Akao tsuba?

[menpo]

Hi gents.

I recently purchased this piece and I was wondering if anyone could give me they're opinions on it. It's previously of the Holbrook collection and the original description and pictures are as follows:-

 

From the Holbrook collection: a classic early Edo Akao sukashi boat rudder pattern. Exceptional iron with large globular tekotsu in the mimi, and fine granular tekotsu throughout the face. Excellent color and condition. 7.77 cm x 7.68 cm x 4.8 mm. Because of its age, it would likely be the hand of the first or second Echizen Yoshitsugu.

 

The Shodai Echizen Yoshitsugu, said to be a student of Umetada Myoju, is credited as the founder of Akao school in the early seventeenth century. There are no signed examples of his work. At the encouragement of the Han Lord, he moved to Edo, and was employed by the Bakufu. The second generation became a tsubako whose common name was Kobee, he signed tsuba Akao Yoshitsugu. There is an interesting tsuba, dated Kambun gan san gatsu jitsu (March 1661), with the signature Kawachi no Kuni Akao Kinai.

 

My question is this, what makes it attributable to Akao when there are many other schools it could likely be? I have seen Teimei tsuba with the theme of a rudder although I don't think this is one and the Surface reminds me of akasaka work. Could any of you more knowledgable gentlemen enlighten me as to why this is Akao or even if it is Akao. Thanks for your help

 

Gethin

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Gethin,

 

Nice tsuba. I wonder if you might elaborate on what other groups you have in mind when you say "there are many other schools it could likely be"? You mention Akasaka; is this one of those schools? I think many would see the rim as being too squared for Akasaka. What other candidates did you have in mind?

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[menpo]

Hi Steve

Thank you for your reply. I mentioned that the surface reminded me of akasaka but then you have the mimi which is indeed squared. I've seen teimei tsuba with similar themes and also some owari work. Myochin would also be a possibility aswell as shoami of coarse. Ono school work is similar and some of the tsuba from Sado island look much the same. Kanayama school maybe a possibility or some of the umetada iron tsuba have similar surface. I'm not saying it isn't Akao, just wondering how it was attributed as Akao. What are you're thoughts on it?

 

Thanks again.

 

Gethin

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Gethin,

 

Just a few off-the-cuff thoughts here... The tsuba is likely too thin and too "polished" for Ono work, which is usually quite thick and "massive," and which often presents with rather bold tekkotsu, which this tsuba lacks (I mean the degree of boldness of tekkotsu). The general sense of design and expression is not one I would immediately associate with Shoami work, which somehow reads as "softer" than this (I realize how subjective that statement is... . I have not studied Sado work sufficiently to offer an opinion there, and Kanayama work is usually quite definite in its use of bold tekkotsu plus a yakite finish. Myochin work of the Edo period is usually signed, I believe (with a famous name, why not advertise it?). Teimei and Umetada are, in my view, the closest possibilities, but I haven't seen enough Teimei work in hand to be too confident in that possibility. As your original posts notes, there is some thought that the Akao shodai learned from Umetada Myoju, and though this is apocryphal, there is some stylistic similarity with other Umetada work I've seen. Akao tsuba, in my understanding, are often finished with a relatively polished surface, featuring bold designs whose construction is rather "sharp-edged" (the sukashi elements do not have much of a soft, rounded edge/corner to them). I don't see anything about your tsuba that would strongly point away from Akao, but this doesn't mean there aren't a few other possibilities. I think more research/work needs to be done with this group before we (I) can feel more confident in identifying the smiths'/school's tendencies with more confidence.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Steve Waszak]

One other thought: Suruga?

[menpo]

Hi Steve

Thanks again for the reply and the help. Yes suruga is another possibility I hadn't thought of. No that I'm concerned who the maker is because I simply bought it as I liked it, but it would be great if I could narrow it down. It is a lot better in hand than what the pictures make out. I'm even trying to look at which schools had rudder themed tsuba aswell. Teimei yagyu and myochin I've found so far!

 

Thanks again

 

Gethin