Iaido dude

Thanks for sharing this, Mark. Very nice, beautiful composition!! The shape may be that of a winter gourd (hyotan tou). I'm trying to think of a connection between gourd and goose other than that both are visually appealing in their abstract forms. Here is a zen painting by the great zen buddhist abbot of the 19th-20th century Nakahara Nantembo along with the original commentary that I referenced previously. Zen Painting and Calligraphy, 17th-20th Centuries Exhibition, Woodson, Yoko, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, 2001

Thanks for sharing this, Mark. Very nice, beautiful composition!! The shape may be that of a winter gourd (hyotan tou). I'm trying to think of a connection between gourd and goose other than that both are visually appealing in their abstract forms.

Thanks. The first one has a great sense of fluidity and movement. The second one reflects the quiet strength of the samurai warrior that Sasano writes about in his Gold Book.

Tsuba #2 This one is very similar in iron treatment and features, but the composition is one double hyotan on either side extending to the symmetric hitsu-ana. It is essentially a perfectly round muragata shape. The seller indicated that the other motif is "water well" (ido 井戸) rather than windows or carpenter's squares. I couldn't find a meaning for this motif in Japanese culture, but there is a buddhist practice of offering water poured over figures of Siddhartha at shrines to cultivate the virtues of calmness, clarity, and purity of body, speech, and mind. It is a reminder to diligently cleanse ourselves of attachments, aversion, and delusion through the generating of generosity, compassion, and wisdom. In that way we may reveal our innate buddha nature. 7.0 x 7.0 x 0.5 cm, slightly dished

The gourd (hyotan 瓢箪) is my spirit vegetable it seems. As a motif in asian arts and crafts I have grown up with them. It is fitting then that a few Momoyama Period Kanayama tsuba currently in my small collection use the double hyotan (small upper half, larger lower half) as subtly recognizable motifs. Kanayama tsuba are generally described as being symmetrical and with patterns that are abstract, which I find to be especially true for Muromachi Period pieces. Those forged during the early Edo period are also rather stiff and more Tokugawa in their confirmatory sensibility. The Momoyama sensibility is “looser,” freer, with greater vitality and exuberance that is unique to this time and as informed by the aesthetic principles of Tea Ceremony. The two Kanayama tsuba reflect this sensibility and are carved in ji-sukashi. Hyotan have been long used in Japan as containers for sake, water, and flowers; regarded as lucky charms; gourd shapes appear as architectural motifs, cartouches for woodblock prints, and signatures of print artists; multiple gourds on a battle standard (sennari hyotan) is attributed to Toyotomi Hideyoshi who unified Japan in the late 16th century1; and gourds, as it turns out, are among those motifs found on sword guards (tsuba) mounted on katana or wakizashi. From the zen point of view, the hollow gourd denotes emptiness and seeking truth first through an inward gaze at the self.2 For bushi it may have served to ward off bad luck on the battlefield where the possibility of a deadly outcome was ever present. 1Symbols of Japan, Thematic Motifs in Art and Design, Baird, Merrily, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc, 1944 2Zen Painting and Calligraphy, 17th-20th Centuries Exhibition, Woodson, Yoko, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, 2001 Tsuba 1: When I first saw this gem, I almost missed the somewhat abstract hyotan motif that is actually integral to the composition. I thought they were buddhists beads. There are two double hyotan that form the hitsu-ana on either side, anchored on what appear to be stems. There are counter weights above and below. Tsuchime is enhanced in natural sunlight. The patina is a dark brown. It has enough globular tekkotsu on the rim to fuel a rocket to the moon. It is a nearly perfectly round murugata shape. 73.5 x 72.5 x 4.6 (4.9 at mimi) mm Tsuba #2 (please see next post below)

This is my new Nobuie utsushi made by a tsubako who so much admired and deferred to the old master that he put the signature of Shodai (or is it Nidai?) on the right hand side ("I am not worthy..."). It is in the classic moko/mokugo shape frequently seen with Nobuie tsuba. The double kuruma motif is carved in positive silhouette with edges defined by deeper kebori than seen in genuine Shodai/Nidai pieces. The nakakubo is skillfully executed over the entire rim. If the term tsuchime still applies, the hammer marks are larger than I'm used to seeing in Owari and Kanayama tsuba. The surface is like the wabi, sabi, yugen, and mono no aware aesthetic that emerged from Tea Ceremony in the Momoyama Period. In a smaller version like I've seen of Nobuie tsuba in the 6 cm range, I can imagine it mounted on a wakizashi brought into the tea room where it would blend with the other aspects of that atmosphere. One look at the tsuba would suffice to establish the refined taste of the buke and the communal enjoyment of all participants. It's a large guard, but relatively light, so it should still be a good candidate for mounting to a practice iaito or katana to lend inspiration. 9 x 8.3 x 0.5 cm, $200 successful bid on Jauce.

