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2020 wasn't all that bad... a recap of tsuba acquisitions

Oshy

By Oshy
in Tosogu

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Spartancrest Grand Master

Spartancrest

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Mike they are some good acquisitions! I am very interested in the second tsuba as I have a daisho of similar design. They are usually described as amida-yasuri but I think that is a generalization as the 'rays' are not continuous and are more the pattern of expanded metal mesh. I have seen them described as Amida-ishime-ji. Yours if I may say so is atypical in that it doesn't have an outlined seppa-dai, sukashi or hitsu, though I have seen others like yours. I have 40 examples including three of my own - I am aware that this design has been posted before [way back in 2006 I think?] and described as Tosho made, but from what examples I have, Tosho is also an easy out - Tosho with inlay? Tosho mukade? Tosho with shakudo fukurin? Regardless, I do like your piece. [Sorry if I hijacked your post]

Steve is correct what was wrong with 2020? [I am not a touchy-feely person anyway!]

 

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Oshy Community Regular

Oshy

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Thanks for the kind words everyone!

 

Dale, the second tsuba was actually my very first piece acquired here on the NMB for pennies. I too can only describe it as 'amida'.

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Oshy Community Regular

Oshy

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Although the quality on most of these isnt amazing and a few are modern or not 100% done by hand, I know what I like and what drew me to each of these but curious if my tastes overlap at all with others.

I would be interested in hearing which of these speak to other people. Which is your favorite?

Oshy Community Regular

Oshy

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58 minutes ago, ROKUJURO said:

Mike,

very nice 'harvest' of TSUBA (no plural form). I especially like the last one.

 

Thanks Jean, funny you bring that last one(Heianjo - hitsuana & leaf with zogan) up, it was the second cheapest of them all (due to a small crack). Definitely a unique motif, not sure why but wondering if the zogan was possibly added at a later date.

Oshy Community Regular

Oshy

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15 minutes ago, Kurikata said:

Milke, you did it well ! I like heianjo tsuba and I fully support Jean's opinion.

 

Thanks Bruno, other than the last Heianjo mentioned by Jean, there is #4 Heianjo with waves and #6 Heianjo with flowers and vines. I love how detailed #4 is and the gold/copper mist/spray. #6 isn't as nice, the inlay isn't flush and some is missing but it still has a lot, definitely a flashy one!

MauroP Proficient

MauroP

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I should be a wiser man... I know that making up a coherent collection needs making choices. But actually I'm not rational in collecting. In that strange year of lock-down, social distancing and hard work I had to wait months to receive in hands, almost at the same time,  all my acquisitions. Definitely I'm not a "serious" collector, but after all I'm quite happy about my new pieces. No masterpiece here but some interesting opportunity for study.

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1 signed Echizen jū Kinai (越前住 記内), possibly Yondai Ishikawa (circa 1640).
2 otafuku-mokkō-gata tsuba with an unusual tetsu-fukurin, possibly Edo Higo (thanks to Mark from NMB).
3 maple and deer antler tsuba, possibly Shōami.
4 plum blossoms in moonlight, possibly kodai Higo (thanks to Thomas AKA Leporello).
5 signed Jakushi (若芝), quite typical of the school, and the only tsuba I purposely searched for buying.
6 Musashino theme tsuba; the still good zōgan remakably contrast with the weared iron surface, and make me think it could be an old tōshō tsuba (just 3,5 mm thick) repurposed and decorated in late Edo.
7 mitsudomoe, inlaid dew drops (or toad skin?); signature unreadable.
8 bamboo and snow tsuba, possibly Kyō-Shōami.

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Spartancrest Grand Master

Spartancrest

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Hi Mauro, I  have seen a few examples of your no. 8. One sold back on 28th March 2006, sale 1638 by Christies, formerly in the Metropolitan Museum collection. The picture quality is not great. Described as " Iron openwork ishime-ji tsuba with brass overlays on stylized foliage and brass rope rim" [ it and two dissimilar guards sold for $5,400 USD.] Ps. Remind me not to donate my collection to the Met - they will sell it off!

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MauroP Proficient

MauroP

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Thank you Dale, the tsuba from Christies is reported as Heianjō, but I don't think brass inlays alone are enough to make such a call...

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Oshy Community Regular

Oshy

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Very interesting to compare these 3. Other than the inlay, I see minor differences in how the iron is formed at 3 and 9o-clock, mainly in the angles and amount of curl in the iron. Thanks for sharing!

Oshy Community Regular

Oshy

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I agree, not much detail there.

 

Mine shown below was acquired frm Andy at Nihonto.US. I found it severely underpriced at $75(after discount for bulk purchase) due to a small crack at 4 o-clock. Im lucky enough to live only a few minutes away so I can typically check his inventory out before it posts. Like this piece, many of my tsubas are from him and a very large collection that he sold(still some left) for a widow.

 

http://www.nihonto.us/

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