Tsuba looking for a Mimi ;o)

[Martin]

this is indeed a "Pretty Rare form edo tsuba" :D

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-sword-SIGNE ... dZViewItem

 

... that must have also been pretty inconvenient (if you had a few kilos too much :lol: )

[Mark]

maybe it had a rim that was damaged and removed, can't imagine it was made that way

[kusunokimasahige]

must have had a rim... it looks sawed off......

 

btw if it didnt have had a rim i would not like it on my katana hahahaha

 

drawing fast will become very dangerous in front of an opponent...... getting entangled...... yaikes!

 

:lol:

 

KM

[Rich T]

tsuba like this from time to time, the Echizen Kinai group also made them. I agree it does look a bit odd but it is possible it was made this way. The ones I have seen have a radiated mon design or something that looks more in place. I have also seen a horse and ox motif that has a partial or no mini on more than one occasion. Here is another example, though this has a patical mimi.

 

http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b75656106

 

The tsuba linked by Martin above was also on Yahoo Japan last month.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Bungo]

the cow tsuba with " partial " mimi is made , designed that way and looks natural .

The first one is just plain " uncomfortable " to behold.

 

milt the ronin

[Martin]

Honestly I also don´t think that this was part of the Tsubakos design.

At least I never saw anything comparable with those sharp edges and looking at the design "something" is missing as Milt pointed out.

 

cheers,

Martin

[Pete Klein]

Boys -- it's lost it's rim, probably to rust.

 

Jeez...

[Nobody]

Basically a tsuba was a practical part of arms rather than an art. The shape of the tsuba in question looks inappropriate for practical use to me.

If it was an original shape, I am afraid that it often caught samurai's sleeve in his daily life.

[Pete Klein]

Koichi brings up a good point. If a 'tsuba' does not fulfill it's function then it is not a tsuba. Sometimes in shinsa a piece is rejected because even though it looks like a tsuba it is actually an artwork and will not function as a tsuba. Some late Edo pieces which were made as presentation pieces and are not mountable fit this category. If you can't mount it on a sword and use it then it is not a tsuba and it will be rejected by the shinsa team.

[Rich T]

Basically a tsuba was a practical part of arms rather than an art. The shape of the tsuba in question looks inappropriate for practical use to me.

If it was an original shape, I am afraid that it often caught samurai's sleeve in his daily life.

 

Good point Koichi, and one I suspect is correct. I am unsure of the rust thoery but it may be right. Enough rust to warrant the removal of a mimi would have I would of thought, effected other parts of the tsuba s well. Maybe another form of damage ?

 

Also, if the mimi was removed, it was done rather carefully. and thirdly, why would you bother if it was damaged ?

 

All interesting questions in regards to a rather uninteresting tsuba. Still, I never underestimate the Japanese aesthetic, it is always full of surprises.

 

Richard

[Pete Klein]

'and thirdly, why would you bother if it was damaged'

 

Well, gee, maybe to sell to some unsuspecting gaijin as a rare historical (sounds like hysterical) treasure? LOL

[Bungo]

it is an autographed piece.........

 

milt the ronin

[Pete Klein]

Yeah -- and I have a set of the Christie's Compton I, II, and III auction catalogs autographed by Walter A. Compton himself!

[Rich T]

So where is it's mimi ?, and yes, I would suspect this would get caught in the sleaves as Koichi san suggested, but I think this is very much an intentional design. As I said, the mimi free tsuba have been seen, and do exist.

 

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/53-IRON-TSUBA-In-calligraphic-form-Worn-signature_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28183QQihZ009QQitemZ190139294799QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

Whether they are of any practical use, I have no idea.

[Bungo]

there are two styles of automobile .......hard top and convertible.

 

Hard top looks fine, so does a convertible.

But.........

Saw off the top of a hardtop to make it into an instant convertible .......

HIDEOUS !!

 

 

milt the ronin

[Brian]

Yes, I agree with Rich that this one was made that way. Very unusual, and still striking.

Looks to have been mounted too, so possibly made for a special occasion or during a time when the sword wasn't carried daily perhaps?

Without a mimi, how difficult is an attribution on it to school?

 

Brian

[Bungo]

" As I said, the mimi free tsuba have been seen, and do exist."

 

of course they exist....... like the bird design ( that looks like a little round off thunderbird ), the skull design etc.

 

milt the ronin