... and a final three iron tsuba, J, K and L ...

[docliss]

Hoping to have some more queries answered, I am attaching three final images of iron tsuba for members’ consideration.

 

Tsuba J

This is an openwork guard, measuring 8.8 cm – 7.8 cm, in a granular and darkly patinated metal. Within a solid, undulating mimi, the theme is that of tatsunami and momiji in a low relief, positive silhouette. There are two udenuki-ana, a single hitsu-ana, and the well-worn nakago-hitsu contains copper sekigane.

I presume this tsuba to fall under the heading of ‘Yagyu’, but am not sure when such a tsuba ceases to be properly classified by this name. Does the design have to have appeared in the Yagyu pattern book? And what about later copies by, for example, Iwata Norisuke?

 

Tsuba K

Depicting five takaha in positive silhouette within a solid, rounded border, this maru-gata tsuba measures 7.6 cm – 7.6 cm and is very darkly patinated. It is almost 6 mm at the seppa-dai, decreasing slightly in its thickness toward the mimi. The kebori detail on the takaha is so worn as to be barely visible in places, and there are granular tekkotsu visible on the mimi. The two ryo-hitsu are within solid rims, that for the kogai being rather small, and there is copper sekigane in the nakago-hitsu.

I presume this to be Akasaka work, but does its small kogai-hitsu and – as suggested by a member in a previous posting – its greater thickness, both suggest an earlier date?

 

Tsuba L

To close, I have attached this image of a beautiful, early Nara guard as a ‘bonne bouche’ for those ‘kinko men’ who have been patiently reading about iron guards as a result of my previous three submissions. It is aori-gata, measuring 7.0 cm – 6.0 cm, and depicts, in a high relief iroye of iron, silver and gold, Shoki with his kebori beard, great hat and silver ken. On the reverse, hiding from him up a tree, is a copper oni.

 

Regards, John L.

[Strider]

Hello, I really enjoyed your "Tour de Tsuba" and reading the comments from members. I especially like the last item, is it for sale? Not that I need more stuff, but at least this would be easier to hide from the wife HA HA Regards Scott