Any ideas on this sukashi tsuba?

[pcfarrar]

Hi,

 

Anyone have any ideas of age / school for this tsuba? Also any thoughts on the design would be great.

 

It's quite a large katana tsuba 8.4cm x 8.4cm.

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

[Nobody]

Hi Peter,

 

The upper pattern may be Hanabisi (花菱).

Mon of Hanabishi family: http://www.otomiya.com/kamon/plant/hanabishi.htm

 

And lower pattern may be Fundo (分銅). It is a weight.

Mon of Fundo family: http://www.otomiya.com/kamon/kibutsu/fundou.htm

[Rich T]

But Koichi is correct on the mons, and I think the items joining the leaves are the tea spoons used in tea ceremony. The whole theme is quite regal, and my guess would be Kyo, early to mid Edo.

 

The lower shape is also a weigh used for scales. See below.

 

http://www.nihontokanjipages.com/personal/tsuba_collection/owari_weights_bars.html

 

Cheers

 

Rich

[pcfarrar]

Thanks Rich and Koichi.

 

Do you really think they are spoons? I thought they were geese?

[Rich T]

No, I don't think they are geese, your classic geese look like the ones below. I think the two semi circles you are seeing at the end of the leaves are actually part of the straight sections they are attached too. I think (?) they represent the handles of the Tea scoop (chashaku 茶杓).

 

 

Those leaves may be Tea leaves, just a thought. This is the leaf of Ocha

 

 

Cheers

 

Rich

[pcfarrar]

Thanks Rich! Very interesting. Any idea what the tsuba represents overall? Does all the symbolism add up to something?

 

Also would this have been a special order, for example would the original owner of have said he wanted tea leaves, spoons etc. on the tsuba he was having made or would this have just been selected at a shop?

 

Thanks,

 

Peter