Any Ideas About Motif And Mei Of Heianjo Tsuba?

[zanilu]

 Dear NMB members

 

Here is another tsuba I have recently acquired (dimension 75 mm x 75 mm, 4.2 mm thick).

 

 

I have to yet to start studying it deeply, but my first guess is Early Edo Heianjo Zogan. At the moment what is puzzling me the most are the meaning of the two sukashi bars on the left of the nakago-ana and the mei.

 

The only similar sukashi decoration I was able to find is referred to as nibiki i.e. rising mist bands. The references I found are in the  

A.Z. Freeman and the Phyllis Sharpe Memorial collections pieces number 11 and 33 (

 

 

The main difference is in the width of the sukashi. Thin in my case, wider with rounded ends in the references. 

 

The mei is difficult to read. The bottom strokes seems to me like the top part of saku (作) the rest I can not make out.

 

 

Any help, from all of you, on both decoration motif and mei are the most welcome.

 

Best Regards

Luca

 

[MauroP]

Ciao Luca,
I've found paired vertical slits sukashi referred as 霞文 - kasumi-mon (mist), or 楷棒 - kaibō (the meaning should just be sticks) in NBTHK papers. On the tsuba found in the book "Tsuba no Bi" the sukashi is referred as 定規 -  jōgi (rulers). Just take the explanation you like more...

The mei could be X重作 - (...)shige saku
Mauro

[Bazza]

Hmmm, for the mei I see UJISHIGE SAKU????

 

BaZZa.

[zanilu]

Grazie Mauro. I would stick with the mist interpretation, it sounds more poetic to me 

 

 

Thanks to both of you for the mei I will try to look better into it.

[ROKUJURO]

I think that mist is mostly depicted as horizontal slits, and not necessarily as pairs.

[zanilu]

Bazza do you mean Ujishige written like 氏重?

 

Jean you are right all the references I have found for kasumi-mon are horizontal bars. But if NBTHK say so who am I to disagree  ?

 

Regards

Luca

[Bazza]

Luca,

 

Yes, that's what I mean.  Its a very ghostly UJI- though, only a wisp of a shape and line reminiscent of UJI.  So its a real off-the-top-of-my-head stab at what it might be.

 

Best regards,

BaZZa.

[zanilu]

Thanks Bazza

 

Luca

[edzo]

Hi everyone venturing here, could this be poss Kaga Yoshiro school with the openwork and hira zogan?

Thank you, I'm working on similar tsuba.

[zanilu]

Hi Edward.

I am still studying this piece. My tentative attribution right now is based on the similarity with another tsubaclassified by Bob Haynes as Heianjo.



Luca

[edzo]

Hi Zanilu, I would like to know if Hira zogan was employed by heianjo as well as Yoshiro school in Kaga. I have some with taka zogan which tempts me to think onin and heianjo. The openwork leads me to kaga yoshiro however it is only speculated around 1600 when he relocated there. The design/inlay is classic Yoshiro. At least as far as MY research as led me. Ed F

[Jean]

In the same way:

 

https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-250515.htm

[zanilu]

Edward you are making me curios.

Have you some pictures of your tsuba to share with us?

 

Luca

[edzo]

Hi Zanilu, I will post a photo but after reading Haynes (Aesthetic Study), and previous posts on this site i'm confused. Give me some time to learn how to upload and i'll send. I am attempting to determine the same thing, pls be patient crazy schedule not sure i can help.

Respectfully, EdF