Christian Motif

[Henry Wilson]

Could this be a christian motif?

 

http://www.aoi-art.com/fittings/new/05278.html

[Pete Klein]

Hello Henry -- I would tend to think it might very well be. If you look at the negative sukashi image it seems quite reminiscent of a Portuguese cross which would make sense as they were involved with bringing Christianity to Japan in the sixteenth century. Also, the hisu-ana has the narrow elongated (ovoid) shape of pre-Edo hitsu-ana and the piece in general has a Katchushi look to it. The metal looks old also and I wouldn't be surprised if there were some tekotsu. I cannot of course speak for condition as that is dificult to tell from the pictures. I think it would be considered a candidate for that category.

[DavidF]

Unfortunately the Christian cross on tsuba is usually very hard to identify because there are several mon that also use a cross (e.g. Suzuki).

 

Nevertheless, there were Christian Samurai in Japan for almost one hundred years. Below is the only tsuba that I've been able to verify that actually has an unmistakable Christian cross. It was recently auctioned off at Christies.

 

 

DaveF.

[Rich T]

Here's another example from the book 'Tsuba Kanshoki', Japanese first edition, by Torigoye Kazutaro with translation by John Yumoto and Robert Haynes.

 

Rich

[Henry Wilson]

Thanks Rich

 

Nice piece but to my untrained eye I cannot see much of a christian influence. :? Could it be that the reference is very subtle? As it does not bear the resemble of a cross.

 

Also what do you think of the the piece I posted before? Any good for the price?

[Bungo]

Thanks Rich

 

Nice piece but to my untrained eye I cannot see much of a christian influence. :? Could it be that the reference is very subtle? As it does not bear the resemble of a cross.

 

Also what do you think of the the piece I posted before? Any good for the price?

 

the one in Aoe arts....I seriously doubt it's a Christian tsuba( as I have one that's more like a cross and i don't consider that a Ch. tsuba ).

Big size though and in sukashi that's always a " plus " ( I don't know why since most of the Kanayama are small ) , so the asking price is ok ( from the point of view of a gallery ).

You are better off buying from the Daimyo............. now do i get my 5 % rebate ?

 

Milt THE ronin

[Nobody]

As for Rich's tsuba, the motif is called Hana-Kurusu (花久留子). It is a family crest which is an arrenged christian cross motif.

 

http://www.otomiya.com/kamon/kibutsu/kurusu.htm

[Rich T]

for that link Koichi, that is very interesting.

 

Rich

[Bungo]

http://cgi.ebay.com/17th-18th-c-Japanes ... dZViewItem

 

stretch your imagination a little and you can see a cross, or 4 chalices forming a cross...............

but I wouldn't call this a Christian tsuba.

 

Milt THE ronin

[Pete Klein]

OK -- a bad pun I just couldn't resist. I found a very similar tsuba in tha Sano Museum's book, 'Sukashi Tsuba, Kofun to Edo', pg. 47 #49. It is described as, 'Sukashi Tsuba of Rays of the Sun design (hiashi). Katchushi, Muromachi Period', etc.