Tsuba With Beaded Rim

[Ludolf Richter]

I recently bought this Shakudo Mumei-Tsuba from the collection of the Belgian collector Paul de Coninck,where it had the number 459.Besides some Namban-Tsuba,I did not find any other Tsuba with this beaded (multi-lobed or perled) rim.In Haynes Sale's Cat.#3 -Nr.16-he wrote that the rim cover is called Odawara fukurin and was used by Hirata Hikozo and his descendants.Who could please add some more information?Ludolf

[Guido]

It's not an addition (i.e. it's part of the tsuba), so it's not a fukurin. Here's a thread that explains how one is made, and gives an example of an Odawara fukurin: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12603-fitting-a-fukurin-to-a-katchushi-style-tsuba/

 

My memory is slowly going down the drain, so I'm not sure if I remember correctly, but I think a beaded rim is called juzu-mimi.

 

Btw: maybe I'm just seeing things, but the tsuba you posted looks cast to me.

[John A Stuart]

Maybe down the drain, you're the best judge of that, but, not in this case. Jizu-mimi, absolutely. It yells namban to me. John.

[Ludolf Richter]

Thanks Guido and John!So it's called Jizu-mimi.It's not cast.Ludolf

[docliss]

An interesting tsuba, but Namban? Surely it is a C18, Hizen guard, demonstrating a strong namban influence. John L.

[Guido]

It's not cast.

 

You're the one holding it in your hand, but this part, for instance, gives me the distinctive impression of casting (fuzzy edges, "bubbly" surface):

[MauroP]

Pretty sure the correct rōmaji term is juzu-mimi (数珠耳), juzu being a Buddhist string of prayer beads.

Bye, Mauro

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi Guido,the photo does not show the fine lines.Here is a new pic,but there is no green colour on the Tsuba as seen on the photo.Ludolf

[Ford Hallam]

I would have agreed with Guido about it being cast but a close inspection of the seppa-dai area reveals a fine dendritic structure to the metal. It's revealed like that because it's been lightly etched. Had it been cast the structure would be far more coarse. Likely an original treatment and that's what's giving the metal that 'fuzzy' appearance

[Brian]

Love how artist's eyes see things we would normally not even look at

[Ford Hallam]

Cheers Brian, but that was my metallurgical 'eyes' doing the looking there It's a Friday evening, my artist's eyes were eying up a bottle of chilled Sancerre. :-)

[Guido]

I would have agreed with Guido about it being cast but a close inspection of the seppa-dai area reveals a fine dendritic structure to the metal. It's revealed like that because it's been lightly etched. Had it been cast the structure would be far more coarse. Likely an original treatment and that's what's giving the metal that 'fuzzy' appearance

 

But why? "How to ruin a perfectly nice tsuba by applying acid, scratches, and a sloppy gold application?"