help please

[John A Stuart]

Hi, I found the catalog with my tsuba illustrated that has a short descriptive. I know it talks about the carving techniques katakiribori and kebori, but, I wonder what else it mentions. Help in this would be very helpful. Thank you, John

PS, I hope I did not reduce it beyond legibility. J

[Guest reinhard]

Amongst other things it says the price is 75000 Yen. But I guess you knew that :-).

 

reinhard

[John A Stuart]

Hi Reinhard, Yes, when I payed for it. One of the big differences between Japan and most of the east is there isn't the ritual of haggling that can make buying fun sometimes. The price that is advertised is generally what they want and I was told that asking for discounts is rude unless someone who is acquainted on an intimate basis asks for you or it is offered as incentive for further purchases. John

[Guest reinhard]

Hi John,

 

Times have changed even in Japan. At the Token-Ichi, f.e., many of the sellers expect a "best-price?"-question and give a discount without hesitation. On the other hand a few of them (amongst them some of the best) still deal on a traditional basis and feel offended when their reasonable prices are not accepted.

Sorry for going off topic.

 

reinhard

[Nobody]

The first two lines are;

é” æ˜Œå¹¸ (花押)

- Tsuba, Masayuki (kao)

竹ã«é›€å›³ 素銅磨地 障泥形 片切彫 毛彫 詩歌陰刻 角耳å°è‚‰

- Take ni Suzume no zu (picture of bamboo and sparrows), Suaka migakiji, Aori-gata, Ktakiri-bori, Ke-bori, Shiika Inkoku (poem; hollow relief), Kakumimi Koniku

 

The main text includes (1) the description of the motif on its omote-side, (2) the explanation of the poem on its ura-side, and (3) about Masayuki saying that the name does not appear in artists’ lists.

And they are loosely as follows;

(1) The motif is bamboo and three sparrows. They are carved by Katakiri-bori and Ke-bori techniques and are excellent.

(2) The carved Haiku (日乃影や å¤æ¯›ã能ã†ã¸ã® 親雀) which was composed by Chinseki (ç硯) is interpreted.

 

BTW, you already understood the meaning of the Haiku in another thread, I assume.

[John A Stuart]

Thanks Koichi san, I get the gist of the poem but, understand, no. I'm afraid I would need years of study and a much better understanding of the nuance of Nihongo to fully be in tune with most haiku. I have dabbled in that form and for something that on the surface is so simple in appearance it is quite complicated; ie. certain key words being used to identify the season and such. There were words in the descriptive I was unfamiliar with and now I have that. Great. John