Kyo- vs Ko-Sukashi?

[Ken-Hawaii]

Kyo-Sukashi tsuba were made in Kyoto, & Ko-Sukashi tsuba are tsuba with a small sukashi pattern, but is there a Ko-Kyo-Sukashi tsuba?

[lonely panet]

From my small knowledge, ko sukashi tends to appear on tosho/katuchi iron plate styles of tsuba while kyo sukashi tsubas hole design revoles around negative relief with the sukashi not the focus point.

 

Would I be making a accurate observation

[FlorianB]

I’m not sure about the question. Are You looking for a Kyo-sukashi-Tsuba with a solid plate displaying negative sukashi? Never heard of it.

Years ago I have seen a tsuba labelled as Ko-Kyo-Shoami, i.e. an early Kyo-Shoami (also of Kyoto origin). In this case the kanji for “ko” (old) differs from the kanji “ko” (small)...

Florian

[Ken-Hawaii]

No, not looking for one, Florian, but I saw a tsuba at a fellow collector's house that was labeled "Ko-Kyo-Sukashi Mito Shoami," & I realized that I had no clear idea about what I was looking at. There was no Kanji (not that I could have read it), but my friend has been collecting for more than 50 years, & I figured he knew what he was doing. So, just trying to get things straight in my own head.

[MauroP]

"Ko-Kyo-Sukashi Mito Shoami" makes no sense, as far as I know (but I know nothing...)

[FlorianB]

I have no idea what this tsuba looks like but if I interpret the determination correctly, the first “ko” obviously means “early” or “old”, but has nothing to do with “ko-sukashi” in the sense of small negative openings.

 

However, an interesting string of terms: The Mito-Kinko-school (mid to late Edo period) was also working in Shoami-style and I only know solid plates with carvings, Kyo sukashi pieces (Ko-Kyo-sukashi = Heianjo sukashi? pre Edo period) are everytimes in ji-sukashi - I can’t work it out on my own .

Florian