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

[Kurikata]

Bob, it is said that he is from the Bushu tradition. (http://nihontocraft.com/Kunishige_Kinko_Tsuba.htm)

 

Best regards

[Bob M.]

Item No. 28 - Kozuka in shibuichi with inlays of gold , silver and shakudo - Ichinomiya school 19th cent.

 

Subect of winter scene with Moso tying up a bundle of bamboo shoots. Snow has fallen on his hat and also lies on the ground . He also wears a cape with feathers ? against the cold.

 

Signed Nagatsune with kao

 

Ex C.P.Peak collection

Published : Red Cross Exhibition Catalogue , London 1915 , Plate CXXXVI , no. 710

[Geraint]

Dear Bob.

 

Another beauty!  I love the face.  I think he is wearing a mino, cf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mino_(straw_cape) 

 

All the best.

[Tanto54]

Dear Bob,

 

I'm with Geraint - that's an excellent face!  Very expressive.  Bob, I know that you know the subject is Moso, but for some of our colleagues who don't know Moso's story, here's a summary that I recently wrote for someone else:

 

We sometimes see a man with a straw hat and mino (rain coat) or hoe digging up a bamboo shoot in the snow on tosogu.  If we see this in a museum or book, usually the caption is nothing more than "Moso and bamboo shoot" leaving the viewer rather flat and uninspired.  Many of the collectors that I know would shun this type of tosogu thinking that must have been for tourists or merchants because no “self respecting Samurai" would want a farmer on his tosogu.  However, when you know that Moso is one of the classical paragons of filial virtue who was held in very high regard by Samurai as a reminder to be faithful to their parents and family, it changes your appreciation of the piece.  As you may know, Moso’s mother was on her deathbed and she expressed a desire to eat stewed bamboo shoots (usually a Spring delicacy).  It was snowing and the middle of Winter, so Moso knew that there wouldn’t be any bamboo shoots.  Nevertheless, he hiked many miles into the mountains where the bamboo grew and started digging in the snow while weeping about his mother’s impending death (makes the expression on his face on your kozuka more meaningful).  The gods rewarded his devotion by causing bamboo shoots to spring up under the snow, so Moso was able to grant his mother’s last request.  A sword with this motif would have been an excellent gift from Samurai parents to their son, or for a Samurai who wanted a daily reminder to serve his family well.  This knowledge would not only prevent some collectors from passing up such a sword/tosogu, but should also significantly add to the enjoyment of the owner/viewer who now has some insight into the life and character of the Samurai who carried the sword/tosogu.  

[b.hennick]

Hi George: thanks for adding the context for this beautiful piece.

[Bob M.]

George ,

 

Thanks for another of your invaluable contributions -  I did not realise the full significance of the imagery until your post.

 

The piece looks better in hand , with the dark shibuichi not as noticeable as in the picture .

 

Best Regards

[Bob M.]

Item No. 29 - Fuchi Kashira in Shakudo with highlights in shibuichi , copper and gold.

 

Subject - not really sure , two comic figures - is this another version of Kanzan and Jittoku ? Quite nice detailing especially on Kashira.

 

Inscribed  as Joi.

 

The figures , I think ,  have quite a way to go before justifying the signature . Comments anyone ?

 

Acquired as part of a group of eight fuchi kashira.

[Katsujinken]

I have a “Joi” f/k set mounted on a wakizashi. Emphasis on the quote marks! Mine are also definitely gimei, I think. :-)

 

 

[Tanto54]

Dear Bob,

 

Number 29 is a very rare subject on tosogu.  It is the Akambe Game being play by two boys, and the boy on the kashira is doing the Bekkako gesture (pointing to his eye or pulling down his lower eyelid meaning "do you see any green in my eye" while slightly sticking out his tongue).   When playing this game, a mask (Okame or other Noh character mask) is often hidden, so there may be a mask on the other side of the fuchi or perhaps on the menuki or tsuba.  While they are very nice and expressive, I think that your instincts are correct about them not being Joi level...

 

Here's the subject on netsuke:

 

 

[Bob M.]

Hi Michael ,

 

Thanks for posting your ' Joi ' fittings.

 

I really enjoy Shoki and Oni pieces , just see my avatar...

 

Have never seen oni trying to hide under an umbrella/parasol before - really nice workmanship.

 

Regards

[kissakai]

Part of an iron F/K of shoki

Quite worn and hard to see but I think the Oni is under a turtle shell

 

 

Grev

 

[Bob M.]

Hi Grev,

 

Thanks for posting - this must be the first and earliest evidence of the' Mutant Ninja Oni' cult then ? 

 

Best Regards

[Katsujinken]

7 hours ago, Bob M. said:

Have never seen oni trying to hide under an umbrella/parasol before - really nice workmanship.

Indeed, the kashira is the standout price from the set in my opinion. It’s a lot of fun. Thanks Bob!

[Bob M.]

Hi George , 

 

Re your Item No. 29 background information post ,

 

Thanks for all the explanations - I for one, had never heard of this game . Presumably all Japanese adults know it....  I wonder if  the gestures get used much.

