mas4t0 Posted January 19, 2020 Report Posted January 19, 2020 Hello, I notice that on some aikuchi tanto mounts, the fuchi is created such that there is a ledge between the edge of the fuchi and the face. I can't describe it well, so I've attached images. Any information or details on proper terminology (to facilitate further research) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Mark 1 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted January 19, 2020 Report Posted January 19, 2020 Mark,these FUCHI should exactly fit into their respective counterpart on the SAYA, the KOIGUCHI. Typical for AIKUCHI. 1 Quote
Ford Hallam Posted January 19, 2020 Report Posted January 19, 2020 Ai kuchi actually means 'the meeting of the mouth' or two mouths. 1 Quote
Ford Hallam Posted January 19, 2020 Report Posted January 19, 2020 nice Hagia Katsuhira fuchi too. In the Walter's Art Museum if memory serves. 3 Quote
Curran Posted January 19, 2020 Report Posted January 19, 2020 nice Hagia Katsuhira fuchi too. In the Walter's Art Museum if memory serves. +1. I'd never seen that one before now. That is one to look at for quite a while. 1 Quote
Pete Klein Posted January 19, 2020 Report Posted January 19, 2020 I think I needs me some Ai Kuchi...!!! ROFLMAO! 1 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Posted January 19, 2020 Thank you all very much. That clarifies things. I've never seen this type of mount in hand. To get complete clarity, are these mounted without seppa or is there extra 'reach' on the koiguchi to hide the seppa when the blade is sheathed? They meet like on this example at the fuchi/ koiguchi, with no visible seppa? *This is once again the work of Hagiya Katsuhira. 1 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Posted January 19, 2020 nice Hagia Katsuhira fuchi too. In the Walter's Art Museum if memory serves. Yes, exactly. Both fuchi are by Katsuhira and both are in the Walter's Art Museum. Ford, Have you made fuchi/ koiguchi of this type? Is it something you'd be open to in the future? Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Posted January 19, 2020 I think it's best that I put the link here so that the other pieces in the collection are easily accessible without anyone having to search. https://art.thewalters.org/browse/creator/hagiya-katsuhira/ 1 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Posted January 20, 2020 Ai kuchi actually means 'the meeting of the mouth' or two mouths. So one mouth to fit the habaki and another to fit the fuchi? Quote
ROKUJURO Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 Mark,no SEPPA! Both parts fit into one another and 'seal' the KOSHIRAE as you see it in SHIRA-SAYA.AIKUCHI 01.docAIKUCHI 07.doc 1 Quote
Hoshi Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 Where is this tanto koshirae from? Something doesn't look right quite right about it. Seems like late Meiji imitation made for export. Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Posted January 20, 2020 Mark, no SEPPA! Both parts fit into one another and 'seal' the KOSHIRAE as you see it in SHIRA-SAYA. AIKUCHI 01.doc AIKUCHI 07.doc Thank you Jean. Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Posted January 20, 2020 Where is this tanto koshirae from? Something doesn't look right quite right about it. Seems like late Meiji imitation made for export. It was sold in auction at Bonhams a few years ago. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21404/lot/1141/?category=list Hagiya Katsuhira lived from 1804-1886, which would place his work as late Edo/ early Meiji. 1 Quote
Hoshi Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 Doesn't look right. Too busy, and the representation of the theme doesn't fit the corpus either. It's a kitsch imitation designed to appeal to a wide audience going 'wow' and not knowing really better. I suspect a late Meiji workshop has been producing this one. Just like this one here and perhaps this one here. The F/K set by contrast is very elegant and beautifully carved. Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Posted January 20, 2020 Doesn't look right. Too busy, and the representation of the theme doesn't fit the corpus either. It's a kitsch imitation designed to appeal to a wide audience going 'wow' and not knowing really better. I suspect a late Meiji workshop has been producing this one. Just like this one here and perhaps this one here. The F/K set by contrast is very elegant and beautifully carved. I respectfully disagree. I've not looked over the two links in great detail, but certainly the piece sold at Bonhams is of the finest quality. I understand that it's not to everyone's taste, but I think your criticism is misplaced. Hagiya Katsuhira is one of the finest craftsmen of the Mito school, and I see no reason to doubt the attribution. I've attached a close up of the dragon on the saya and of a dragon tsuba from Darcy's site. If there are imitations approaching this level of craftsman, I would appreciate any advice on where I can buy some. 3 Quote
