tsuba A Lot Of Questions On A Yamakichibei Tsuba

[Kurikata]

I just bought this tsuba signed Yamakichibei. Having it in hands , it looks like being late Edo.

 

I have  lot of questions about it:

 

- Are the rectangular histu ana a kantei point for this school ?

- What are the sukashi design (tools ) ?

- Does the signature looks legitimate?

 

Thank you in advance on your views.....

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Bruno,

 

You are probably right:  this is a late Edo copy of or "homage" to Yamakichibei (specifically, to the nidai, who was a smith in the Yamakichibei atelier in the Momoyama and very early Edo Periods).  The other possibility is that this is a post-Edo Period piece.  It is certainly no earlier than 19th-century. 

 

The rectangular hitsu-ana are not kantei points for the authentic Yamakichibei smiths:  I can't recall seeing any genuine works with such hitsu-ana.

 

As for the motif, this is one associated with two of the smiths of this atelier---the nidai and one other tsubako (see attached photo for example of his work).  I don't know that I have seen any explanation/identification of this motif that is confident or certain of what it is.  I have seen it described as a katakana "e" character, but I am a bit skeptical of this.

 

As to the mei, since this is a piece having been made at least 200 years after the end of the actual Yamakichibei workshop, the signature of course cannot be "legitimate," if by this term you mean to reference one of the authentic tsubako of that workshop.

 

There are many other indicators in this tsuba that show it to be a very late copy/homage:  the steel is nothing like actual Yamakichibei metal.  The shape is not one used by the 16th/17th-century smiths.  The rim is perfunctory and ho-hum (nidai Yamakichibei rims are sublimely excellent).  The "amida-yasuri" are amateurish (compare to authentic nidai amida-yasuri in the photo below).

 

Hope this helps...

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Kurikata]

Thank you Steve. You confirm my initial views on this tsuba......

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Bruno,

 

No problem.   Just to clarify, too, when I say the shape is not correct for the Yamakichibei smiths of the Momoyama years, I mean that the sort of tall, stiff mokko shape seen for the tsuba in your photos is not seen in those early works.  Their mokkogata pieces have far more "life" to the shaping of the guard.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve