7 Immortals

[Kurikata]

Yes I know! The vast majority of you just consider this suaka plate as not being a tsuba....

 

I also know that Ford will find the carving quite poor, with a lack of dynamism and precision in the design..... (I guess )

 

But i like it.... It is signed Hide Kuni (秀国) and the suaka patina is excellent . Probably Gimei even if a very similar signature is shown in Kinko Meikan (page 375).

 

Please feel free to comment and to argue for/against this piece of work which is called (I presume) a tsuba.....

[16k]

It’s not a Tsuba. And the carving is poor.

 

No, seriously, not a Tsuba but great carving and great theme. I’m not into Tsuba, but I like that very much.

[Ganko]

I like it, and the reverse as well with the Sun rising over the mountains and the sea in the foreground.

[Steves87]

I like it too! Specifically the puffy cloud swirls and bottom left wave. The immortals are great too with the patina wear in certain areas

[Spartancrest]

I like the way the omote side shows such detail with a complex nature to the design whilst the ura is simplistic and naive. [ of the two I am more impressed with the naive]

[Kurikata]

Dale, I fully agree with you. I even tend to consider the rising sun being a political picture, being a tsuba from the end of the 19th century or very beginning of the 20th century. Does it show this nationalist move which will announce the Russo Japanese war?

[Tanto54]

Many tsuba have a design that encroaches on the seppadai, and having some of the design hidden by the seppa when mounted is actually considered a nice artistic touch.  However, the encroaching design should always be "below the ground" so that the seppa can sit properly.  I can't tell from the pictures here, but it appears that some of the encroaching design is "above the ground" such that it would cause the seppa to sit at an angle or wobble when mounted.  Is Hotei's sack and Fukurokuju's shoulder higher than the cloud ground on the opposite side of the nakagoana?  If so, then it probably would have to be considered a nice sculpture rather than a tsuba.

[Kurikata]

Georges,

 

this "tsuba" probably has never been made to be mounted on a sword and was more as a "tourists souvenirs". Nevertheless it shows great skills from the maker....I add some more pictures...  Thank you for you kind comments !

[Tanto54]

Dear Bruno,

 

Yes, the seppa wouldn't sit right would it?  The interesting way you've mounted it in the last two pictures makes me wonder if there is a hidden shunga meaning with the nakagoana placement vis-a-vis Daikokuten...

 

[Spartancrest]

Why not a 'Presentation' tsuba, a gift, but never intended to be mounted? It does seem to be a lot of work to sell to some unknown 'Gaijin'  (外人)

[Ken-Hawaii]

This gaijin would like to own it.

[Spartancrest]

Ken

 

Wouldn't we all! 

 

It looks fairly large - any idea of the dimensions.

[Brian]

I'd gladly own it. It's Japanese art, and very well done imho. Much as I appreciate my Japanese vases or small bronzes, this is a lovely example of the Japanese metalworking art.

[Kurikata]

Some comments:

 

@Georges --> The shunga meaning   --> undoubtedly a missing act from me 

@Dale --> Yes it is a big one  --> Weight is 225 grammes and size is 9.5 cm * 8.0 cm

 

I'm happy to see that for the time being there are more people in favor than against