A Jakushi tsuba ...

[docliss]

Reverting to my preferred kinkō work, I am attaching images of an especially fine ‘Jakushi’ tsuba. This is on an unusually large, thin iron plate, measuring 8.5 cm – 8.0 cm, and is very darkly patinated. The sansui image on both surfaces is devoid of figures, and demonstrates the exquisite, low relief effect that can be obtained by the kusarachi process. Interestingly, the soft metal decoration is confined to a sparse, delicate zōgan of gold and copper, and there are no signs of the profuse nunome-zōgan that devalues much of the later work of this school. The mimi has marked, circumferential grooving, presumably the result of folding during the forging process, and the ryō-hitsu are wide. It is inscribed ura-mei, and this signature is identical to that illustrated on p. 162b of Kinkō Meikan, but unfortunately this entry does not specify to which of the Jakushi artists it refers.

 

The following suggestions have been made as to its attribution:

 

• Based upon the presence of the ura-mei, it is a ‘made to order’ tsuba by the nidai, who reverted to the style of his father while making it.

• It is by Jakushi Koretaka who, working in the mid-1800s, produced work that Hayes states are ‘almost equal to that of the first master’.

• Because of the wide ryō-hitsu and the oblong form of the gold and copper nunome on the trees, it is a very good (?Aizu) Shōami copy of Jakushi work.

 

I look forward to reading your opinions.

 

Regards, John L.

[Michel D]

Hello everyone,

 

First of all, very nice tsuba, with a beautiful sansui landscape.

 

I had the opportunity, one year ago, to have in hand a Jakushi nidai tsuba. As far as I can remember and what I read, "nidai's works are rather thick with several tones of gold.A dragon on the ura side is not uncommon".(this was the case)At the least, the thin thickness and the absence of the classical gold nunome lead me to think that this is not the nidai's work.

 

When it comes to assess who did it... Say... it differs from the typical Jakushi work we are used to come across. Hope some others will bring more!

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi John,I agree with Michel that your Tsuba was not made by the "Nidai".The knowledge about the Jakushi family with 5-6 generations seems to be very unsatisfied.I have a Jakushi Tsuba too,but am unable (with all my many books!) to find the originator.There is even a dispute among the various authors about the "Shodai"(probably a Samurai of the Ryuzoji clan of Saga,definitely a man who studied painting,with works still in existance,he became a priest of the Shukafuji temple at Nagasaki); he may never have made a Tsuba or Fuchi/Kashira at all!Haynes made the "Nidai" his son,but others believe him to be his brother,while the sons used different Go's.The "Nidai" is said to have been a harbour official at Nagasaki,who learned the etching technique ("Kusarakashi") from foreigners.The use of Nunome Zogan in the higher parts of the low relief modeling is said to be characteristic for the "Nidai",but there is no proof,that later generation didn't use that feature too.In the newer edition (shin-san) of the Kinko Meikan are 6 examples with Jakushi-Mei on page 508,but not 2 alike!Ludolf

[yogoro]

Hi Ludolf !

I have daisho tsuba signed Jukashi but I can not translate kanji in right side.

Is alike to examples in Kinko Meikan ?

kind regards

Mikolaj

[docliss]

Dear Mikolaj

 

I shall be interested to see if Ludolf agrees with my reply to your query. The inscription on the right of the nakago-hitsu on both of your tsuba appears to be Kozaemon, followed by a kao. Kozaemon was a go used by several of the Jakushi artists, but I am not familiar with the kao. The inscriptions on your tsuba do not correspond to those on p. 162 of Kinko Meikan, but all four of these are different from one another and the identification of work by the various Jakushi artists is extremely difficult.

 

I should certainly consider your daisho pair of tsuba to be good examples of the school's work, but by which of those artists I know not.

 

Regards, John L.

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi all,there is no Go "Kozaemon" but only "Kizaemon".The Sosho-writing of Kizaemon can be seen in the pics of the Kinko Meikan and the shin-san Kinko Meikan.I tried to find the right side part of the Mei of the Daisho Tsuba in my Sosho dictionary:I resigned after two hours!I hope ,one of our Japanese members will solve the problem.Ludolf

PS.There is no Jakushi-Kao listed in the books.