An interesting tsuba imho!!

[Thierry BERNARD]

An interesting tsuba, any thoughts about it

 

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[Ford Hallam]

Hello Thierry,

 

that is quite an unusual guard. Non metallic inlays are not unknown on tsuba but this is the most I've ever seen on a single guard. I'd suggest that the 4 different materials are; water buffalo horn( dark grey), ivory( cream colour), mother of pearl ( white-ish)and cow horn (beige).

 

I think the design represents chidori, ( little birds which are often shown cavorting above breaking waves)

 

regards, Ford

[docliss]

Interesting, yes. But is that a millipede; chidori as suggested by Ford; or a wisteria blossom?

 

Regards, John L.

[Pete Klein]

I would have to go with chidori as you can see them carved in the iron. What is bothering me a bit on this piece is the lack of uniformity of the sukashi. The work looks somewhat amateurish and I have to wonder if it might have been a later addition, a 'project piece' shall we say?

[docliss]

We may have to agree to differ on this, I fear. There is a gradual reduction in the size of the openings from right to left, such as one sees in depictions of wisteria blossom. But I agree to agree regarding the nature of the work. The iron plate is, surely, katchushi work, and the shibeyama a later addition. But it may well be that the sukashi work, also, is a later modification to the original plate?

 

Regards, John L.

[John A Stuart]

A different tsuba, yes, not my cup of tea really.Reminds me of plovers, but fat ones. Wisteria too.

[Pete Klein]

This is an example (from http://www.nihontoantiques.com) of the wisteria sukashi form. There is a central spine which is absent from the example in question which leads me to the chidori attribution.

[John A Stuart]

Here are some Chidori tsuba including a Goto school example. John

[docliss]

... but if your shibeyama enthusiast removed the central spines in order to simplify his job, you would end up with an image identical to the wisteria one.

[Pete Klein]

This is true -- but I will then accept your proposal to disagree. The form even though it does decrease in size in places does not follow the symmetry of the classic form. It is just a bit too much of a stretch for my old eyes I suppose! LOL

[Thierry BERNARD]

I think the design represents chidori

[John A Stuart]

But Thierry isn't that the Akasaka goose theme? John

[Brian]

John,

 

I'm with you there

If you look at the positive iron left in between the inlays, then I see the classic geese profile we see so often. If this was all sukashi, and someone later decided to fill the spaces with inlays, it might look like this. Might explain the differen sizes too...at different heights.

 

No use debating it too much I guess..it's not like the original artist can post and say "so and so is right..that is what I was portraying :D "

 

Brian

[Rich T]

My take is I think Pete is pretty much on the money here. I am going to agree on birds, but Karigane 雁金, not chidori 千鳥. Wild geese flying in circular formation. I also think the variation is size is an artistic development resulting in the need to place a hitsu ana.

 

I regards to the millipede or wisteria idea, I think all one has to do is the remove the fill (in your mind or with photoshop) and you will see a flock of circling geese. Milt has a Hoan tusba (I think) with similar fill in it, is that right mate ?

 

Moving to another point, I like the heavy katchu style mimi, and the iron looks softish so what about a kantei folks, I get drawn towards an Owari piece, or perhaps one of the Owari groups.

 

Any other thoughts on this ?.

 

Rich

[Bungo]

" regards to the millipede or wisteria idea, I think all one has to do is the remove the fill (in your mind or with photoshop) and you will see a flock of circling geese. Milt has a Hoan tusba (I think) with similar fill in it, is that right mate ? "

 

you have good memory, matie.........

 

yes, the Hoan's holes( can't help it there, I do mean sukashi ) were " filled " later. There's a similar/identical tsuba with no fillers on Coles' site ( years ago ).

 

 

http://www.esnips.com/web/sujikabuto-fo ... e=21#files

for sale too !!

 

milt the ronin