A series of fittings ( or how not to build a collection )

[Bob M.]

Hi John,

 

Yes , it's a bit tongue in cheek , maybe I should have added ' but acquire an accumulation '.

 

It wasn't intended that way , it's just happened...

[Tanto54]

Dear Bob,

 

Thanks for the recurring "eye candy"....  Each day when I check NMB, I'm looking forward to another of your beautiful tosogu!  Please keep it up.

[kissakai]

As George said I also look forward to seeing some w3onderful tsuba - thanks

I hope to see them in hand one day!

 

 

[b.hennick]

Hi Bob:

I'm impressed! Post #15 - the kozuka has amazing calligraphy. I think that an enlarged photos of that would make an excellent piece of art. 

Post # 17 cranes is a fine work that reflects the makers study of the bird. It too is interesting art.

Post#18 - Love Ford's work. I have two soft metal and one iron tsuba of his. 

Keep the show coming! 

[Bob M.]

Thanks to everybody for their positive comments - I will carry on posting every other day or so till I run out of fittings or until we all get fed up .

 

As I mentioned earlier , there will be a fairly wide range of styles and quality , so please comment , educate or call out the crap...

 

I will provide such information as I have about each fitting . In the case of the more generic items , this will be very little , I have not attempted to read signatures on some of the pieces ,some help with this would be appreciated.

 

If there is anything that anybody wishes to talk about ' off board ' please feel free to p.m. me.

 

Specifically , Barry, I will see what I can do about a large high def. picture re the Tsuchiya Takechika kozuka , as you say it could make a nice piece of framed? art. Don't suppose you know of anyone who could have a stab at translation ?

 

Also glad to hear that someone else has some modern Hallam pieces - it sometimes feels a bit lonely... all will be revealed in due course.

 

Regards

 

 

 

 

[b.hennick]

Hi Bob:
Post it in the translation section. It will be interesting I'm sure. Good calligraphy is an art in itself.

[Bob M.]

Have done .

Thanks, Barry.

[Bob M.]

No. 11 - Mokko Tsuba in style of Sugiura Joi ?  Copper with shakudo and gold inlays / highlights. Subject of Bishamonten and Oni . Signed Mitsumura ? in plaque

6.95 x 6.43 x 0.39cm

One of these pieces that looks far better in the hand...  Thickness reduces to approx. 0.22 cm at edge , fine surface texture all over background , both sides. Much detail difficult to see without magnification.

Bought this off ebay 16 years ago before it got flooded with fakes.

[Bob M.]

For anyone who is interested , the Tsuchiya kozuka , posted a few items ago  ,has been posted also on the Translation Assistance area of the Board. Thread titled Kozuka Calligraphy.

 

A translation of the calligraphy has been given by Morita-san ...

 

Many Thanks to all who have helped/contributed to this !

 

 

[Bob M.]

No .12a - Large mokko iron tsuba  , thin plate , brass inlay with some losses . As this tsuba appears to have been mounted at some time , I guess some loss was inevitable. 

 

I have no info. on age or origin , any ideas? Size 10.1cm x 9.9cm x 0.3cm.

 

 

[Bob M.]

No. 12b  - another large iron tsuba 9.7cm x 9.7cm x 0.55cm from the same auction lot as No. 12a .

 

Again , no real idea of origin or age, but could this be trying to be Kacchushi or perhaps more likely Kowari or Ko-Tosho ?

[Bob M.]

No. 13 - Kinko Tsuba in shibuichi with highlights in silver , gold, shakudo ,copper etc  6.4cm x 5.3cm x 0.4cm

 

Woodman sitting , gazing at the moon as clouds move in front of it , with a bird of prey ? flying overhead.

 

Very fine detail - under magnification even his toenails are visible ! The composition possibly inspired by a silk brush painting ?

 

Not submitted to shinsa , could this be Mito ?

 

[kissakai]

Hi Bob

I think you would have had more comments if you spread out the time difference between each item

Members like me can't wait to see the next one in your collection so are distracted to make many comments

Just keep posting these fine examples

Didn't you go off tsuba for awhile?

 

[Greg F]

Thanks for sharing your lovely tsuba collection with us Bob.

Some beaties there.

The tsuba made by Ford is great.

When was it made?

