Large rare Heianjo

[raiden]

Very rare Heianjo tsuba for study. This tsuba will be listed soon on Tetsugendo.com, but I thought it a nice piece to share with everyone. Rare in both size and lack of any hitsu ana. Large seppa dai and thin kasane denotes good age , proabaly around mid -late Muromachi period. Inlay in very good condition, and it is a prime example of a good Heianjo. 9.34 cm x 9.34 cm x 3.5 mm.

[raiden]

[raiden]

[Brian]

Very nice tsuba Mike. Great patina and condition.

Was wondering if the 4 holes are considered original to the design? Only asking because they seem to infringe on a few design elements, but are symmetrical. The do have great age, so maybe original, but not sure.

 

Brian

[kaigunair]

Color of the brass looks so rich. Amazing that the rope around the nakago ana is so intact!

 

Great pics of a great piece.

[Marius]

Looks like the holes were made to fasten the tsuba to some object (a wooden table top perhaps?). They look out of place.

[kaigunair]

  mariuszk said:

Looks like the holes were made to fasten the tsuba to some object (a wooden table top perhaps?). They look out of place.

Hmmm...the more I look at the holes, does look like some sort of fastener was there for a while. wear pattern to the iron and brass work around the holes.

 

Maybe it was displayed as part of something, perhaps suspended within something like a wooden frame (would have similar asethics to a carved Japanese screen, a ranma, perhaps?). Could account for why the condition is so nice as it didn't spend its entire life mounted?

[BMarkhasin]

Thats a beautiful piece Mike, thanks for posting it!

Boris

[Justin]

This tsuba doesn't do much for me. Obviously the size is unique, but the workmanship doesn't look that good. The iron looks good, but the application of the brass look amatuerish. Am I missing something?

 

I don't mean to cause offence. Just looking to learn.

[Marius]

  Justin said:

the application of the brass look amatuerish.

 

Justin,

 

your contrarian post is very welcome :D Now, let us try to learn. Would you show brass inlays that are NOT amateurish in your opinion? We could take the discussion from there.

[christianmalterre]

don´t know if the wording Heianjo Tsuba is correct here?

depending on school and tradition you take reference-your´s nice exemplaire here may equally ben Onin/even Kamakura Onin style?

i do not matter on such things-let the authorities battle it out themself...

 

The brass is typic for an Tsuba like this-such i do see no problem at all here...nice exemplaire Mike.

Equally the mesurements are typic-no real exception here...

An nice reference exemplaire certainly(not such rare but?).

Attached two Bori ones from around same time which are/were in mine collection(Auction one resold meanwhile)

Sizes are identical-the one remaining me(first one) with sole difference of Thickness of 2 mm(which can be called rather rare to see)

 

Christian

[Brian]

Justin,

You have to compare this in relation to other Heianjo tsuba. If you look at the colour of the imlay, and the surface treatment and patina, I think you will find this is a stellar example. Most Heianjo tsuba are characterized by this naive and deceptively simple looking brass inlay, but this one clearly has great age and is rare for some of the reasons Mike pointed out. I must say I like it quite a bit. Rustic.

 

Brian

[Justin]

Point taken. I guess it comes down to personal preference. Personally i think this tsuba (and many other Heianjo) look crude and don't exhibit the level of craftmanship of other Japanese metal work. Perhaps this is the charm for those that collect them.

[Peter Bleed]

Mike,

Thanks for showing us this tsuba

I think it is a beautiful fitting. I find it refined and graceful and full of rustic charm. It is "old" but it wears its age well. It is not glitzy, or sleek, but it looks manly and functional. This is a guard for the work of war. It can't be assessed in terms of tea rooms or pleasure quarters.

Wow!

Peter

[Marius]

  Justin said:

Personally i think this tsuba (and many other Heianjo) look crude and don't exhibit the level of craftmanship of other Japanese metal work.

Justin,

 

You are issuing aesthetic opinions with an enviable easiness. You have certainly thoroughly studied Japanese art and craftsmanship.

 

  Justin said:

I guess it comes down to personal preference

 

I will try to guess. Let us see if I am right...

 

You like this (it is good workmanship, just look at that flower!):

http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/BM%20C ... posite.jpg

 

But you don't like this (it is too crude)

http://www.tetsugendo.com/images/kodogu ... tsuba_1000:

[runagmc]

Mariuszk, does a person have to be a scholar to say whether or not they personally find something appealing? We all know taste changes with study, but people of any level should feel welcome to share their thoughts I think...

[Justin]

Mariusz, I love the Yamakichibei and don't think much of the other one.

[Marius]

  runagmc said:

Mariuszk, does a person have to be a scholar to say whether or not they personally find something appealing? We all know taste changes with study, but people of any level should feel welcome to share their thoughts I think...

 

I hope I have not made anyone uncomfortable :-) I just urge caution when it comes to judging workmanship. Dismissing an old tsuba inlay, just because it cannot match the preciseness of an Edo jeweller (sorry, tsubako) is simply not fair. It is this attitude that has robbed the world of many medieval marvels, just because they have looked "rustic", "primitive" or not "modern" to untrained eyes.

 

Take the owl inlay on the famous tsuba by the first Jingo and compare it with any (real) Goto. Is the Goto inlay better workmanship because you can see every hair on the shishi or whatever animal ha cared to put on the plate? I don't think so. It is a more detailed workmanship. That is why I protest against unfounded statements..

 

 

I recommend a book that has been recommended here many times: "The unknown craftsman" by Yanagi Soetsu. It is not about tsuba but it is an eye opener for all those who have not learned to appreciate the simple.

 

@ Justin

 

I am glad you like it. May I ask why? The workmanship is so simple, just a bit hammer work How can that compare with realy good workmanship?

 

I hope you are not offended by my mildly ironic reply to your first post and to your statement about the Yamakichi tsuba (you have meant the one without the lacquer chrystanthemum, right? )

 

I hope there is something to learn from this discussion.

[runagmc]

For me, it helps to imagine tsuba like Mike's being mounted... that can completely change your perspective on a piece...

[raiden]

just for fun, we put it on a 31" blade today.....it actually looked too big still, needs a bigger sword!

[John A Stuart]

I have found most Heianjo tsuba to be on the larger end of the spectrum and often thick and heavy. The inlay on this tsuba is above average although that patch of verdigris needs cleaning off. One thing about Heianjo tsuba is that they retain their inlay quite well considering their age. Some are indeed crude compared to some others. I think that is something you find in most types, better tsuba by better craftsmen (artists). Shinchu was a precious metal at one time and should be regarded as a rich addition to iron tsuba. John