Super Satsuma Han Kinko Brothers: Twin Mt.Fuji's + a 3rd...

[kaigunair]

Well, I was finally able to meet up with a friend to take pics of this group of kozuka. I had always admired my Ncjsc buddy's two kozukas (top and middle), and when I saw that there was what appeared to be an identical kozuka at Mike and Cyrus' table (tetsugendo.com) at the august show , I told him about it to let him have the right of first refusal. Well, after the show ended and when I was sure he had decided to pass, I swooped in...and am very glad I did. Props to Mike for a great deal and super fast shipping as usual!

 

Turns out, the kozuka I picked up was NOT by the same smith as my friends: it was by his brother! My kozuka is by Tomotoshi Kanasugi (Haynes 10124.0) of Satsuma Province while my friend's was by Tomotsune Kanasugi. Both brothers evidently went to Edo and studied under Yanagawa Naotsune.

 

In addition to a Kanasugi, my friend also had the yanagawa signed kozuka (the top example). It is signed Yanagawa Naomasa, the top yanagawa guy himself. Since it is unpapered and there are tons of forgeries (as well as variations of his recorded signatures), it would be very hard to call shoshin, but I thought it would still be a good example to show how the Kanasugi brothers stack up.

 

Like Mario and Luigi, the Kanasugi brothers appear to be a smash! The nanako ground is very fine and done in a redish/brown background (not sure if this is a type of shakudo or something else). There is etching in the hill area of Mt. Fuji which is capped in shibuishi. Of further interest is how they treated the body of the kozuka: while the front rim is gold gilded, the sides are a copper red (like color of the nanako) and the back is the dark shakudo. More and more I see its the little details that indicate quality.

 

Any info on the Kanasugi school or examples of their other work would be much appreciated! Looking forward to hearing comments and opinions.

 

The pictures show the kozuka in the following order:

Top: Signed Yanagawa Naomasa

Middle: Signed Kanasugi Tomotsune

Bottom: Signed Kanasugi Tomotoshi

 

[John A Stuart]

Thankyou. John

[Geraint]

Hi Junichi.

 

These are beautiful. Looking at the two Kanasugi examples you say that there is etching on the top of Mt Fuji and that the snow cap is shibuichi. Is what I am seeing the result of very fine textured lines on the lower slopes and a small irregular area left free of these before the snow cap? I ask because it looks almost as if three metals have been used but I am guessing that that is the effect of the light that the artist were using.

 

Many thanks.

[kaigunair]

Hi Junichi.

 

These are beautiful. Looking at the two Kanasugi examples you say that there is etching on the top of Mt Fuji and that the snow cap is shibuichi. Is what I am seeing the result of very fine textured lines on the lower slopes and a small irregular area left free of these before the snow cap? I ask because it looks almost as if three metals have been used but I am guessing that that is the effect of the light that the artist were using.

 

Many thanks.

 

Thanks John and Geraint for the kind comments. Geraint, yes, there is an area where the etching was not done too, right before the summit. I just realized after looking at the photos that there is an additional effect of this type of etching: seems to me that you can get some interesting lighting effects depending on where the light source is, with parts of the etching showing up when towards the light and the other side turning to black. Maybe I'll experiment with my macro lens light, following a hypothetical arch of the sun to see how Mt. Fuji shows up....

[Justin]

Three great kozuka. It's a bit like a school reunion.

[Ed]

Junichi,

Can't add any info regarding the school, but wanted to say thanks for sharing the photos. Very nice pieces. Undoubtedly my favorite motif for kozuka.

[Toryu2020]

Junichi -

Good eye there man, and a great set of examples for comparison. Would be interesting to see close ups of the nanako to see how they compare. It is my understanding that shakudo gets its color from the amount of gold versus copper and then a pickling. What I think we are seeing is that all are made of shakudo, however only the mountain and the backs have been "pickled." The silver or shibuichi is applied but I would be surprised to find the mountain was not part of the solid body of the piece. Takes some skill to do this, a tribute to the artists...

-t

[Soshin]

Hi Junichi,

 

Nice set of kozuka. Thank you for sharing.

[kaigunair]

Thanks all for the kind comments! Mt.fuji does seem to transfer especially well onto the kozuka format, could make for a substantial book in itself, if one does not already exist?

 

Ed, love the example in your website too! I hope I run into an identical example one day (would love to know who it's by).

 

Tom, that makes sense, how the color effect is due to lack of pickling vs a different metal. Compared to many of the examples I have seen of bad gold guilding, seems the brothers were adept at masking and controlling the patination process? (Also, thanks again for letting me volunteer at the shinsa!)

[Ed]

Ishiguro Masatsune

[runagmc]

Pickling is done to clean a metal (especially after soldering) to clean the oxides before patination, so the the patina will be even.

 

As far as patinating select surfaces, I don't think that is possible (Ford or someone with more knowledge can correct me), but patina can be removed on select surfaces by abrasion...

 

Junichi, I think you got the better of the two Kanatsugi bros, but for me the Yanagawa is the best...

[kaigunair]

Ed, thanks! Wanted to check on something and it turns out, Ishiguro Masatsune was also listed as a direct student of Yanagawa Naomasa! I wonder if the three of them were together in the same room learning and/or making kozuka together....

 

Thanks runagumc, I think I got the better brother too. I'll one up you and say I'd prefer an example of the teacher of the yanagawa school founder...Yokoya Soyo or Somin, I'm not that picky ! Thanks for the reminder about pickling vs patination. I do hope someone can clarify the technique....

[b.hennick]

Given a choice I would go with this one:

http://www.nihonto.com/5.11.12.html

[John A Stuart]

I wonder if the golden coloured jiita may actually be not shakudo as is the rest of the kozuka, but, hakudo; a copper based alloy more akin to brass. John

[kaigunair]

I wonder if the golden coloured jiita may actually be not shakudo as is the rest of the kozuka, but, hakudo; a copper based alloy more akin to brass. John

 

I'm at a loss to know how to tell. Me feeling is that it would be just as difficult to mask and patinate the different parts (I'm assuming both shakudo colors would have to be patinated to get either result) as it would be to use different metals (which would also have had to be use on the sides) while joining them so seamlessly....

 

That ichijo is also quite lovely, though i see it in a different way than the kanatsugi; if i had to explain it, the kanatsugi's appreciation seems to be more technical in nature while the ichijo's is so much more about the art (the strokes/bori work). Guess that's why ichijo's works are held in such high esteem and command equivalent prices.

[John A Stuart]

That is the point. The jiita is assembled into the kozuka as a seperate piece altogether. John

[runagmc]

The body and back looks like shakudo, the frame like gold gilding, Fuji like 2 shibuichi alloys, and nanako ground jiita like copper...

 

Just my 2 cents...

[kaigunair]

Hmmm...well, not sure if this is significant, but the jiita (red copper colored metal) is actually also on the 3 side, not counting the opening for the ko-gatana. So not sure it could be set on top of a shakudo base from which the fuji would come from, but perhaps that is the case...