[b.hennick]

Hi Bob 

The poem for the kozuka was a great addition to the piece. Now you have more to enjoy. Keep the terms coming.

I love the moon in clouds.

[Bob M.]

Hi Greg,

 

Thanks for joining the thread.

 

The Hallam tsuba was made around 2010 , if memory serves.

 

Few more of his pieces to come...

 

Regards

[Tanto54]

Hi Bob,

 

Love the shibuichi patina and silver "crystals" in it on your Tsuba #13.  The bird is a cuckoo (hototogisu) and is commonly paired with the moon in Japanese art.  It is the harbinger of Summer and its call is sometimes interpreted as an omen of calling good souls to heaven.

 

 

 

[Bob M.]

No.14 - Iron Sukashi attributed as Owari.

 

Mumei , probably mid edo period

 

8.75cm x 8.51cm x 0.49cm  , but over rim , 0.55cm

 

Simple design of vertical stripes gives an strong , almost brutal impression.

 

Acquired 15 years ago, direct from Japan.

 

Iron bones appear on edge - I  never really think of bones as a desirable feature these days , surely they are just visible evidence of poorly worked iron ? Or is this another manifestation of selling indifferent workmanship as something special - a bit like Wabi Sabi ? Please let me have your thoughts....

[Bob M.]

No.15  - Iron tsuba with gold / copper / silver inlays & highlights - mumei.

 

7.92cm x 7.85cm x 0.42cm ( 0.50cm over rim )

 

No idea as to school / period.

 

Have seen the odd example of this design for sale elsewhere so maybe pattern book or a particular school 'signature' piece. 

[kissakai]

Hi Bob

I've just bought a tsuba similar in design to your number 13 and I think it may be Nara

I also have a tsuba with a similar technique as your number 15 which I believe is Aizu Shoami

Keep them coming

 

 

[Bob M.]

No 16 - Fuchi Kashira with lots of wild water , deep undercuts , silver and gold highlights etc

 

Signed Teruhide - Opinions ?

[Brian]

Very nice work, but I suspect gimei. Just the finer details and the placement of the dots. Perhaps @Ford Hallam will give us an opinion?

[JohnTo]

Hi Bob,

I’m enjoying looking through your collection and thought I would post a couple of bits.

Firstly, your Owari tsuba with ‘bones’ #14.  I gather you think bones are the result of sloppy workmanship and I have read that some artists shaved them down.  But I love them.  They give character to the iron and show it has been forged from a heterogeneous mixture of iron.  I find the smooth finish and uniformly fine texture on many Edo period sukashi tsuba a bit boring, even though the sukashi work is more refined.  But each to their own.  Let me guess, you did not graduate into tsuba from sword blades as I did.  Gazing at all the features on a blade caused by folding and phase changes in the iron is fascinating, e.g. Nie, nioi, sunagashi, inazuma.

Anyway, moving on to your Tsuba #15.  I have a tsuba with a similar basic construction to this, but lacking the inlay and sukashi.  I bought mine at Bonhams in 2010 and it was described as a Shoami tsuba, signed Masayoshi.  The signature is in gold nunome and partially lost.  I’m OK with the kanji for ‘yoshi’, but have never been able to reconcile the partially lost kanji for ‘masa’ or read it as anything else.  I have never found any reference to a ‘Masayoshi’ with a similar pair of kanji either.

In view of the similar basic construction I wonder if the two tsuba came from the same school, but yours was the deluxe model, or maybe the sukashi and inlay was added at a later date elsewhere.

My Tsuba: Height: 7.5 cm.  Width:7.5 cm. Thickness (Seppa Dai):0.45 cm.  Thickness (Rim):0.5 cm.  Weight: 132 g

 

Best regards, John

PS. Its good to see your posts being numbered it may get a bit difficult commenting on specific ones as the list grows.

[Kurikata]

Regarding N° 15 - Mumei Kyo Shoami school

[Bob M.]

Thanks to all for the info. - No 15 is now conclusively Kyo Shoami !

 

Hi John, in regard to my remarks on iron 'bones' , I view these pieces as being analagous to 1st and 2nd qualities in china/porcelain .

 

Whilst , as you can see, having some items displaying 'bones',  or other problems,  in the collection is not a problem to me , my objection relates to the selling of these pieces as having extra desirable attributes.

