Possible Kinai Tsuba?

[Steves87]

Hi all,

 

I have been trying to find a similar copy tsuba to this, I havnt been lucky at the moment, but I thought if I can get a possible school, it may become easier.

The tsuba is approx 74mm x 73mm x 7mm thick and the closest style I have seen so far is Kinai. If anyone could please give a bit of another lead it would be much appreciated.

My reason to find another is something id like to keep to myself at this stage.

Please excuse the condition and probable un-importance of the piece.

 

 

[rkg]

I always think of kinai work as being more pictorial.  Your tsuba kind of has a massive feeling like oh-no or maybe Myochin work, but i'm not sure you ever see nunome on them. Its a little massive for them, maybe its a "special" from one of the Shoami groups? - except for the massiveness, it kind of has a kyo-shoami feel - It seems to have had nunome all the way around the mimi/some on all the webs, right?).

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

[Steves87]

Thanks Richard, ill try some searching with Myochin and Shoami now.

It is a very chunky Tsuba for sure!

I am pretty confident the nunome was only in the places as shown in the pics, obviously some has come away, unfortunately my camera work is light years from your own, but had they have been better quality, you can still the extent of the hatched filed marks to where they used to be.

So front of Tsuba had three areas of nunome on the mimi, the back had two areas. One of the webs on the front never had nunome and two webs on the back also never had it.

I guess another reason for it probably not being Kinai is I have read almost all were signed.... this obviously is not signed.

Thank you, two more potential schools to reasearch is great!

[Steves87]

Myochin style seems to have a few chunky pieces, I found this:

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/956c18482593cb1380ba2a94e7c45b3c

It seems to be the closest ive seen so far

[Soshin]

Dear Steve,

 

Your tsuba looks to me to be fairly typical Shōami School work (often unsigned) and made during the mid to late Edo Period. The gold nunome-zogan (fabric style inlays) were also not the best quality on these pieces and would be easily lossed. I have seen other examples that were rather thick and beefy like your tsuba.

[Steves87]

Thanks David, in a few hours I will be able to continue with my searching i'll be looking at Shoami.

Would you happen to remember where you may have seen the similar examples?

[rkg]

Here's one I have....  similarly shaped theme (chatsubo in this case, not sure what yours are), different effect, nunome (though its mostly gone), etc.

 

 

Sorry about the youtube link I'm not sure where a still of it is squirreled away at the moment...

 

Kyo shoami tsuba:

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/25328-kyo-shoami-tsuba/?fbclid=IwAR0WjhYv8Hx_6JROn1XAgynKvwHYMKQVEwpQkxOzifmNz42mXZ-CNd611bc

 

http://www.rkgphotos.com/recent_stuff/new_kyo_shoami/kyo_shoami1.jpg

 

http://www.rkgphotos.com/recent_stuff/new_kyo_shoami/kyo_shoami1_back.jpg

 

I don't have one of the really ornate kyo ones with the nunome exactly like yours, but you get the idea...

 

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

Best,

rkg

 

(Richard George)

[Steves87]

Great video Richard! I really like that as a format for viewing Tsuba, would the nunome of completely covered the mimi of your Tsuba in the past?

 

Your second tsuba link although different, has a very similar feel to it, i cant put my finger on it for sure, but I think it is the way the metal curves and tapers on the face of the sukashi areas.

Thank you very much for your excellent help

 

Edit: would you know the tsuba thicknesses off the top of your head? Just out of interest

[Soshin]

Thanks David, in a few hours I will be able to continue with my searching i'll be looking at Shoami.

Would you happen to remember where you may have seen the similar examples?

 

I have seen and own many tsuba like it over the years.  Without digging into the archive here are two examples I current have that each have a similar aspects to your tsuba.  

In terms of thickness I have this tsuba up on consignment sale on my business website.  It is Shoami tsuba with a openwork design with a thick plate.

https://www.raindragonfineartandantiques.com/product-page/antique-iron-handguard-with-openwork-design

 

The quality and style of the inlays reminds me of this Aizu Shoami tsuba I have for direct sale on my business website.

https://www.raindragonfineartandantiques.com/product-page/iron-handguard-with-gold-silver-copper-inlays   

[Brian]

David, less self promotion please. Those 2 have nothing in common with the one the OP is asking about in terms of school, style or workmanship. I find no relevance at all except that they are for sale and have a few dots of nunome.....and they are iron and are tsuba. I do not want to see spam posted that takes people to commercial sites without a good reason please.

[Steves87]

Thank you David, there may be similarities in the first link with the thickness of-and- the way the mimi is shaped. Although my pictures dont convey, the shape and size is very similar.