Tsuba Assistance

[Ryubiken]

'ello

 

Been trying to identify this tsuba, but the world of tosogu is quite uncommon to me. Tried to translate the mei and the papers and came up with 入道正久 - Nyudô Masahisa. I could just and just understand the dimensions mentioned in the papers, but the "comments" section remained completely mysterious. I tried also to figure the school to which it belongs and my uncertain guess is choshu.

 

My understanding of the paper (NTKK):

 

Tsuba

Mei: Nyudô Masahisa

Kumoryuzu (Represents dragon in the coulds?)

Material: iron and something?

Date: Late edo period

Dimensions: Width: 85mm, height: 79mm, thickness mimi: 5mm, thickness seppa-dai: 2,5 mm

 

Comments section: complete mystery

 

And lastly "proven legit, our educated guess, signed by, etc. etc."

Dated: Heisei 26 nen 10 gatsu 7 hi (7th day of october 2014).

 

 

I could find one tsuba signed similar, but mei was chiseled differently.

Missed anything? Comments about the tsuba, worksmanship, maker, etc.? All information is welcomed open arms.

 

[Henry Wilson]

A quick Jeff Duke (look) seems to reveal that the comments explicitly state the physical characteristics and appearance of the tsuba. I am sure someone with plenty of time on their hands will be more helpful. In the meantime, why not have a blast (go) at deciphering the big scary kanji on an electronic dictionary. The information is embedded in the scariness.

[Marius]

This organisation would paper just about everything, so I wouldn't bother reading what they have to say. You have a nice, signed tsuba. Time to hit the books and other avaliable resources to see if the mei is legit. 

[docliss]

This tsuba is inscribed NYUDO SHOKYU (H 04024.0).  Izumi Masahisa is described by Haynes as working ca 1800, and he describes one iron tsuba by this artist, listed as #51 on p.113 of the Red Cross catalogue, and illustrated, not on pl.CII as described, but on pl.CIII.  This artist is not included in Kinkō Meikan, and I do not possess Wakayama’s book to check Haynes' reference (W-344-L-2) for the mei.  Sorry!

 

John L.

[Jussi Ekholm]

I'm hoping more experienced members can chime in on this one. Unfortunately the pic is bit small and I can't make out every character. Here is my translation about the comments section, I know I have errors in here so I'm hoping someone will correct them.

 

和泉氏 入道正久と銘し - Mr. Izumi   mei Nyudo Masahisa

 

明珍宗久と合作がある - Myochin Munehisa to gassaku ga aru : Collaboration with Myochin Munehisa

 

本作黒味を?びた鉄地に迫のある竜頚を - Hon saku Kuro aji wo ? bita tetsu-ji ni sako no aru ryukei wo : This work black taste ? (bita?) steel surface and dragon

 

鋤出彫りで?し - Sukidashi bori de ? shi : (Sukidashi technique means carving off large parts of tsuba and remaining surface is finished with fine chisels)

 

???? - Then I couldn't figure out next one

 

両櫃は赤銅で埋め - Ryo hitsu wa shakudo de ume : Both hitsu are filled with shakudo

 

美事に仕上げてあがる - Migoto ni shiagete agaru : ?

 

?少で?重なる名鍔 - I got mei that overlaps for this partial column

 

I saw that Haynes also listed him working together with Myochin Munehisa (him making the plate and Masahisa doing decoration), so it seems to me that this paper suggests similar for this tsuba.

 

I got to briefly see this tsuba but I don't know much about tsuba so my thinking does not mean much. I thought it was quite nice tsuba but I can't say anything else about it. Hopefully someone can help more, I had to wait until I was at home with my books and bookmarks before I posted in this thread.

[docliss]

明珍宗久と合作がある - Myochin Munehisa to gassaku ga aru : Collaboration with Myochin Munehisa

 

While it is acknowledged that this artist used to work on iron plates supplied by Myochin Munehisa, is it conceivable that the NTKK were able to identify this particular Myochin artist as being the maker of this particular plate, or is this statement merely an assumption based upon this knowledge?

 

John L.

[docliss]

和泉氏 入道正久と銘し - Mr. Izumi mei Nyudo Masahisa

 

 

A nyūdō mei is one in which the lay priest name of the artist is used, and this is usually translated as the on'yomi (Chinese 'sound reading') of the name. Thus 入道正久 would normally be read as Nyūdō Shōkyū, rather than as N. Masahisa.

 

John L.