Soten II Tsuba ?

[snmbel]

Want to take a picture to get some input on the tsuba that is on the sword I recieved from my Grandfather about 28 years ago. It is very dirty.....is there a non invasive way to clean it...or should the dust not matter.

 

Thanks in advance for the help...we will post pics later

 

Michael

[Brian]

Here you go Michael. http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/Cleaning.htm

Look forward to the pics.

 

Regards,

Brian

[snmbel]

Thank you for the info...here are some pics

Also posted a pic of the Kanji on the Tang, Hope to learn a little about the sword.

 

Thanks again to all

 

Michael

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ludolf Richter]

It's a typical "Soten-School"-Tsuba.The Mei reads:(1st side-right) Goshu (left) Hikone ju

(2nd side-right) Soheishi (left) Nyudo Soten sei.Meaning:The lay priest Soten with name Soheishi (or Mogarashi) from Hikone in the province Omi manufactured this Tsuba.Instead of "saku" or "tsukuru" (made this) both generations Soten used "sei".I cannot remember a Tsuba,where both ana for Kozuka and Kogai had the same shape,here as a Kogai hitsu.It is said,that the best students of the Soten-School were allowed to sign their Tsuba with the masters mei,but from the standard definition it's still Gimei.Many Tsubaka all around Japan faked the Soten-style Tsuba ("hikonebori"-style).Before the 1st generation Soten became a lay priest (Nyudo),he is said to have used Shuten as Go (with a different 1st Kanji).Ludolf

[snmbel]

Thank you very much for the info....that should keep me busy for a while researching what it means...lol..nothing is more humbleing than realizing you do not know anything about a subject. I am sure I will have more questions and I will try to make them worth your time.

 

Respectfully

 

Michael

 

Alright...the questions are coming faster than I thought.....does this appear to be an authentic soten school tsuba or one of the faked ones?

 

If Soten allowed his not so prominant students to sign his mei.....how would you know which one was real vs. students?

[Brian]

Michael,

 

You judge them mainly by the quality of the world. Good Soten work will be immediately apparent.

Take a look at these examples, and compare: http://www.truefork.org/Photography/Tsuba_4.php

 

There are also posts here about Soten work:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2342 and compare yours to the one mentioned here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2768&p=19593

 

Brian

[docliss]

Dear Michael

 

I have to agree with Ludolf that your tsuba is one of the ubiquitous SÅten copies that are found, and is probably an example of the poor work produced by the Aizu-ShÅami school in the late Edo period. I cannot, however, agree with his comment regarding the similar shapes of the kÅgai and kodzuka-hitsu. It is not uncommon to find two hitsu, both of which are either hangetsu-gata or, as in this case, suhama-gata. The latter is, I believe, sometimes a feature of ShÅami work?

 

Regards, John L.

[Martin]

I cannot, however, agree with his comment regarding the similar shapes of the kÅgai and kodzuka-hitsu. It is not uncommon to find two hitsu, both of which are either hangetsu-gata or, as in this case, suhama-gata.

 

Hi all,

I second Johns observations here. There are many (and old) Tsuba, that have uniformly shaped Hitsu-Ana.

But maybe Ludolf only refers to the Soten school with his statement...

 

cheers,

[docliss]

Martin’s assertions as to Ludolf’s intentions may well be correct, but I still disagree with them. Examples of Hikone-bori tsuba with two suhama-gata hitsu-ana can be found as follows:

 

The Catalogue of the JC Hawkshaw Collection, Pl. XV, #758

Token Bijutsu (English Edition), Spring 1988, No 36, p. 27

 

I also have one in my own collection.

 

Regards, John L.

[snmbel]

Thanks to all for the help. I recieved the sword from my Grandfather when I was 9 years old. He was passing and I got to pick one thing. As much as I can remember he claimed to have gotten this in the war, so I wanted to try to get some history to pass on to my kids. It was my understanding that this was a sword that was in use, not just an art piece, but that was 25+ years ago. Thanks again and if anyone has anything further to add...we would love to hear your ideas.

 

Much appreciation

 

Michael