Clueless :(

[Marius]

Guys,

 

I am hopeless when it comes to such mei... Mokume does not help, either...

 

I will be grateful for help. Thanks in advance

 

Small size pic:

 

Big size pic:

 

different aspect:

 

 

[Toryu2020]

明珍〇〇 紀宗近作

 

Just guessing really - not at all confident this is Mune CHIKA. However if you start looking at Myochin signatures I think you will fill in the blanks...

-t

[Marius]

Thomas, 

 

Thank you so much! Your guess is certainly better than anything I can do...

 

  

[uwe]

My guess is, "Myochin Shikibu Ki no Munechika saku"!

[Marius]

Uwe,

 

Many thanks

 

:bowdown:

[k morita]

"Myochin Shikibu Ki no Munesada saku", not Munechika.

[uwe]

Thanks Morita san! "Munesada" is possible. But then it should be "...Minbu..." instead of "...Shikibu..." don't you think?

[Marius]

Dear Morita san,

 

Many many thanks  

 

  

[Akao]

"Myochin Shikibu Ki no Munesada saku", not Munechika.

 

What is the meaning of "Shikibu" in the mei ?

 

Thanks

[SteveM]

I don't know what meaning it had for the artist, but for us it is just another part of his name. Probably a mentor or past master used parts of these kanji in his name, and so as Munesada became more skilled and celebrated, Munesada was allowed to add these kanji to his "art name". 

 

I also think this is Minbu (民部) by the way. Wakayama's reference lists both Shikibu (式部) and Minbu as possibilities for this artist, but to me it looks like Minbu...

[Akao]

Thank you Steve !

 

In Genealogies book by Markus Sesko I also found about Myochin : Munesuke Shikibu ki 22nd generation, is There a relation ?

 

Is Munesada references in Haynes ? Have we got his dates of life ?

 

Thanks

[SteveM]

Myōchin is a school of artists that lasted several hundred years. Some artists using the Myōchin name may have been related by blood, but it is not a direct lineage. Both Munesada and the Munesuke you reference worked in Edo, and the common use of 式部 at some point in both of their lives' indicates to me some sort of connection - probably not a family relation, but maybe working in close proximity.

As I said, there are a lot of artists using the Myōchin name, and they exist throughout Japan. For some Myōchin artists, there are detailed entries explaining their lineage and their life. Other Myōchin artists are more obscure, and the reference book I use will just say "an artist using this name is known to have made sword fittings"...and there will be no other detail. Munesada is said to have worked in the latter part of the Edo period, lived in Edo, and used several names throughout his career. (I use a Japanese reference: Wakayama. I can't comment on the Haynes reference.)

 

Maybe others with more knowledge of Myōchin will chime in. 

[SteveM]

Let me also say it looks like it could be a very nice tsuba. Any pictures of the whole thing?

[uwe]

Well, implied we have the Mei right, then only one "Munesada" left. According to an entry in the Shin Katchushi Meikan, he was active around the mid Edo period and lived in Edo. The Myochin genealogy (most faked genealogy ever...) mentioned him as an son of the famous "Muneakira". It is said that he worked for the Asano family and was also known for high quality iron tsuba!

[Akao]

Here two pictures of this tsuba, sold recently on the NMB .

 

It does not seem to be so much from the late edo period like the Munesada mentionned ... ?

[uwe]

Seems to bear a Christian motive....?!

[Marius]

Hugues,

 

FFS, it is a late Edo piece, whatever the signature.  Yes, it is kind of Christian, Namban, whatever... Just a fad of the Bakumatsu. Certainly not one of those mythical Kirishitan kodogu of the Edo period, which did not exist, regardless of what smart dealers tell you.   

 

Gosh, guys, this has been described by myself in the sales section, and while I am certainly not an authority, keep in mind that there was a dozen of crests with a cross as the central motif. Is there any need to discuss this again?

 

It is a good tsuba in its own right, a revival "namban style" if you will. Analyse the mei to death, but leave that poor tsuba alone

[Akao]

Marius,

 

I am agree about the idea of a revival Namban theme and we don't discuss about it here.

Just want to understand What is behind the mei (gimei or not) and more understand the mei composition.

About datation, I'm maybe less severe than you :-)