tsuba mei translation

[stenbar]

Could someone give me your thoughts on this tsuba? Craftsman's name, school, era etc... It is NBTHK Hozon certified.

 

I'm a new collector and this one was just too pretty to pass up. I haven't seen copper tsuba with carvings this deep. One thing is strange - the dragon has 3 toes/claws on the front and 5 on the back. From what I read, this is a sign that it could be an imperial dragon. Any thoughts? PS - Thanks for the suggested reading list on your site, I've ordered a couple.

[Bugyotsuji]

Just bought a small iron tsuba with a dragon on it the other day. Yours is nice in copper, but I know very little about tsuba so far!

[stenbar]

Thanks Piers - so far so good. This was the propaganda surrounding it:

 

signed Ishiyama Motoshige. Motoshige was a Goto School craftsman, one of the greatest craftsman in Japan... I believed he lived in the mid 1600's.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks Piers - so far so good. This was the propaganda surrounding it:

 

signed Ishiyama Motoshige. Motoshige was a Goto School craftsman, one of the greatest craftsman in Japan... I believed he lived in the mid 1600's.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

 

Ah, Motoshige, yes, right, well, egg on my face again! That second kanji had me puzzled at that distance. If you have the paperwork then it should tell you exactly that!

 

One pawn sacrificed...

[Nobody]

The mei reads Ishiyama Mototada saku ; 1672-1734).

 

Ref. Ishiyama Mototada

http://www.cgfinearts.com/select_produc ... alleryID=3

http://db.am.geidai.ac.jp/person.cgi?id=4805

[Bugyotsuji]

Moriyama san, thank you for the rescue! I was still struggling with that...

[Ford Hallam]

To add to the picture of who the man was... the following is from Haynes; with some added speculation on my part.

 

Mototada was also a painter, something which may have added to his design abilities. He was schooled in metalwork by the Kyoto branch of the Goto family and other Kyoto studios. I get the impression of someone somewhat outside of the mainline school system therefore. He inherited his father rank of 3rd level court noble ( Kuge ), perhaps this allowed him a certain freedom in moving between schools etc.

 

This type of bold and sweeping kata-kiri work is more likely influenced by the Yokoya lineage, Somin being credited with the invention of the technique. Many other artists used the technique subsequently but this does have a strong Somin look to my eye.

 

Some clearer, and larger images would allow for a better assessment of the quality of the work but it seems to me to reasonably good, as one would expect.

 

Regards, Ford

[stenbar]

I'll take some close-up photos this evening.

 

Thank you to all. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

[Bugyotsuji]

Oh, and he started out with the Mei: Motonobu 基信　

[stenbar]

I learned something about my camera last night. It takes lousy close up pics. I'll have to borrow one from a photographer buddy or maybe I'll just go buy one. My birthday is in a couple of weeks...

[stenbar]

Here's some close ups. My macro photography/lighting needs some work, but they're not too bad.