Tsubas Infos

[FredKP]

Hi,

I'm looking for informations for my last months cheap eBay purchases (30€ for the cheaper to 50€):

 

#1: iron openwork with clouds and birds, w:69mm * h:69mm * thickness:5.6mm, 61g (tagane mei?)

 

#2: iron with flowers w:65mm * h:70mm * thickness:3.5mm, 75g

 

#3: iron with sake or water jar, gold inlayed tsuba mei (chinese caracters?) w: 67mm * h:67mm * thickness:5.5mm, 95g

 

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[FlorianB]

Hello Fred,

Tsuba #1: later Akasaka Style (sorry, can’t see any birds - maybe waves…?)
Tsuba #2: Bushu or Choshu style
Tsuba #3: reminds me of an Ono design, maybe gilded later, signature (if it is one) NAO XXX  looks strange

Just a quick guess,

Florian

[FredKP]

Thanks Florian

I see a stylized bird on first picture, at 4 oclock, there is a little punched hole for the eye, it's just my visual interpretation :-)

[TETSUGENDO]

Yes, stylized bird ( CHIDORI ) and waves.  BTW, very good shopping, you did well.

 

Cheers,

   -S-

[vajo]

Crying cheap grabs. Well done!

 

Much more worth.

[Soshin]

Tsuba #1 looks like modern Japanese design to me. Likely a modern tsuba done in a late Akasaka School style. Doesn’t look structural sound in my opinion. Tsuba #2 looks like the late Edo Period work of the Itō School in Bushū Province (Edo). Tsuba #3 no sure about it. The workmanship looks late Shōami but never seen them sign like that. Can only read a partial signature as ‘NaoX’.

[Steves87]

Wow, great buys! I really like second one.

[FlorianB]

#1: Yes, now I've recognized the bird. Chidori and waves as mentioned is a traditional motif. Any signs of layer technique used on this?

 

#3: Here's the Ono-piece for comparision I had in mind:

 

However, gold nunome wasn't used by Ono smiths. Certainly I agree with David that Shoami is an option, too. 

At least I don't think the inscription is a signature made by the maker (even for stylized chinese letters crudly done) but an aesthetic addition.

 

Florian

[ROKUJURO]

After a closer looks, I think I see two stylized birds.

[FredKP]

Hi,

Thanks for all informations,

 

@David: I also thought that tsuba #2 was Ito school

@Florian: I don't see any layer technique, (i will take a closer look)

@Jean: I also see two birds!