Lattice Tsuba - Opinions Required

[FlorianB]

Hello all,

I would like to show You a Tsuba I own (sorry for the mediocre pictures):

 

 

It is exactly marugata (7,78 x 7,78 cm) and 0,45 mm thick. There is no niku and the rim is kaku-mimi.

The kiri are executed in flat relief and accentuated with gold nunome. I’m fond of the very thinly executed lattice. The irregularities inside the lattice are rust particles, not looking good, but certainly not to remove.

Although I have some ideas by myself I like to ask for Your opinions concerning school and age.

 

Thank You,
Florian

[Brian]

Very nice and very well executed. I like it a lot.

[ChrisW]

I think its gorgeous. You're right about that thinly-executed lattice, it makes the whole thing pop.

[JohnTo]

There is a similar iron tsuba in Greville Cooke's Birmingham Tsuba Collection, page 26 (col no 1930M893), size 78mmx78mmx41 mm.  This tsuba has five leaf bamboo sprigs (kamon?) in the lattice and is described as Choshu, ca.1700, which I suppose covers a lot of artists and sub-schools.

 

Nice tsuba by the way.  Don't forget to add the metal in the description, which I assume is iron.

 

Best regards, John

[kissakai]

Also looking at both the rim around the 'ana' are the same

[FlorianB]

Thank You for Your comments.

 

@ John

You're right, it's an iron Tsuba.

I don't know the book. Is there a shot of the mentioned piece?

 

By the way, I considered Choshu, too, but as You said it's a little bit vague.

 

Florian

[kissakai]

Hi Florian

95% it is Choshu

 

I can't resist a plug so must give the book a bump!

 

You can buy the eBook for £19.99 at this link. A few weeks ago all LuLu books were discounted by 20% so pocket money price

 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=greville+cooke&type=

 

There are over 500 tsuba in full colour and 24 Choshu example including the associated school

 

 

Grev

[FlorianB]

Interesting offer!

Meanwhile I’ve had a look at the museum’s website and found this one:
http://www.bmagic.org.uk/objects/1930M893

Claimed as Ko-Shoami.
Because of the use of gold in mine not KO but KYO-Shoami would have been my next choice. However, Choshu schools are offsprings of Shoami so it’ the same periphery.

Florian

[kissakai]

Hi Florian

Just a bit of background to the book and museum

Originally I wanted just to take the photos as a record and match them with the original descriptions - simple

Very early on I felt there were many errors as their appraisals were made pre 1915 and from (I believe) local collectors/dealers

It look me around four years with masses of help from the NMB to complete attributions that was at least 90% correct

After I'd published the book I  was notified of another collector who had done a similar exercise (I have a copy of his notes which were quite accurate) but the new attributions were never updated on the museum records

Unless I do it myself the correct attributions will never be updated (shame) due to the resource problems most of the UK museums are under

There are some shocking examples stating a well known makers that almost anyone can see is gimei/shiirimono

For the early collectors there may have been dealers who inflated the importance of the tsuba for a higher price

Pre 1915 the industrialist were very wealthy so could be taken advantage of

 

Just seen this offer on my book(s)

Your Promo Code: LULU10 for 10% off

 

 

Grev

[FlorianB]

Grev, obviously a terrific job - well done!

By now I recognized that the “Choshu-Tsuba” in the book and the “Ko-Shoami-Tsuba” on the museum’s site must be the same according to the accession number.

 

Florian
 

[CSM101]

Another one.

 

Uwe G.

[vajo]

Uwe that bamboo forest lattice is beautifull. Very good tsuba. Thanks for showing.