels." If a "fox" I would think they would look more like a fox and also, being on such ko-kinko era tsuba, the squirrel seems more what one would expect to see. I'll also add that this is the first time I've seen an "animal" on this age tsuba; designs are usually less specific, if that's the correct word to use. These menuki photos are old "35mm film prints" so excuse the lack of digital quality.

 

What this discussion did bring to mind are two things. First, a pair of early menuki that have been in my collection for many decades. For years I decided the "badger" war represented by these menuki (because of the punched "spots" on the menuki and the "flattened" nose) but today, well, I suspect they are indeed, squirrels. Second, I wrote an article about the often seen "squirrel and grapes" motif we see quite often; this appeared in the Jan. 2010 JSS/US Newsletter (42.1.16). If anyone would like a copy of this article, email me and I'll be happy to send you the file.

 

An last, I am thrilled to see such interest in tachikanaguchi and ko-kinko tsuba. An interest of mine, I've gathered a number of these over the years. Typically, they are overlooked by the typical collector because of their "rustic" look. Nice stuff, I say!!!

 

Ron H.