Nanban Tsuba

[Jorgensen]

I notice the rim and some design is very thin compared to other examples I have seen. The layers in the steel is very visible (seen from the side). Can someone tell me more about this Tsuba, approx age etc.?

 

It measures: 6.9 x 6.8 cm.

[docliss]

With its extensive openwork with undercutting, its affrontés dragons with a tama jewel and the decorative seppa-dai with a seigaiha diaper decoration – all defining characteristics of the group – Jimi-san’s tsuba is clearly Namban. But it is unusual in several features: the delicacy of the karakusa design, the irregular margins of the ryō-hitsu and the extreme thinness of the mimi are all strange.

 

The only explanation that I can think of for all of these features is of severe damage by rust at some stage in its existence. This would cause both the delicacy of the decoration and the irregular shape of the ryō-hitsu, which are larger than usual. Presumably the rim, once denticular and rusted, has had this decoration removed, thus creating a ‘false’ mimi that is clearly non-functional and, possibly, a slightly smaller than normal size to the tsuba.

 

Its date is anybody’s guess, but I see no reason to doubt a common, nineteenth century Japanese origin.

 

John L.

[Marius]

John,

 

Wouldn't heavy rust obliterate the carving on the seppa-dai?

[Grey Doffin]

The hitsu have been enlarged or possibly opened in a plate that didn't originally have any.

Grey

[Marius]

Grey,

 

that was my impression, too.

[docliss]

Marius and Grey

 

That the ryō-hitsu on this tsuba are later modifications to the original plate – something frequently found in tsuba of this group – is, I should have thought, fairly obvious. But these apertures would not have had metal ‘spikes’ protruding into them as in this case; these would have damaged the kozuka and kōgai, and have developed subsequently.

 

As for the absence of rusting of the seppa-dai, this flattened area would have decayed less readily than the delicate openwork, with its large surface area exposed to moisture.

 

I rest my case, John L.

[Peter Bleed]

Grey said:

The hitsu have been enlarged or possibly opened in a plate that didn't originally have any.

 

I think these hitsu may have had sharkudo rims - that have been lost. No great loss, but I would NOT recommend building this guard into a koshirae that has a fine kozuka!

Peter

[Jorgensen]

Dear Sirs,

 

Thank you for your comments. No fine or less fine Kozuka/Kogai will come close to this tsuba - I will keep it in the box

 

As I still am impressed by the complexity/workmanship (it must have taken a lot of time to carve) and to show the layers, I have posted some additional pictures. When in hand, the "core" metal looks a little less dark, compared to the surrounding metal.

 

Must say I hate taking pictures of tsuba. Always pictures get to look so crude and tsuba always look much, much better in hand.