Higo Tsuba Research Help...

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

Taking a break from the typical Owari, Umetada, or Shoami tsuba I often post about. I was going some research about the openwork design of this Higo tsuba made by the 3rd Hayashi master Tohachi. The design is described in Sasano last book on Sukashi tsuba as something like "citrus fruit in mist". I was told by a friend that the same design was pictured in the Japanese book Higo Kinko Taikan which has two Hayashi tsuba with a similar openwork design. Having a scan or photos of these two tsuba along with the caption information would be helpful for my research. Below is a scan from Sasano book page 332 as well as a quote of the text about the openwork design. I feel it is a classical Higo openwork design composition. Last year I was eating lunch at a Japanese Buddhist temple and I had a chance to try for the first time a Japanese persimmon (kaki 柿). Couldn't the openwork design be consider a persimmon fruit in mist and not a citrus fruit? Persimmon do ripen in the Autumn which will often has cool mists in the mornings. Here is link to Wikipedia for more information about persimmon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persimmon.

  Quote

Citrus tachibana are shrouded in a mist. The fruit of this plant was favored because it is hardy and can withstand cold weather and frost. This is Tohachi's earlier work.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[cabowen]

This might help:

 

 

 

mikan (citrus):

 

 

 

 

 

kaki:

 

 

[Soshin]

Hi Chris B.,

 

Yes the spear shape leaves on the Higo tsuba are similar to leaves of your Mikan example. Not complete sure the shape of a persimmon (kaki) tree leaf as the angle for viewing the leaves in your photo is hard. Thanks for the reply and the help.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Curran]

See this design as a family insignia?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachibana_clan_%28kuge%29

 

I see variations of this design on fittings, but not knowledgeable about the Japanese families.

 

Example: http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k150677999

[Soshin]

Hi Curran,

 

Thanks for the link. The shape of the fruit and placement of five leaves (sometimes only three are showing) indicates the family crest of the Tachibana family of court nobles (kuge) from the Nara and early Heian periods. This would also explain why Sasano used the term "Tachibana" in his description of the design. This is very different then the family crest of the Tachibana family of samurai from the Momoyama and Edo Periods which is more contemporary with the Hayashi Tohachi tsuba. Having more examples of this design used in Hayashi tsuba from Higo Kinko Taikan would be helpful.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Curran]

Higo Kinko Taikan anyone?

Mine is in storage for the winter.

 

I'm more curious about the old Tachibana design, as I see it in Edo fittings and armor fairly often.

It is more allusion, or did it have a more concrete meaning or association during the Edo period?

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello guys, :D

This is the picture of this HIGO tsuba, said by SASANO SAN to be from HAYASHI TOHACHI. What is strange is that Mr ITO'book doesn't refer to this tsuba for HAYASHI TOHACHI.

To be or not to be ....

Anyhow the picture is good enough to enjoy. :D

Best to all. :D

Marc

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello,

What I got from the Net is :

 

"Citrus Tachibana (CITRUS RETICULATA, BLANCO)

 

 

 

Romaji Tachibana

English Mandarin orange

Kanji 橘

Kana たちばな

Season Summer

Seasonal Exceptions Winter

Auspicious Yes

Motif Type Fruit Motif

Audio Coming Soon

 

 

Tachibana (English: Mandarin orange, botanical: Citrus tachibana) is an inedible citrus of approximately 6 to 13 ft in height, grows in dense green branches with young thorns. The leaves are 3 to 6 cm in length, oval-shaped, and glossy dark green. The fruit is smooth-skinned, about 3 cm in diameter, but with a high acidity that makes it is unfit to be eaten raw, though marmalade can be made.

 

In Japan, the leaves and fruit is used in floral motifs and adopted as family crests.

 

 

 

Seasonal Use, Exceptions & Pairings

 

Thought to be brought from the legendary eternal land, tachibana is emphasized in poetry for its evergreen leaves, fragrant blossoms, and jewel-like fruit lasting into winter. Though its flowers bloom "out of season", the leaves and fruit motif of tachibana is commonly seen on lined garments meant for the auspicious occasions like the New Year or Coming of Age.

 

For a Heian-era perspective, Minamoto Masasuke, an aide to Senior Grand Empress Fujiwara no Tashi (1140–1202), wrote in "Colors for a Court Lady's Dress" that the tachibana kasane - a golden yellow citrus fruit occurring simultaneously with a white flower - is assigned to the summer cultural season. [1] Likewise, Tachibanaduki (橘月/たちばなづき) is an antique name for the fifth lunar month, or June in the modern calendar.

 

In order to determine the correct season, type of weight and weave of fabric must be considered along with whether it is lined and any additional motifs."

 

Best

Marc

[Soshin]

Hi Marc,

 

Thanks for the replies and the color photo. From looking at the photo and Sasano book I don't think they are of the same tsuba. Both photos are of the ura side I wonder if anyone has a photo of these two tsuba from the omote side. I would like to examine the chisel marks around the nakago-ana. In a old book of mine titled 600 Japanese Sword Fittings Terms by W. M. Hawley. I came across a figure written in Japanese detailing the chisel marks around the nakago-ana used by the first three generations of the Hayashi Higo school. This might have been used by Sasano to attributed this tsuba to the Sandai Hayashi. Here is a scan copy.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Curran]

Mark and David,

 

Thank you. This gets more interesting, and bringing the design to life.

Both David's information on the punch marks, and Marks botanical information helped me understand a bit better.

 

Mark, is the tsuba you shared currently owned in Europe?

I remember two or three of this design in the Higo Kinko Taikan.

