Soshin Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 Hi Everyone, Just wanted to share my last new tsuba of the Tampa show this year. I made photos today that turned out nice in my opinion. This iron tsuba is likely an early example of the Saotome school circa the Azuchi-Momoyama Period and measures 7.8 cm wide by 8.1 cm high. The negative silhouetted openwork design (kage-sukashi 影透) is of the conch shell trumpet called a (horagai 法螺貝) in Japanese. It has a strong association with the ascetic warrior-monks of the Shugendo sect of Japanese Buddhism referred to as (yamabushi 山伏). The yamabushi used the trumpet to signal their presence (or movements) to one another across mountains and to accompany the chanting of sutras. Here is more information about the Japanese conch shell trumpet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horagai. Enjoy and feel free to discuss. Quote
John A Stuart Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 Love hearing that sound echoing off the hills. My family have had one, now mine, since the 20's and we used to sound it to call everyone to eat off the lake. Saotome iron can be really nice. A pleasant design element. John Quote
Soshin Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Hi John S., Thanks for the reply. The iron of this tsuba is truly remarkable and is best felt in hand. I also love the iron bones along the rim as well. The sound of a horagai is remarkable in my opinion. Here is a Youtube video of a horagai in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6FZXoIU4Q0. Enjoy... Quote
raven2 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Hi Dave, Yes, I looked at that one a few times, it appeals to me quite a bit. The metal is quite good. Quote
Soshin Posted April 5, 2014 Author Report Posted April 5, 2014 Hi Fred D., I completely agree. I was never impressed by Grey's photos of this tsuba on his website but when I saw it a Tampa show and looked at it in natural sunlight it was a must purchase. The tonal quality of the iron when tapped is remarkable as well. The forge of the iron is quite good without flaws even among the openwork. The subject of the openwork design is equally as interesting to me in a Japanese cultural context. :D P.S. Everyone I added this tsuba to my website's homepage. Check it out to see higher resolution photos of this tsuba as well as a sample of the information I am working on in my write up about this wonderful tsuba. The weblink to my homepage is below in my signature. Quote
Stephen Posted April 5, 2014 Report Posted April 5, 2014 Great looking Tsuba and much better photos!!!, also enjoyed the link to Horagai ...hai domo! Quote
Stephen Posted April 5, 2014 Report Posted April 5, 2014 Grey, I meant other than David's early photos Quote
TosoguCz Posted April 13, 2014 Report Posted April 13, 2014 Hi John S., Thanks for the reply. The iron of this tsuba is truly remarkable and is best felt in hand. I also love the iron bones along the rim as well. The sound of a horagai is remarkable in my opinion. Here is a Youtube video of a horagai in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6FZXoIU4Q0. Enjoy... Have you noticed, that the tsuba has been lacquered? Quote
Soshin Posted April 13, 2014 Author Report Posted April 13, 2014 Hi Roman, It might have been. Many of these old iron tsuba from that era and before were covered with black lacquered. Here is another tsuba on my website that shows signs of black lacquer application: http://www.tsubaotaku.com/#!Nanban-Saku-Tsuba-/zoom/c211q/image1f5e. In particular very near the raised rim. Below is a tsuba featured in the NBTHK monthly journal and was issued Juyo papers. It displays the black lacquer very nicely. Quote
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