Sukashi

[Bugyotsuji]

This was mentioned by a sword/armor(-our) shop owner here in Japan the other day. (Someone that I trust generally.)

 

I listened politely and filed the information for future query.

 

What he said was that many of the old iron Muromachi tsuba were in fact born and used as solid discs of iron. Most of the sukashi was cut out in later years, ie in the Edo Period. (Except for the Sun and Moon Udenuki holes for the himo which tend to be original, as dropping your sword while mounted on a horse was probably not too clever.)

 

Is this general knowledge and should I have read up on the site a bit more before posting? Puzzled in Paradise, Piers

[Rich T]

Ko Tosho and Ko Katchushi tsuba are Ubu. That the designs were not added later on but are original to the guards. This also applies to other iron works like sukashi tsuba that date to the mid Muromachi period, like Heianjo Sukashi, Owari, Kyo etc etc. And also to soft metal works, such as Ko Kinko, Tach Kanaguishi etc.

 

Possibly tsuba made in battle, or close the the fields were solid ?, so as to not waste time making them fancy, but to produce a product quickly. Just a thought. I have seen solid plate Katchushi tsuba before.

 

Here I have added an early Muromachi tsuba from my collection. This is ubu, the sukashi is not and add on.

 

I have not heard this stated as a generality before. I know it happens, but it is not the common rule as suggested.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks for the thoughts, Richard. I'll put them in my pipe and smoke them. I like the look of your Tsuba there, though. (The side holes look more functional than decorative, almost as though their function of allowing kogai and kozuka through without drawing the sword was just in the process of being discovered.)