 

Best Regards

[Tanto54]

Dear Bob,

 

Most adults in Japan would know this gesture as "Akanbe" (or Akambe or  Akkanbee).  I do not think that many modern Japanese would know about the Akanbe Game or know the word "Bekkako" (which I believe is the original name for the gesture).  Even though the Japanese are very polite, most current adults would have used this gesture when they were kids (although not in this game) and many "playful" adults might still use the gesture from time to time.

[Bob M.]

Item No. 30 - Iron Tsuba(s) Choshu style Orchids with gold highlights 7.32cm x 7.01cm x 0.41cm ( 2nd 0.48cm )

 

Tsubas signed -  Inshu ju Suruga Takaoki - ninth master Haruta school - died 1856. He also worked in Bushu Ito style . Haynes H 0.9304.0

 

Two  , on the face of it , identical tsubas ( apart from thickness of iron ).

 

The closer you look , however  , the more differences appear . Different surface finishes , one appears to be lacquered , different treatment of gold highlights , also there is very little detailing on the leaves on the second compared to the first , where the leaf veins have been carved all over the piece.

 

Have posted same faces together for easier comparison.

 

 

[Caracal]

Hi BOB,

 

Could this tsuba be from Haruta school or?

//Robert

[Bob M.]

Hi Robert ,

 

I think that it can be difficult to tie down this style of work to a particular school - I do not think that the NBTHK have given you a firm answer to this on the papers .

 

This is not surprising when you consider the overlap or fusion , to use a modern term , of styles from Choshu , Bushu Ito , Haruta etc.

 

If you look at the later flourishing of the Art Nouveau movement , you can see some of the contributing art developing in these pieces...

 

A combination of expressionism and realism makes for some very pleasing imagery and your tsuba is , in my opinion , a good example. I  hope that you continue to enjoy it.

 

Regards

[Bob M.]

Item No.31 - Iron Tsuba with gold highlights 7.50cm x 7.41cm x 0.47 cm

 

Modern made approx 10 years ago by Ford Hallam. The piece shows much better in hand than in a picture.

 

The apparent simplicity of the classic shape hides the workmanship where the form of the tsuba follows the graining and contours of the metal.

 

I personally think that in this ' homage '  , Ford has hit a sweet spot...

[Greg F]

Wow Bob this one by Ford is one of my favorites.

[Shugyosha]

It does make me wonder what Musashi had on his mind when he was in his cave. 😬

[Bob M.]

A delicious sea cucumber , of course .  What else could it possibly be ??

[Bob M.]

Item No. 32  Iron Tsuba with gold and silver dot inlays  8.06 cm x 8.00 cm x 0.50 cm

 

Subject of ferns

 

An early Ford Hallam piece , made about 25 years ago.

[b.hennick]

Wow! I haven't seen such an early work of Ford's. His current signature is very good. This one is very early....

[kissakai]

There are two Hallam tsuba purchased by the Birmingham (UK) museum in 1994

Both are in my book

I think Bob's tsuba is better than the museums - such a good eye 25 years ago, respect

 

[Bob M.]

Hi Grev,

 

Ford's the one with the good eye ( unsurprisingly ) , me , I'm just bumbling along .

 

Acquired this direct from Ford , I think about 13/14 years ago.

[DirkO]

On 4/4/2021 at 11:49 AM, Bob M. said:

 No. 21 - A Washida school tsuba in Sentoku , details in silver , copper and gold. 6.96cm x 6.30cm x 0.41cm . 

 

Also in Vol .6 p. 174 Wakayama , Tosogu Kodogu Meiji Taikei ( 1978 ) - possibly an earlier edition to the above ?

 

If anyone could oblige with pictures of the entries detailed above , I would be most grateful.

 

Sorry Bob, late to the party, but here's that Wakayama entry:

 

I remember chatting to you in Utrecht at your display - there were some real gems there from the hand of Ford. If anything, he's somewhat too much a perfectionist!

[Bob M.]

Hi Dirk ,

 

Many thanks for the Wakayama info.

 

Never too late to join the party - we are only just getting started !

 

Hopefully see you again when we can hold meetings safely.

 

Regards

[Bob M.]

Item No. 33 - Sukashi Iron Tsuba by Masatoshi Ito  -  7.22 cm x 6.86 cm x 0.46 cm at centre , tapering to 0.32 cm at rim

 

Subject Koto Bridges

 

Another tsuba that feels and displays better in hand with the discolouration as seen in the pictures nowhere near as visible .  The Iron is smoothly polished , giving a lovely tactile feel - the sort of enticing piece that you could put in a pocket and carry around all day.

 

Signed , I believe , Kofuju Masatoshi ( Ito school , Edo ) , a pupil of Masatsune.

 

Can anyone find a Haynes ref. or other text to verify this ?

 

Can't find an entry for Kofuju Masatoshi in Sesko Geneologies.

 

I bought this approx 10 years ago direct from Japan for a song - it was on Ebay , but the photographs  , obviously taken with flash , made the piece look very poorly. In the end it only got three bids...

 

 

[kissakai]

It looks like H04585.0

D: date 1830

Student of Masatsune (H04737)

There are references to Wakayama

I think the set of Haynes is good value for money