Fern Menuki Kantei

[Ford Hallam]

I've treasured this pair of copper menuki for nearly 20 years. For me they are real 'metalworkers metalwork'. The techniques used to create the illusion of a fern are very clever and skilful in the way they make complete use of the properties of the copper to be manipulated and  worked.

 

They depict 'tsukushi' ferns and were made sometime in the mid 18th century (circa 1750 ish) . Although not by one of the first rank great masters he was the leading student of one of them.

 

The longer fern is a little over 3 inches in length, they're signed, mei and kao, and the box is signed by a famous appraiser.

 

I won't offer any more clues as to the makers identity just yet so have a ponder and make a suggestion as to their author.

 

 

 

edited to add, not techniclly a fern, merely a relative, but they are cooked in spring dishes with ferns :-p

[DirkO]

Ichinomiya school? And taking an even wilder guess Banryuken Sadanaka, student of Ichinomiya Nagatsune.

[vajo]

Hello Ford,

 

very nice work. But for me it don't look like a fern. Do you know which fern?

 

Looks for me more like a conifer.

 

Maybe a in german called "Zapfenfichte"

 

 

Regards

 

Chris

[ROKUJURO]

Ford,

actually, TSUKUSHI is not exactly a fern (although from the basic family and a similarly old species), but a horsetail (EQUISETUM ARVENSE).

I like it a lot, and it seems indeed skillfully made.

Thank you for showing these special MENUKI!  

[Ian]

I think these are Tsukushi (horse tail) ? Very nice menuki . I believe some sayashi use it for the final polish of a Shirasaya 

 

Jean and I must have been typing at the same time 

[Stephen]

Ian beat me too it while searching yes horse tail 

 

non the less fantastic, so there made by casting? didnt have lost wax back then id they?

[Ford Hallam]

Not cast, Stephen...hush your mouth   Classic uchidashi but with pretty thick copper, casting copper is notoriously complicated because molten copper can absorb up to 100% its own volume in oxygen rendering it a useless sponge.  I can't think of a single pre-modern cast copper artefact actually.

 

Lost wax casting dates back to the very beginnings of metalworking almost everywhere.

 

Hakogaki reads Tsukushi.

 

 

 

 

Tsukushi -Field horsetail -Equisetum arvense

 

Ian, it's tokusa that is used to finish wood.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I'm pretty sure it's a cast Chinese repros. To save you the embarrassment and since I have very high respect for you, I'll take them off your hands for $50. I guess it may be a hard 20 year lesson for you. If you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic - very lovely ford! But my offer stands

[Ian]

Hi Ford

 

Yes that's the one. 

[Fuuten]

I wish i were more knowledgeable in tosogu, i can't do kantei. Great menuki though!

 

The workmanship kind of reminded me of this pair, unfortunately i only saved the picture. Pretty sure on memory alone they were not papered and mumei.

 

- http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16544-lovable-menuki/

[ROKUJURO]

In former times, horsetail was used as a mild abrasive because of its content of crystalline silicon dioxide, especially for pewter kitchenware. Hence the name "Zinnkraut" in German. 

[Ford Hallam]

Jean, yes, the scouring horsetail would be the  tokusa - equisetum hyemale. As you say, used for it's abrasive qualities. This one, though,  is the tsukushi- equisetum arvense and is the edible variety, and symbolic of spring or early March apparently.   

[Brian]

Beautiful pair, and very unusual. Love them.

 

That said..here are their poor copy cousins. Can't compare...

 

http://nihontofrance.com/tosogu-2/horsetail-menuki/?lang=en

[jlawson]

Could be lots of folks but I have seen a very similar pair by a craftsman in the Otsuki group so maybe. I also have a pair over very large Octopus that are somewhat similar in work that are mumei and attributed to Sekibun.  

[vajo]

Thank you. I learn a lot.

Ford this motiv seems very rare. I didn't see anything like this.

Thanks for showing it.

[Stephen]

OK James cough up the oct te pie in a new thread, love to see them.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Ford, thank you for showing and sharing.

[k morita]

hakogaki says:

在銘　(zaimei/signed )
藪常直　(Yabu Tsunenao)

 

つくし目貫　(Tsukushi menuki)

[Ford Hallam]

Thank you Morita San, I was wondering who would realise I had put the answer there :-)

[DirkO]

Some additional info about him can be found here

http://www.ncjsc.org/item_ichinomiya_tsunenao_FK.htm

[Heringsdorf]

Found a similar set of Menuki supposedly by the same maker.

They don't look as well made as Fords Menuki though.

 

http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b212600004