School of this tsuba?

[Surfson]

Anybody want to have a go at it?  

[Surfson]

Both sides

 

[MauroP]

Tosa-Myōchin?

[Surfson]

Well done Mauro, exactly what the NBTHK papers say!   

[Surfson]

What were the main clues that led you to this conclusion?  

 

[MauroP]

Hi, I didn't realized it was a kantei game. My answer was just a Gestalt guess. Anyway, I'm trying to rationalise: the theme expressed in ji-sukashi could be either Higo, Akasaka or Tosa-Myōchin. In a Higo piece I'd expect a more bold kebori, and sometime a more rich texture on plain surfaces. The Akasaka design is associated with sharp, broken lines (and dishomogeneous layered metal, wich I was unable to evaluate from the pictures). So Tosa-Myōchin, with its delicate kebori and sinuous sukashi (and homogeneous iron), should be the most likely candidate.

[Surfson]

Very helpful Mauro.  I too find that Akasaka has a lot of jagged edges, while Higo and Myochin have fewer and more flowing sukashi shapes.  I didn't know about the thickness and contrast of the kebori, but that is something that I will keep my eye out for.   Had I not known that it was Myochin, Kamiyoshi might have been another guess.   

[MauroP]

You are right, Kamiyoshi (and Nishigaki) could also be candidates. Basically I never realized what clues  in a sukashi tsuba make the difference with a simple Higo attribution. So I simply don't remind of them...

[Curran]

Mauro said it better than me.

    I didn't know if it was later Nishigaki or Tosa Myochin.

 

Kamiyoshi makes sense too, though I often let the patina and surface feel of the tsuba convince me in that direction.

On this one, I thought it a coin toss between mid to later gen Nishigaki or Tosa Myochin.

 

 

[Surfson]

Do either of you know the connection between Tosa Myochin and the famous Myochin that made helmets and armor?   I'm just being lazy here, as I'm sure that there are writings on the subject.  Also, what is the connection to Tosa swords, like Yoshimichi and other famous early makers?   Is it just sharing the same province or is there more?

 

[Curran]

Basically little connection other than location.

"Washington slept here".  So did I.

Connected?

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

On 6/8/2021 at 5:53 PM, MauroP said:

Hi, I didn't realized it was a kantei game. My answer was just a Gestalt guess. Anyway, I'm trying to rationalise: the theme expressed in ji-sukashi could be either Higo, Akasaka or Tosa-Myōchin. In a Higo piece I'd expect a more bold kebori, and sometime a more rich texture on plain surfaces. The Akasaka design is associated with sharp, broken lines (and dishomogeneous layered metal, wich I was unable to evaluate from the pictures). So Tosa-Myōchin, with its delicate kebori and sinuous sukashi (and homogeneous iron), should be the most likely candidate.

amazing.  much respect

[Japan2112]

From Tosogu CLassroom Vol II. (Thank you, Markus).

1st generation (Kawasaki) Munetoshi studied under Myochin Osumi no kami Munesuke in Edo and was given the Myochin name.

4th generation Tosa Myochin Muneyoshi studied with the Akasaka Tadashige (Tadanori) and and began copying Higo.

i would have guessed Kamiyoshi if it were not for the rectangular yose tagane on the omote - a dead giveaway.

Nice tsuba - the TM are generally under rated

[MauroP]

Some more stuff to give a try: 3 tsuba papered Higo, Kamiyoshi and Nishigaki. Which is which? (sorry for the pics, no others/better ones available).

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

A Kamiyoshi,. B Nishigaki,  C Higo

 

 

 

 

[Curran]

Ha- Got all three!

 

I like the Nishigaki.