Oldest piece of Japanese art

[kissakai]

Hi

I like to see your oldest piece, either Nihonto, ceramic or 'other'

 

I'll start this of with some tsuba Middle Moromachi period circa 1425

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grev

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

I wish I was as sure of the age of my oldest Heianjo tsuba, Grev, but, I do have a couple of papered Kamakura blades!

[kissakai]

Just add them Ken

You can just add a description of the Heianjo tsuba and ask for a guestimate of it's age

I'd like to see some old blades

[Bugyotsuji]

Ashamed to say that I do not own a blade older than about 1470.

[ROKUJURO]

KO-TÔSHÔ TSUBA, probably around 1450/1500 (Mid-MUROMACHI).



   

[kissakai]

Still like to see the sword Piers

It's all about your oldest not the oldest

[C0D]

Ko katchushi tsuba, early Muromachi

[vajo]

As a papered sword i have only this nice Nanbokucho Tachi (1336 - 1392)  国信 Kuninobu. 

 

 

I have others which i think they are from late kamakura to nambokucho period but without a paper it is hard to proof it 

[Oshy]

I hope to pickup a quality kamakura piece someday but my collection is still in its infancy so this muromachi blade is my oldest at the moment.

 

Shes a bit tired but im a sucker for a gorgeous itame-mokume mix

https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katana_A070718.html

[Brian]

Tosho. Don't know how old. But not an Edo piece I assume.

[Ray Singer]

This is a mainland piece, not Japanese, but probably the equivalent of Kofun period. So, a bit outside the category of the post, but I still find it interesting. Boris Markhasin has seen this and agrees with the time period.

 

[16k]

Ray, I know they say not to remove rust, but I think it will need extensive repair before you can practice tameshigiri! 

[Ray Singer]

At this point, it would be reckless even to sneeze in its direction. Fragile to say the least...

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

Probably this one for me.

a Ko-katchushi tsuba for a tanto.

Kiri mon must be a later addition.

 

 

[Fuuten]

This little star saves me from posting Shinshinto swords or late edo oribe.

 

Bought from a member here. With the following description.

 

Koshigatana/uchigatana tsuba, yamagane. Late Muromachi. Made by an unknown, undocumented artists in one of the numerous workshops which were producing arms for the huge samurai armies of the Sengoku period.

 

Edited to add two more pictures.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Fuuten

[Steve Waszak]

I think my oldest piece is this one, a bronze tsuba dating conservatively to mid-Muromachi I believe, though at least one person with far more experience on very early tosogu has said it could be or even likely is Nambokucho/early-Muromachi.  Bronze sword guards are not very common, and they would seem to have been in favor in earlier (than mid-Muromachi) times.  At 4mm in thickness, this tsuba is very heavy, has a deep patina, and as can be seen, presents with plenty of remnant black lacquer. 

[C0D]

I think my oldest piece is this one, a bronze tsuba dating conservatively to mid-Muromachi I believe, though at least one person with far more experience on very early tosogu has said it could be or even likely is Nambokucho/early-Muromachi. Bronze sword guards are not very common, and they would seem to have been in favor in earlier (than mid-Muromachi) times. At 4cm, this tsuba is very heavy, has a deep patina, and as can be seen, presents with plenty of remnant black lacquer.

Great piece, I think early Muromachi as well

[Peter Bleed]

Oldest?

You guys are pikers

A couple of years back we discussed these Jomon-era arrowheads that got found and mounted as menuki.

Peter

[kissakai]

Sasano has drawn an identical match to yours Steve and dates this type of hitsuana as Kamakura to Oei era (1185 to 1412) so Manuel will be close

[Steve Waszak]

I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to pre-Momoyama tsuba, so I am happy to defer to those who are.  From what you say about Sasano, Grev, it seems this may even be as early as Kamakura Period, then.  I suppose Nambokucho to early-Muromachi is the "safer" bet. 

[kissakai]

Hi Steve

It is a broad date range so in my opinion only a top expert can add further info

You can look at this era and you may find something more but don't hold your breath

A nice tsuba that I'd be happy to own

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Grev,

 

It really is even more beautiful in hand, I must admit.  And as I mentioned, at least one person who is as close to an expert on truly early tosogu has said he'd put it a lot earlier than I have/had it.  He told me that a late-Kamakura to Nambokucho date is very possible, but no later than earliest Muromachi.  So maybe a 14th-century date is a good dating for it.   

 

Anyway, given the subject of this thread, many other members here have earlier pieces for sure. 

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[ROKUJURO]

....Jomon-era arrowheads that got found and mounted as menuki.

Peter

I would have liked to see them in magnification, but the picture is only thumbnail size.

[Frank Reile]

I believe this is one of my older pieces. Late Muromachi Period? Sorry for the sideways photos from my phone, not able to rotate them.

 

Frank R.

[Bugyotsuji]

10 stems and 12 branches. Great to have this on one tsuba. 

https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/12-zodiac.shtml

[Ken-Hawaii]

Very interesting, Piers.

[Bugyotsuji]

As requested above, here are some shots of a wakizashi, my oldest Japanese blade to my knowledge.

It is signed 二王　寛清 Nio Hirokiyo, from 周防 Suwo.

There were two Hirokiyo smiths working for the influential Ouchi family below Yamaguchi Castle Town, in the years around Kansei (Shodai)(1460-1465) to Bunmei (Nidai)(1469-1486).

 

Some connection to the Onin War, perhaps?

 

PS Lovely quote from Wiki: In Kyoto, "pre-war" refers to the Ōnin War, rather than WWII.

[hobnails]

Hi his is my oldest piece a koto tanto, it has a nagasa of 368mm and the kasane is 6mm not sure of exact age.

[Dave R]

 Always a problem dating a piece, unless it's papered, and sometimes even then. However, here's what the seller described as an early Edo piece. I have been told it might be older, but given a "tweak" in the Edo period.

[johnnyi]

Its great see  everyone's old tsuba and swords.  Here are several of my oldest tsuba. The small Kagami-shi is the oldest, possibly followed by the large Tosho.  Thanks for looking. 

 

Johnnyi

 

 

p.s. yikes, the blow ups turned out bigger then expected! Brian, you have a contribution coming