Price reduction on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/204735259461

That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. Now I understand how these alterations are part of the history of the guard just as repairs on tea bowls are appreciated as beautiful by the wabi-sabi-yugen aesthetics of the Momoyama and early Edo periods.

Jean, I completely get that the tagane reflect a history of fitting to a blade. However the chunk that is missing is in the middle of the left edge. That seems odd. I can’t quit picture a blade that would require this modification, but then again I have very little experience with the variety of possible blade shapes that would pose a challenge.

Yes, this tsuba was discussed previously in regards to motifs. Thanks to you both for the advice. Much appreciated. I am inclined not to think of it as a deformity or damage. The area Dale circled may have had an intentional modification with a chisel for a reason that is not entirely clear. Regardless, I will leave it alone.

I have had this small Kanayama tsuba for some time, purchased in Singapore before I started collecting tsuba, and subsequently lost during move back to Boston. It has been rediscovered, although I honestly don't know how I acquired it and from whom is was purchased (probably on eBay or an antique shop). I did have an interest in nihonto and Japanese antiques in general at that time. Anyways, it took me a while to notice that there is a well-defined gouge or cut out in an elongated and sharp vertical groove present on the left middle edge of the nakago-ana. I thought it was damage. However, in Eckhard Kremers study "A Kyoto Master and His Workshop," he describes this kind of feature as common to Ko-Sukashi from the same workshop if not the master (see photo below from his study). These gaps were often filled with strips of copper indistinguishable from the sekigane that we often see including those present on my tsuba. Has anyone else encountered this kind of cut out? Who can fill it in with a copper strip? I'm pretty handy with metalwork applied to restoration of vintage electric guitars, but I am not keen on tackling this kind of work.

Oops. I just realized that the tsuba is mounted wrong if you follow tradition. I need to flip it around. I should have paid more attention. Back to the drawing board…

My understanding is that the Shoami school encompasses many influences (e.g. not a uniform style) and that gold leaf and inlays/overlays were incorporated after early Edo. On the other hand, the quality of iron you describe is entirely consistent with Ko-Shoami, which I wouldn't think you'd expect to find gold leaf. I wonder if it is a latter addition (unfortunate, if you ask me). I'm still quite new to early sukashi tsuba. Would you kindly point out what folding of iron looks like? I have found descriptions of this in reference materials that show photos of very well known early guards made in Owari province (Momoyama/early Edo).

I couldn’t agree more. The mounted tsuba looks nice. This katana is on the heavier side, so added weight doesn’t affect the feel or functionality. I’m very pleased with the final outcome. There was a modem factory made Owari style blackened iron tsuba that quickly lost it’s surface coating. I was shying away from all other options except for a strong, masculine, and severe sukashi style tsuba. This mid-Edo guard borrows from Momoyama period Owari motifs.

The fitting was successful. The "mid-Edo Ohno style" tsuba looks and feels great.

The 83 mm diameter remains problematic. Maybe mid-Edo and suitable to be fitted on my katana.

I'll be damned. I am looking at my tsuba from the Momoyama/early Edo period and it is actually very possible that the "Sadamasa" is actually an Owari group tsuba of that period. It makes sense because the triple paulownia is identical to plate 26 (gold book) from the late Muromachi period, we know that the domoe motif is of that period (as in an Owari tsuba I have from the Momoyama period), and as you have commented, Sadamasa tsuba have fine grained iron and don't have tekkotsu. Also, the complete departure from the designs of Sadamasa is now explained--because it actually has more kinship to Owari tsuba. I have it next to my Kanayama and Owari tsuba from the Momoyama period and they have a lot of similarities. It also has more positive than negative silhouette and is therefore the weight one would expect from an abundance of iron. You know, when I saw the flat globular tekkotsu on the face of the tsuba and noted the patina and tsuchime, I thought it just seemed older than the Sadamasa of the middle-late Edo. I just wasn't confident enough to trust my impression. I won't be fitting this tsuba to my katana for now, probably not ever. I need more study. Thanks again for steering me in the right direction.