Hoshi Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 The dragon passes the sniff test, it's the big cat which don't. These cats look much more modern than what would come out of his workshop in style and presentation, based on the (arguably limited) corpus of his work with which I am familiar which are in the Juyo volumes. Here is another fake piece sold not too long ago. Now the style of cats here work, but the quality and composition are low. Now I could be mistaken and Katsuhira opted for a completely different style of cats at some point in his career... Quote
Brian Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 The work confirms the attribution imho. 1 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Posted January 20, 2020 Hi Chris, I don't know about the origin of the style, but the craftsmanship speaks for itself. I'm hoping that Ford will see this part of the discussion and explain what we're seeing. 2 Quote
Hoshi Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 Here is the one tanto koshirae which is juyo from him. I am arguably biased from that singular example, and there is a variety of styles he worked with. My worries reside entirely in the expression of the tigers (more westernized, less Japanese) and composition (very heavy even for him) not with the workmanship which I agree is commensurate, at least based on the photos we have at our disposal. I am sure that in hand we could discern much more (e.g. are those strips inlays or not?) 1 Quote
Ford Hallam Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 Mark, yes, I have actually made aikuchi fittings before. I quite enjoy the technical aspect of getting it all to fit snug and cleanly. With regard to Katsuhira and his style I'd offer that his earlier work is pretty similar to classic Mito design, and I'd even say his workmanship is a little generic at times, but as he matures he really does push the boundaries of his own expression, both in terms of his actual designs and workmanship. These very sculptural fuchi, and particularly the kashira, are a good case in point. Personally I don't have an issue with any of the examples linked to except perhaps the silver pheasant ensemble. It's worth bearing in mind that Katsuhira, in the last decade or so of his life, was in fact working during that very turbulent period of transition and that his output did evolve rapidly at that time to meet the new tastes he must have been very aware of. I've worked on obidome, boxes and vases by him. His son, who followed him, simply couldn't match the old man's standards in any respect. 4 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Posted January 20, 2020 Thank you very much Ford. You answered all the questions I had and a few that hadn't occurred to me yet. 1 Quote
terminus Posted January 21, 2020 Report Posted January 21, 2020 It was sold in auction at Bonhams a few years ago. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21404/lot/1141/?category=list Hagiya Katsuhira lived from 1804-1886, which would place his work as late Edo/ early Meiji. Wow it sold for only 40k!? That's an insanely good price, I've seen tantos of that quality nowadays getting sold in the 6 figures range! Wish I was into fittings in 2013. Personally I think it's the real deal, work speaks for itself and the silver dragon is very Katsuhira-esque. 1 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 21, 2020 Author Report Posted January 21, 2020 Wow it sold for only 40k!? That's an insanely good price, I've seen tantos of that quality nowadays getting sold in the 6 figures range! Wish I was into fittings in 2013. Personally I think it's the real deal, work speaks for itself and the silver dragon is very Katsuhira-esque. I wish I wasn't still in school back in 2013... Quote
raaay Posted January 22, 2020 Report Posted January 22, 2020 Mark here is the style of Fuchi you are looking for ! , showing how it fits into the saya . 1 Quote
mas4t0 Posted January 22, 2020 Author Report Posted January 22, 2020 Mark here is the style of Fuchi you are looking for ! , showing how it fits into the saya . 20200122_072608.jpg 20200122_072643.jpg Thank you Ray. That's a lovely mount, is it in your collection? Quote
raaay Posted January 23, 2020 Report Posted January 23, 2020 Mark yes it is one from my collection 1 Quote
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