What School Are These Daisho Tsubas?

[general_piffle]

I hasten to add 'daisho to me' they were not originally made together or by the same craftsman but to my untrained eye appear to be of the same style or from the same school. But which I do not know.

 

I spent several years looking for the smaller wakizashi tsuba having already secured the katana tsuba. But I found it eventually and they seem to make a healthy pair for my daisho. Ford Hallam has recently restored the patina on them, which was looking very patchy so they're both now in much better shape. They're also both signed as you might be able to tell if you zoom into the pictures.

 

I'd just love to discover more about them if any of our resident experts have any insights? Thanks in advance.

 

[Greg F]

Interesting design Joel, I cant remember seeing it before.

 

Greg

[FlorianB]

Hello Joel,

 

very interesting indeed. I agree they are from the same school and maybe even the same maker. I do not think they are a daisho though the size differs. Just two similar Tsuba reunited.

 

I bought in my younger days (in the last century) the below depicted Tsuba. It is signed as Yukiyoshi (or Koreyoshi, I'm not sure) and the seller said that this man belonged to Edo Ito-school.

The Aoi-mon have been applied at a later date. I'd like the idea, a poor samurai came in service of a Tokugawa branch, but he couldn't afford a new formal Tsuba thus he altered his Tsuba like this.

Nice story, isn't it, but probably it was just done to enhance an attractivness maybe for tourists.

 

Best,

Florian

 

[general_piffle]

Thanks for your replies Greg and Florian. Ford also mentioned the Edo period and Ito School. I've Googled 'ito school tsuba' and similar search terms but not been able to find a great deal. If anything styles and subjects of what I have found in my searches are vastly different to the pair I have, which are quite distinct in their similar design.

 

Imagine how pleased I was to find the smaller tsuba after years of looking! And yes they're definitely not daisho as in made together but they serve perfectly as part of a daisho for me (have attached a few pictures).

 

Florian, I prefer to believe your story of the poor samurai! Far more interesting than simple embellishment.

 

[FlorianB]

Well, I stick to my story.

 

A very tasteful daisho and the tsuba suit well! Congrats!

 

Florian

[MauroP]

Agree with Bushū-Itō school, late Edo. Usually signed Kōfu-jū ... (in one of two here possibly Masayoshi).

Bye, Mauro

[Ruben]

Hi Joel,

 

nice Daisho you made.

Last pictures Tsuba is from Masayuki.

I´am into this kind of ito tsubas and I own also one from him.

Nice to see it mounted.

 

Greetings

 

ruben

[general_piffle]

Thank you MauroP! That's very helpful to see such similar examples. 

[general_piffle]

  On 6/5/2018 at 5:01 PM, Ruben said:

Hi Joel,

 

nice Daisho you made.

Last pictures Tsuba is from Masayuki.

I´am into this kind of ito tsubas and I own also one from him.

Nice to see it mounted.

 

Greetings

 

ruben

 

Thank you Ruben. It would be great to see some pictures of your tsuba by Masayuki if you have any?

 

Are you saying the last picture I posted of the larger katana tsuba is signed/made by Masayuki? Thanks.

[Ruben]

  On 6/5/2018 at 9:28 PM, general_piffle said:

Thank you Ruben. It would be great to see some pictures of your tsuba by Masayuki if you have any?

 

Are you saying the last picture I posted of the larger katana tsuba is signed/made by Masayuki? Thanks.

 

You are welcome Joel,

 

I have no pictures at the moment, but I try to make some for you, just it can take a little while.

Yes, the Katana tsuba of the last picture from your post.

The 2. Kanji is typical for Masayuki.

My tsuba is in little ruffer condition so I didn´t recognized that it was signed for 10 years.

Also he cuts the mei very shallow.

 

Here an other Tsuba from him (not mine), workmanship is not that great in this one:

 

Greetings!

 

ruben

[Yves55]

Possibly another tsuba by Masa...yuki (?)

Very fluent shallow 'writing' on this one.

 

 

[JohnTo]

Another Efu ju Masayuki for you to see.  I've posted it before in the translation page as I could not read the 'yuki'.  Ruben pointed out to me that the long tail on the 'fu' of Efu is a dead givaway for Masayuki signatures.  My example is an acid etched scene, I don't know if that was a common technique that he used.

 

regards, John 

[Yves55]

Thank you John.

 

The '...yuki' on my tsuba is not very readable. But with your information I can almost be sure of it.

It seems that the mei-writers on tsuba are not always the same...

 

Yours sincerely,

Yves.

[Katsujinken]

They scream Masayoshi to me. Almost identical to a waki tsuba I bought from Grey a few years ago that came from the Haynes collection. I immediately gave it to someone as a gift so I have no photos, but perhaps if Grey sees this he can add one.

 

Ito Sadashichi Masayoshi worked in the Kanda neighborhood of Edo and died circa 1800.

 

[Yves55]

Thank you Michael.

I thought my search was over for this tsuba.

Looking up Masayoshi now. 

[Yves55]

And YES!

I found another "Efu ju Masayoshi" on the internet (see picture) with the same measures as mine: H: 7,65 cm - L: 7,23 cm (coincidence?).

So, it can be the maker of my tsuba...

... until somebody else comes with another idea   

Thanks to all