Tim, Steve Waszak speaks vey highly of you. I just familiarized myself with Ohno tsuba and from a design sense at least (very difficult to judge hada from photos) it actually does have a kinship to this school. Thanks for your comments, questions, and thoughts.

Hi Jimi-san. How are things in Denmark? Very nice. I do like vegetables, plants, and nuts on Owari tsuba for some reason. Especially aoi. Turnip is a new one. Are the inome considered to represent boar's eyes? Is there rust on the rim at places?

I purchased it to mount on a practice katana. I'll probably have it fitted tomorrow after I enjoy it a bit more--just as a tusba. I may be overstating the presence of globular tekkotsu on the face of the tsuba. There are no tekkotsu on the mimi. There is no folding of the rim, which is cut definitively square.

The design is unusual as compared to the few classic signed pieces by Tushu Ju Sadamasa I have found on-line. I haven't found an example with this combination of motifs (kiri, tomoe, and karigane) among his attributed works. The karigane with notched tail feathers are also different and more elaborate, I think, from the very simple depiction of geese seen in the work of artisans from the Owari region during the Momoyama and early Edo periods when the wabi-sabi-yugen aesthetic was so prevalent and profoundly expressed. https://www.britishm...ction/object/A_TS-61 https://www.pinteres...n/12455336453957089/ https://www.aoijapan...masa-thunder-clouds/ https://www.samuraim...n-certificate-t-261/ https://www.samuraim...n-certificate-t-261/

Interestingly, this late Muromachi Kyo-sukashi from Sasano's gold book shows the identical triple paulownia motif on the top and bottom. This distinctive treatment may have informed the composition of my Tanshu Sadamasa where the motif appears only at the top. Fast forward to the Genroku period and we see the co-opting of the triple paulownia as the crest for the Hosokawa family depicted in this Hayashi sukashi (Sasano's gold book). And this Nishigaki sukashi tsuba in the genroku period uses the tomoe and paulownia motifs (Sasano's gold book). Here, the meaning of these motifs is unclear to me.

This is a recent acquisition that arrived this week--a sukashi-bori tsuba of kiri, tomoe, and karigane papered to Tanshu Sadamasa (mumei), whom I had no prior knowledge of. The strong design, size, and price met the criteria I had set for the purchase of a vintage sukashi to grace my new custom-made katana formed from tamahagane and constructed in the traditional kubose style. I have found great inspiration in the practice of iaido using my swords fitted with very good iron plate openwork tsuba. Preferably vintage, but the iaito that was gifted to my by my teacher when I left Boston has an excellent Owari copy, faithfully hand made in Japan. I wasn't quite prepared to confront such a large and substantial sword guard of well-forged iron when finally in my hands, even though it was as advertised (83 mm nearly perfect circle, 5.6-5.8 mm at the kaku-mimi). The color is a beautiful dark chocolate brown, the patina is even and moist with tsuchime that lights it up especially in natural light, and there are globular tekkotsu evident in several spots on the surface more than the rim. It was cut by a very skilled later-generation tsubako from this school--the lines are deliberate, precise, and sharp. Simply splendid. I am not experienced enough to reflect on the quality and appearance of the iron in order to date it more precisely, but I'd venture to guess it is mid-late Edo (no earlier). I'm finishing my first attempt at tsuba study with research on the first 2 hereditary masters who signed Tansu Ju Sadamasa, but I'll post it later on this thread. I'd be grateful for your thoughts and comments and sharing of any other examples from this school.

Grey’s commentary also indicates that a noted collector was convinced it was crafted by Yondai.

In Donald Richie’s wonderful little book (gigantic in my reading) “A Tractate on Japanese Aesthetics,” he writes about the tripartite formula of formal-semi formal-informal that is called shin-guo-so used to describe “mood” or a specific setting in which we are engaged in, for example, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy. Steve introduced me to this and other books on Japanese aesthetics developed in the activity of tea ceremony. Tim’s comment about Buddhist ideas of impermanence is tied to the aesthetic principles of sabi and mono no aware—a kind of bitter sweet quality that we may appreciate and experience as a beautiful.