 

I have studied one I assumed to be 5th gen. Another collector said it was 3rd gen, possibly even late 2nd gen. I chose to stick with my 5th gen opinion, but this thread is opening me more to the idea that it is 3rd gen.

 

---------

I was surprised they were described as inedible. The part about them retaining flavor far into winter makes sense. That is when I remember we would eat them in northern italy- with white cheese and espresso out of a lunch pail. Standard 10:15 break during construction or repairs in cold weather.

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello David & Curran

 

Yes of course it is not the particular tsuba of TOHACHI by Sasano, which by the way was for sale on the site of Fred WEISBERG some months ago.

 

I own this tsuba, sold by Robert BURAWOY, well known dealer in France, having worked with Robert HAYNES and now retired.

 

Thanks for the info about punching marks.

 

Best regards

Marc

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello Curran,

Here is my tsuba second picture.

Best

Marc

[Bazza]

  Marc BROQUIN said:

Hello,

What I got from the Net is :

 

"Citrus Tachibana (CITRUS RETICULATA, BLANCO)

 

English Mandarin orange

 

Tachibana (English: Mandarin orange, botanical: Citrus tachibana) is an inedible citrus of approximately 6 to 13 ft in height, grows in dense green branches with young thorns. The leaves are 3 to 6 cm in length, oval-shaped, and glossy dark green. The fruit is smooth-skinned, about 3 cm in diameter, but with a high acidity that makes it is unfit to be eaten raw, though marmalade can be made.

All,

The emphasis in the last sentence is mine. The botanical name notwithstanding, this sounds more like a cumquat, which is certainly highly acidic and inedible, but does make a delicious marmalade (and brandy!). I wonder about this because mandarins are a delicious citrus fruit, very flavoursome and far from the description given.

 

Regards,

BaZZa.

[sanjuro]

Tachibana design on tsuba. I dont know a damn thing about the tsuba but the design is unmistakable

[Ford Hallam]

and another, sorry about the poor photo, taken before my upgrade

 

[Soshin]

Hi Keith, Ford, Marc and BaZZa,

 

Thanks for the additional information and photos of tsuba using the tachibana and the tachibana in mist designs. Ford I have a few quick questions about the tsuba you posted. Did you make the tsuba? Chisel marks around the nakago-ana on the omote side are identical to a tsuba I have examined with the same tachibana in mist ji-sukashi design. The fine kebori detailing of the tachibana are also identical. This is different then Marc tsuba and one pictured in the Sasano book. The color of the patina of your tsuba looks much more brownish and not a deep purplish in color compared to the tsuba I have examined. A good example of the deep purplish patina color I am talking about is the tsuba "T-138 Signed Hayashi Shigemitsu Tsuba" from Tetsugendo website: http://tetsugendo.com/. This difference might be a result of the lighting and white balance settings.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Ford Hallam]

Hi David,

 

no, not one of mine. The colour in the photo is way off. The Canon 400D I used to use threw the colour decidedly red. To be honest I don't recall the true colour. I took that image about 3 years ago. That grey back ground ought to be a mid tone grey, to give you an idea how skewed the colours are.

 

The image of the reverse is a bit more true I suspect.

[Soshin]

Hi Ford,

 

It is a small world after all. It turns out that I am the new owner of the tachibana in mist ji-sukashi tsuba you had three years ago. It was the big purchase I was referring to in my sale posts on NMB and one reason for the turnover of some of my collection. I really like the color and glossiness of the patina as well as the quality of the iron and the detail work done in kebori. The former owner was thinking it was the work of the Godai Hayashi but I think it is more likely the work the Sandai Hayashi. It is possible that the tsuba is a rare work of the Yondai Hayashi who only lived to the young age of 41. If it is assumed that Yodai Hayashi started working when he was 20 years old his working period was only about 21 years. What was your impressions of the tsuba when you had it?

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Soshin]

Hi Evryone,

 

I am going to try to photograph my new tsuba which Ford had with the tachibana in mist open work design sometime in the next few days. I will post the resized images here for everyone to view. Comments and questions are always welcome.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

Here is the new tsuba and only Higo tsuba in my collection. It has the tachibana in mist ji-sukashi design. The measurments are 7.6 X 7.9 cm with a rim thickness of 5.0 mm and a seppa-dai thickness of 5.5 mm. I think it is a Hayashi school Higo tsuba. The deep purplish black color of the patina is just wonderful and the tsuba is a joy to view in hand and reminds me of the Hayashi tsuba on the Tetsugendo website. I once said that Higo tsuba are a bit over rated but now I understand more as I have such a nice example in my collection now. Learning and development is an important process in this hobby. I hope my photographic skills do this fine (my opinion) tsuba justice. I will be bring it to Tampa show next year to let people see in person. :D

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

A friend of mine who had a copy of Higo Kinko Taikan has provided me with photograhs via email of the two tsuba with this tachibana in mist openwork design and permission to post on the NMB. Here are the photos with added text. I will then follow up with some of my conclusions based upon this new evidence.

 

This tsuba is signed Hayashi Shigefusa who is the third master of the Hayashi school.

This tsuba is mumei but clearly is in the Hayashi school style.

 

While my tsuba shares this design it is different and the carving of the tachibana using the kebori technique is different an in my opinion finer and more naturalistic. The seppa-dai of my tsuba while rounded is not as rounded as the signed example provide from the Higo Kinko Taikan or the Sasano example. My tsuba by seppa-dai alone in contrast to the mumei example reminds me of the second generation master Hayashi Shigemitsu work. My tsuba also lack the Hayashi characteristic katsurabishi-zogan of the signed example done by the third generation. My tsuba will be interesting and educational to submit to NBTHK shinsa. I hope to do this early next year. I would love to hear other people comments, thoughts, and ideas as well.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles