Homework!

[Spartancrest]

I am trying to get some general attributions for a number of tsuba missing information in a museum collection I am forming into a book. Whilst I can hazard a guess with some I am not entirely confident that a guess is good enough to go into print. Any help with identifying schools or styles would be appreciated. [let me know if you would like to be included in the credits, otherwise I will list as "Assistance from members of the "Nihonto Message Board"]

 

[Geraint]

Dear Dale.

 

An interesting group, some of which I guess will have to end up as generic.  However number 5 might be Kumagai, compare here, http://www.nihonto.us/HIGO JINGO 2 LD.htm

You don't indicate thickness but if thin number 2 might be an early plate with later decorative additions.

16 Echizen Kinai?

 

I am sure others will have ideas for you.

 

All the best.

[Shugyosha]

Finger in the air Choshu for number 7 based on shape and theme. It looks like there might be the remains of a signature on this one - it might just be my eye making something out of nothing but, if so, a close up might help. I've tried magnifying the picture but it just goes fuzzy.

[Spartancrest]

Sorry John yes it is one of the very few with a signature Hokuunsai Mitsutomo at least that is the museums take on it. Even enlarged it is difficult to make out.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Dale,

If the signature is the same as this one, Haynes has him but with the pronunciation down as Kitaunsai Mitsutomo ref. H05460.0.

 

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1919.257

[Shugyosha]

Actually, from the tagane and sekigane it might be the same tsuba...

[Spartancrest]

Yes it is the same guard and the Cleveland museum collection is what I am working on. - Makes it a bit difficult with two pronunciations - I will include both, thanks for the information. I was a bit taken aback by what I had always seen as Kinai dragon tsuba with signatures ascribed to Umetada in the museum, I am hopeless at reading mei. What is your opinion on this signature.

 

[Shugyosha]

山城 国

西陣住 

埋忠

Definitely Umetada but not 100% confident on the place name. I think the full signature is Yamashiro kuni, Nishijin ju, Umetada. 

[Spartancrest]

The museum has it as Yamashiro no kuni Nishijin ni sumu Umetada 

Anyway why is he stealing a Kinai design? https://www.catawiki.com/l/15451427-iron-sukashi-tsuba-dragon-echizen-kinai-Japan-17th-18th-century

[Shugyosha]

Like you say, some generic designs. 8 is a familiar design - but I think I’ve seen it on a Higo tsuba but other than the similar shape there’s no comparison. 

[Spartancrest]

 

John 

Higo was a good lead for 8   https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/higo-tsuba-sword-guard/3QLyDIAlN6VZLg

Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art (The Ideta collection)  it is all out there it's just a matter of knowing where to start looking.

 

http://www.shibuiswords.com/haynesTsu78.html Not too different drying rack by SAKURA YAMAKICHIBEI but not close enough.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Dale,

 

The yakite on the Higo example is the difference though.

 

I'll keep guessing though I'm doing just that so if you or anyone else wants to shout me down there won't be any argument:

 

10. The form and texture reminds me of Yamakichibei but I'd expect there to be some yakite but I'm not sure if they also produced work without yakite...

 

16. Suggests Bushu to me as it suggests that there's a bit of an art deco/ art nouveau feel to it so it might be another school that worked in a similar way Echizen maybe?? Straining my memory a bit.

 

I've had a look through some of my own materials and found a similar design to No. 4 with the back to back fans attributed to Kyo Shoami but no other obvious connection...getting really tenuous now.

 

 

[Spartancrest]

Thanks John I know it was a big ask getting attributions from pictures, the museum's lack of thickness dimensions is also a handicap. I have since stumbled on another example of no. 8 in the A.H. Church collection in the Ashmolean museum Oxford. That one is described as Satsuma [EAX.10756] perhaps everyone made an example!

Also this one {very grainy picture} described as Satsuma from an auction  Sotheby's 2001 abalone on drying rack. If I give both attributions people can make up their own mind - for me the image is often more important than assigning a school, because there are so many cross-over designs. Even a signature is no guarantee because of the number of forgeries.

[Geraint]

My understanding is that these are two different themes, the first well cover and the later abalone drying racks, as with so many designs a variety of interpretations would work.  I have handled one example of the first design and it was quite thin, I think Satsuma would usually be a thicker plate.

 

All the best.

[MauroP]

hoshinamako.pdf

Here three examples of unsigned hoshinamako-zu tsuba with NBTHK attribution to Shōami, Fukanobu and  Yagyū (so you can choose...)

[Spartancrest]

Mauro thank you so much for those examples - it really does seem everyone made a version of the design! I may not have enough room to include all the possibilities