Kantei For Tsuba

[kissakai]

Hi

I have seen and copied the kantei sheets for nihonto and it is a good exercise

Is there anything similar for tsuba?

 

 

 

[Ford Hallam]

I would hope not. Can anyone imagine something similar for any non-Japanese artist of the last 1000 years?

 

In terms of artistic connoisseurship the very idea of 'kantei' is the very lowest level of  tosogu appraisal and appreciation.

 

It's in reality merely a very limited and constrained judgement based on arbitrary and unsubstantiated subjective criteria. Until Japanese authorities provide explanations, rationale and evidence for their pronouncements I fear that in terms of general academic consensus their 'labels' lack any real credibility.

[DaveT]

We see the same for papered armour. Many a time the paper is based on an incorrect appraisal that becomes legend. Papers should hold no value, nor add value, as they only reflect a wriiten opinion.

[kissakai]

Hi

Prior to posting this item I searched 'kantei tsuba' and there were a few 'hits' but these only show isolated examples such as 'a kantei point for this tsuba is.........

I see over and over again nihonto analysed using kantei points and I wonder if this was because there are so many recorded and salients points for a maker/school

 

I have just had papers for an Owari Daisho that I showed to Bob Haynes

Anyone who has been helped by Bob will know how kind, helpful and considerate he is with a novice collector

With this set it he was so adamant they were not Owari, not a daisho or even made at the same time!

He said this in the kindest way possible but I could detect he was disappointed with the papers which is echoing what the previous replies are saying

 

 

Grev UK

[Ford Hallam]

The most obvious problem for kantei points on tosogu is that if they can be readily described they can then reasonably easily be replicated. In fact, for fakers, they'd be quite handy. The maxim of the art forger is, 'give them what they expect'.

 

Just for interests sake here are two pages from the Kinko Kantei Hiketsu, 1820, "Secrets in examining metalwork. A guide to the detection of forgeries in the metalwork of the Goto school." (2 volumes)

And this was no private or limited edition printing. Back in the day, books like this, that purported to educate the masses in all aspects of the arts, were hugely popular and common in the major cities of Edo Japan from the start of the 18th century. I imagine they were to be found in most metalwork studios of the period too.

 

For anyone interested in this publishing phenomenon I'd recommend 'Edo Culture, Daily Life and Diversions in Urban Japan, 1600-1868.' by Nishiyama Matsunosuke.

 

 

[Alan Morton]

Well I get a lesson every time FH says something [prints].

Alan

[kissakai]

Being a bottom feeder I get a lesson every time anyone says something

[SalaMarcos]

Thanks for that book recomendation!