Tsuba dilemma

[kissakai]

This is a difficult one for me so I welcome any comments.

 

I bought this tsuba a few weeks ago and it was put on the NMB as I was troubled by the mei. All the feedback backed up my concerns that the mei was gimei. When buying it an antiques fair I did not have the expertise to check the mei without my reference books so I bought it due to the design and the workmanship.

Once it was found to be gimei I thought about selling it but re-thinking about why I bought it I have decided to keep it.

 

Basic details:

 

School: Unknown

 

Signature: Yasuchika 安親 (Gimei)

 

Period: 1800

 

Subject: Samurai Rats

 

Material: Iron, shakudo, gold and silver

 

Size: 69 x 65 x 3.9mm

 

My question is should I ask Ford to remove the mei and tidy it up so I could submit it for Shinsa to at least confirm the school?

Is the workmanship good enough to go through this process?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grev

[MauroP]

Hi Grev, here how I see the thing:

- the workmanship is fine (possibly not a masterpiece, but surely an appealing subject and execution)

- the tsuba has been mounted (see the modification of nakago-ana)

- probably gimei (but 4th generation Yasuchika could be compatible).

So what can you expect from a submission to shinsa once removed the mei? Maybe Shoami.... a total wastage of time and money IMHO.

Keep it as is and enjoy.

Bye, Mauro

[Brian]

Very appealing tsuba, love it.
I would get it a spa treatment by Ford, but I wouldn't bother removing mei or papered. It is enough to enjoy as is.

[FlorianB]

I persume it’s Aizu-Shoami. Interesting theme and well executed.

 

I agree with Mauro and Brian not to remove the mei. A gimei isn’t nice but so what.

In my opinion much more worse is the somewhat strangely modified nakago-ana. But I don’t know if it is a reason to reject a paper...

At least a Hozon-paper certifies the Japanese origin and a certain artistic value. You could see that by Yourself - so why needing a paper?

Florian

[Kurikata]

From my perspective, the mei is a part of the tsuba history. Someone (who?) found this tsuba nice enough to have a well know signature (for money of course).I am very often in the same situation with tsuba in my collection and if I purchased them, it is because they appelead to me. I would keep this tsuba as it is.

[Surfson]

Hi Grev.  I am intrigued by the motif on the tsuba.  It seems to be a troupe of samurai mice or rats marching off to battle or on some sort of campaign.  Have you studied it?  I am also confused by the nakago ana and am curious about how it got that shape.  

[Brian]

Altered for 2 very different blades?

[TETSUGENDO]

Looks like for a later style Naginata, and possibly a large Yoroi dōshi, perhaps?   To the point, everyone has given sound advice, altering it will not change its identity, it is what it is.  No reason to invest time and money for an inevitable outcome, as many have said.....simply enjoy it for the attractive and interesting qualities it has.

 

-S-

 

p.s.-BTW, the design depicts alternate attendance (SANKIN KŌTAI) which required the daimyō to move from their fiefdom to Edo on alternate years, these processions were known as 'Daimyō-Gyōretsu'.  They also had to leave their wives and heirs in Edo as hostages while they were away.  The costly processions, expense of lavish dual residences, and the captivity of their wives and heirs, made them very unlikely to wage war against the Shogun.

[Surfson]

Steven, that is a very interesting explanation about the Sankin Kotai.  Is it the case that the samurai are shown as rats because there was a distaste by the daimyo and samurai about the requirement to travel to Edo as hostages?   If so, it is almost like an open question of authority.  

[rkg]

Who found it to be gimei??  check the plethora of late(er) yasuchika mei...

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

[TETSUGENDO]

Yes Robert, it is an obvious bit of satire, but I believe its more of the common mans disdain for the ruling classes, and the pleasure derived by the fact that almost everyone answers to a higher authority...see how they scamper like rats.   The 'joke's is much too obvious for a member of the higher classes to exhibit, and the style of the work inappropriate for use by them.

 

-S-

[Rivkin]

Being a blade rather than tosogu person, but still:

 

The subject here is most likely fox wedding. Yes, these foxes are typically depicted in the way we would see rats, which is always puzzling. It most likely was a part of a set with kozuka showing the bride's palanquin. All "rats" in these scenes are wearing samurai attire, usually with swords and large naginatas.

The subject was quite popular in kozuka, somewhat less - tsuba and sets around 1830-1860. It makes it hard to pinpoint a maker since the scenes and depictions are more or less the same. There are some quality examples from Mito and I don't think this one is Aizu Shoami either.

 

There are a few other "samurai as foxes" subjects that were explored beginning around 1800 - foxes playing kabuki and so on, but they are not nearly as popular as the wedding procession.

 

Personal and likely erroneous opinion.

 

Kirill R.

[kissakai]

This was posted some time ago

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28515-two-tsuba-query/?hl=%2Btsuba+%2Bquery

 

Curran, Steve K and Robert Haynes (I was able to show him this in hand when he was in London) said it was gimei in so much as not the Yasuchika school

Looking in my Kinko Meikan the mei did not match any

No reason it can not be a Yasuchika from another school!

I think the mei is well cut from a strong and artistic hand so be great if anyone else can find a match

Just for interest the modified cut out is 10.5mm wide. The smaller width is 8.5mm so not that much difference (Yoshidori assuming I have the correct term)

 

A lot of sensible information that makes my decision so much easier

 

 

Grev

[kissakai]

I've checked Sesko's Genealogies

Ignoring the main school there are a couple of other candidates

Nara Edo Tsuchiya Yasuchika circa 1750 - 1800

Lineage of Munemichi Shimtsuki and again Tsuchiya Yasuchika circa 1800

If any one has examples of the mei of the above makes that would be ideal

It would be nice to find a legitimive attribution or at least something close

[Ford Hallam]

....a spa treatment by Ford, 

 

I may use this as may new promotional tag line for tsuba lovers