Vermithrax16 Posted January 4, 2018 Report Posted January 4, 2018 Well, if you are in the Northeast corridor, you know it's been a tough winter already. Today a blizzard here in Massachusetts (12 inches snow) and now high winds and soon to be -25 degrees. Great. Luckily, the USPS still gets it done and I was cheered up today when two new tsuba showed up. I have become very interested in mokume style tsuba. Their pattern folding work reminds me of masame hada. I find them very pleasing to study and enjoy. I bought these two a bit ago and very glad I did. First one is a signed Masahide tsuba. Dimensions are 7.5cm X 7.7cm. Great swirls and flowing bends, I really like it: Second is a vary large unsigned (any ideas?) mokume tsuba and the movement of the mokume is excellent in my limited opinion (cleary I am biased anyway). Even the rim shows layering. Dimensions are 9.0cm X 9.0cm.: 6 Quote
Bazza Posted January 4, 2018 Report Posted January 4, 2018 A friend of mine has a nice one. I'll see if I can find a photo of it. BaZZa. 1 Quote
NihontoNewbie Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 Nice tsuba Jeremiah. I really like both of them, but the 2nd one is really attractive. The swirling and edge are very appealing. Congrats bro. 1 Quote
Peter Bleed Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 actually, I'd vote for the round Masahide, but given your interests in hada, I assume that you showed us the masame on the edge of the other guard. Peter 1 Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted January 5, 2018 Author Report Posted January 5, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 1:09 AM, Peter Bleed said: actually, I'd vote for the round Masahide, but given your interests in hada, I assume that you showed us the masame on the edge of the other guard. Peter Yes, the edge is layered on the larger one, I think the edge of the rounded one has been polished/smoothed over. Quote
Peter Bleed Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 Forgive me if I geek out, but I think that the edge you showed us may help use understand why mokame is often/occasionally mixed with itame in koto swords. It seems - and I can't claim deep expertise - that in Yamato blades, even including Hosho stuff that rather long masame sections end in swirls of itame and/or mokume. Your tsuba makes me think that those features reflect the ends of billets,... mebbe Peter 1 Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted January 5, 2018 Author Report Posted January 5, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 1:39 AM, Peter Bleed said: Forgive me if I geek out, but I think that the edge you showed us may help use understand why mokame is often/occasionally mixed with itame in koto swords. It seems - and I can't claim deep expertise - that in Yamato blades, even including Hosho stuff that rather long masame sections end in swirls of itame and/or mokume. Your tsuba makes me think that those features reflect the ends of billets,... mebbe Peter I am no expert either, but that sounds reasonable from a finish/flow way of thinking of it. Maybe the more knowledgeable tsuba folks will weigh in. Quote
Ooitame Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 Very nice! In the second one I am unfamilair, what are the two holes for? 1 Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted January 5, 2018 Author Report Posted January 5, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 2:30 AM, Ooitame said: Very nice! In the second one I am unfamilair, what are the two holes for? They were tie down holes to keep discipline about unsheathing a sword. Quote
Bazza Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 2:34 AM, Vermithrax16 said: They were tie down holes to keep discipline about unsheathing a sword. Udenukiana BaZZa. Quote
Ooitame Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 Thanks Jeremiah and Bazza, learn something new every day. Very nice pieces enjoy! Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 I'd think that the purpose of udenuki would be keeping the sword within reach even if you lose the grip for example on horseback. I've only read the not drawing referencing to Satsuma, but might be more spread out as there was not any wars during the Edo period so udenuki were pretty much useless during peace time. Quote
Stephen Posted January 5, 2018 Report Posted January 5, 2018 Just seen this, always like Mokume tsuba, the round one my pick too. Well done Bullfrog! 1 Quote
Bazza Posted January 7, 2018 Report Posted January 7, 2018 Like Jeremiah I am fond of mokume style tsuba. My friend has given permission for me to show his tsuba, an ebay buy of some 4 years ago. Below I show (1) face with the mei; (2) closeup of mei; (3) reverse; and (4) view of edge. Mei reads (RHS) MYOUCHIN MINBU (LHS) KI (no) MUNESADA SAKU: =========================================================================== There is also a very nice iron tsuba on Wikipedia as part of a co-operative venture with the Walter Museum: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hamano_Noriyuki_-_Tsuba_with_a_Chinese_Immortal_-_Walters_51267_-_Mark_A.jpg The front of the tsuba depicts the face of a Chinese immortal at the lower right, while the back is plain (save for a KAO) clearly showing a mokume structure to the tsuba. The description notes that the body was probably made by Munesada and the decoration added by Hamano Noriyuki. Here is the Wikipedia photo, the mei being the same as that illustrated above: Best regards, BaZZa. 2 Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted January 7, 2018 Author Report Posted January 7, 2018 Thanks BaZZa, great pieces. Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted January 8, 2018 Author Report Posted January 8, 2018 In 2017 I was successful in my tsuba hunting, now time to focus on a new sword! Quote
Surfson Posted May 26, 2019 Report Posted May 26, 2019 Just dug through my safe today looking for something that went missing (still can't find it...), and found this one. Happy to add to the thread! 1 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted May 26, 2019 Report Posted May 26, 2019 I like them also. Unfortunately, the MEI of mine is not legible. Quote
rkg Posted May 27, 2019 Report Posted May 27, 2019 Here's one piece I got not tooo long ago where the hada is subtle: Best, rkg (Richard George) 4 Quote
Surfson Posted May 27, 2019 Report Posted May 27, 2019 What is that design Richard? Not a impression of a seashell, is it? Quote
rkg Posted May 27, 2019 Report Posted May 27, 2019 Robert, After consulting with several people, I think its a ghost (yurei) theme. Its not what I normally collect, but it was so sculptural.... Best, rkg (Richard George) Quote
Brian Posted May 28, 2019 Report Posted May 28, 2019 Rich, I find that tsuba beautiful. Part of your collection? 1 Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted May 29, 2019 Author Report Posted May 29, 2019 Richard, I LOVE that one! Amazing! The only mokume I have now is this dandy I got a while back, Masanao: 3 Quote
rkg Posted May 29, 2019 Report Posted May 29, 2019 Brian, yeah, its mine. It was Grey's site, and I couldn't resist... Best, rkg (Richard George) On 5/28/2019 at 10:31 AM, Brian said: Rich, I find that tsuba beautiful. Part of your collection? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.