Pine Tree Tsuba

[Itomagoi]

Hello,

I buy this Tsuba as a Higo Nishigaki Utsushi Tsuba.

Can same help me with the school and age?

Shoami ?  late Edo?

 

Size: 73,3 x 72,0 mm

 

Thank you.

Peter

 

[dominnimod]

Motif is classic higo, also seen in later akasaka, as utushi i don't know the age, meiji, showa?

[ROKUJURO]

Peter,

the age is difficult to determine, motive is certainly HIGO-ish as José says. From the pictures it looks as if the TSUBA was quite corroded at one time in its life, and then treated with a steel wire brush. That treatment erased most of the original work traces. 

[Itomagoi]

Hi,

thank you Jose and Jean.

Here is the auction with same more and better pic's:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HIGO-NISHIGAKI-UTSUSHI-TSUBA-Japanese-Samurai-Koshirae-Vintage-Fitting-/273799359780?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=OLKYKkocYwPmm5iPjtD%252BkOvXW6Q%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc

[Robin]

The organic shape of the rim and the wet look....I find it very appealing.

 

Edit:

a bit of wear doesn't bother me at all...it adds to the charm. 

[ROKUJURO]

Robin,

a steel wire brush doesn't cause wear on a TSUBA. It causes damage.

Would you clean your REMBRANDT paintings at home with a chemical thinner?

[Robin]

Well, no...of course not. Nobody should use an agressive way to clean up art.

I was just saying it still looks charming and has a nice appealing shape.

Lost detail no matter what caused it is always a pitty, but I still like it.

It went rather cheap for a reason I guess.

[Surfson]

The seller states Showa period and after 1940, so he believes that it is modern.  

[ROKUJURO]

Peter,

I overlooked something: I is not a pine tree that is depicted but a stylized cherry tree (SAKURA). 

[TETSUGENDO]

Jean,

 

Undoubtedly Matsu,not Sakura, the initial impression was correct!

 

-S-

[ROKUJURO]

Really? I accept your expertise but I am a bit unsure. What are the three dots in the middle?

HIGO MATSU no TSUBA.doc

 

        

 

[Guido]

What are the three dots in the middle?

 

Maybe Braille for matsu, or this:

[ROKUJURO]

Yes, probably for a blind man like me.....

[TETSUGENDO]

Tsuba from the collection of the MFA, Boston.

 

-S-