 

Furthermore the use of ' wabisabi' is mainly a cynical marketing exercise by dealers , with profit the only motive.

 

I guess what I am saying is , try and fight back against the bull...

 

However - this is only my opinion , I do not claim to speak with any authority on the subject , but neither will I bow down to those who only have a monetary interest and self promote themselves as experts.

 

In regard to my getting involved with collecting sword fittings , it developed at the same time as collecting swords ( which had followed on from metalwork - cloisonne , bronzes etc ) . Some years ago , I sold off most of the blades and concentrated on the freer artistic forms as expressed in fittings , my current position being shown in this thread.

 

Thanks for your contribution !

[kissakai]

Hi Bob

Did you read the posts just on wabisabi?

I think it is a very desirable (for me) attribute but I agree you have to cut through the b$%^t

There were some shown that missed the point but there are also some excellent examples

I'd like to hear your views

 

[Tanto54]

Dear Bob, it is very refreshing to hear your honest opinion about “bones” in your various posts above.  Too often I hear something like “experienced collectors should only collect old iron” or “no self-respecting Samurai Warrior would have a kinko (soft metal) tsuba.”  I don’t know why (perhaps it is for the reasons that you indicated in your post above), but it seems that some of the Iron Guys feel the need to bully everyone into their way of thinking.  Personally, I like both iron and kinko, and I believe that people should collect what they like (but they just shouldn’t be bullied or misled into it and they shouldn’t bully others).  I also often hear “my Sword Sensei told me that real Samurai Warriors only used iron tsuba”.  I want to respond, “was that the Sensei that told you to sweep the leg?”  As Daniel learned, sometimes the Sensei is wrong...  Occasionally, people need to study and think for themselves instead of relying on the often repeated BS.  The idea that true Samurai Warriors only liked somber old iron is simply not true.  In fact, the whole wabisabi somber, old iron aesthetic came from non-Samurai and non-Warriors like Sen no Rikyū, the famous tea master.  He was a merchant and fishmonger.  Later he was made a Buddhist priest, but he was never a Samurai or Warrior.  The “ami” who regulated the import of Chinese art, literature and ideas (in the early times when the Samurai were coming to power in Japan) were not Samurai or Warriors either, but they governed the aesthetic including official tosogu and koshirae and tea ceremonies for mid and upper Samurai.  The Shogun used these “art advisors” to help govern and control the Daimyo and Samurai under them by requiring the Samurai to expend great resources on old iron tsuba, tea bowls, etc.  This was very much like the sankin-kōtai system (alternate residence system), which the Shogun used to keep the Daimyos under control.  That system required them to spend a great deal of money to travel and change residences every other year (keeping them too poor to raise an army against the Shogun....)  The bottom line is that true Samurai Warriors liked and used both iron and kinko tsuba, and irony is that the somber, old iron tsuba aesthetic came from merchants, tea masters and art advisors not Samurai or Warriors...

 

As an aside, I have a Japanese friend in Tokyo who loves trains.  He and his buddies get together once a quarter to talk about them.  He tells me that one of the greatest possessions that members of his club have is a used iron electrical contact from the top of an electric subway car that is worn down from riding against the electrical supply cable.  It’s basically a long iron bar with smooth groves in it.  He says that members can talk for hours about those wear marks and almost get aroused when running their hands over the worn groves on that iron electrical contact....  That’s what I think about when I hear people going on and on about tekkotsu (bones) on tsuba...

[Bob M.]

Never know what you are going to learn on this thread - autoeroticism replaced by raileroticism.

 

Thanks George , don't want to go too deeply into this and where it leads - could have too many implications when sword handling and cleaning...

[Bob M.]

No.17 - Tsuba in sentoku and copper with gold , silver and shakudo highlights  , beaded shakudo rim. 7.0cm x 6.4cm x 0.4cm.

 

Possibly Nara school late18th/early 19th cent. An unusual combination of metals , acquired eight years ago at auction. 

 

Simple , nicely executed design , reminding me of scroll / screen paintings.

[b.hennick]

The brass side looks Nara, but the Mimi does not note does the copper side. The brass side shows an image of Mount Fuji and I think a drying fish net.