Akasaka?

[Dick Tait]

Just bought this tsuba from a militaria fair - think I got it at a good price. I like the simple design (cricket & leaves or possibly butterfly?).

 

I'm guessing it is Edo Akasaka? Can anybody confirm or add anything?

 

[Brian]

That does look like a bell cricket....but the first impression of the other shape is a carriage wheel...which would make that a praying mantis. I don't really see it though, but praying mantis and wheel is a good match.

 

Brian

[Dick Tait]

Thanks Brian, quick search found this, so confirms.

 

Do you think it may represent the pet "singing" cricket and the pierced box they were kept in?

 

[Pete Klein]

I would tend toward leaves of some kind with a bell cricket or a mantid but it could very well be a wheel. Akasaka can be a bit difficult to parse out at times.

[Pete Klein]

Thought you might find this interesting:

Just got this from Yashima in Japan.

[John A Stuart]

I did not know there were any subsequent Tadatora smiths. 赤坂三代忠虎 Akasaka sandai Tadatora. Must be Meiji era, I suspect, as the first was first half of the 19th century and a student of Tadatoki. John

[Pete Klein]

Hey John -- look up Akasaka Tadatora, Third Generation, page 268 in Sasano silver book. It looks just like the one in Sasano (but not the same one). I don't follow Akasaka much so please don't shoot the messenger.

 

PS: just found this link -- fourth tsuba down: http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/akasaka.htm

[cabowen]

  John A Stuart said:

I did not know there were any subsequent Tadatora smiths. 赤坂三代忠虎 Akasaka sandai Tadatora. Must be Meiji era, I suspect, as the first was first half of the 19th century and a student of Tadatoki. John

 

Text above says mid Edo...

[Curran]

See: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5387&p=42178&hilit=akasaka#p42178

 

Pete's Yashima one-

entry says 3rd gen mainline master specifically to Tadatora

Under the umbrella of 'ko-akasaka'.

Tokubetsu Hozon.

They say Mid Edo, though Tadatora is believed to have spanned 'late' early edo into 'early' mid edo. As per Jim's website, conservative call seems to be 'early Mid Edo'.

[Pete Klein]

and - a - partridge - in a - pear -- tree...! LOL!!!

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning all,

 

I believe there is an allegorical Folk tale (originating in China....) about a praying mantis attempting to stop a carriage wheel.

 

The tale goes the mantis angrily stretches out its arms, to arrest the progress of the carriage, unconscious of its inability for such a task, but showing how much it thinks of its own powers.

 

It can be interpreted as be on your guard; be careful.

 

Or if you cherish a boastful confidence in your own excellence, and place yourself in collision with a greater force, you are likely to incur the fate of the mantis.

 

Cheers

[Mantis dude]

I am adding this I thought I sort of recognized this tsuba- this is a tsuba previously posted by that guy Shan (was he banished?) and old posting is on it out there titled Post subject: What is this then?

 

Just to confirm though it is a mantis and wheel pertaining to the chinese legend of the chariot and mantis. It is a very common akasaka design although the wheel has changed a bit over the years. If I like it a lot, you may have to sell it to me. (didn't everyone get the memo on the mantis dude's right to first refusal?). But I won't evoke my right to purchase. Enjoy it. Just figured I confirm what most of you were saying in spite of silly things like a bell insect....Mantis rule!!!!!!

 

for the full legend you can see it on my website http://kamakiriken.webs.com/index.htm under Japanese symbolism section

[Lee Bray]

And just to show that folk tales have some basis in reality...

 

This little fella took on me and my four dogs, none of them small.

The worst of his fate(so far) was to be immortalised on NMB...