Maritime Tsuba

[Alban L]

Hi all,

 

Clearly not the most valuable one, but here is a tsuba I particularly like as naval items collector, representing a kendo practicer using a Japanese anchor as a sword, with waves and reef patterns.

This tsuba is unsigned, can't say if it is an old or modern production, anyway may not be earlier than 1870s when Kendo was standardized with this kind of equipment.

 

Size 7mm / 6,3mm

 

Alban

 

[Spartancrest]

Alban 

I think it is one of a group of guards made in the late Meiji era and onwards for practice swords, some times called 'Dance swords" [no idea why]. They all feature cast production with some fine finishing and "inlay" usually (as in this case) missing - I say "inlay" but it is usually worked pieces of copper/brass that are glued into a recess and not truly held in by undercut edges. The workmanship varies greatly some are very finely recut, others are ill defined blobs. Same as these examples - You will notice one has lost the applied metal face. Having said that I have not seen the anchor theme like yours before it may be much less common.

[Tanto54]

Dear Alban, instead of kendo gear, I believe your tsuba shows a samurai.  What you are seeing as a "men" or kendo helmet is actually the sode (shoulder armor).  I think that your tsuba shows Kanemitsu or Tomomori.

[Spartancrest]

[Alban L]

21 minutes ago, Spartancrest said:

Alban 

I think it is one of a group of guards made in the late Meiji era and onwards for practice swords, some times called 'Dance swords" [no idea why]. They all feature cast production with some fine finishing and "inlay" usually (as in this case) missing - I say "inlay" but it is usually worked pieces of copper/brass that are glued into a recess and not truly held in by undercut edges. The workmanship varies greatly some are very finely recut, others are ill defined blobs. Same as these examples - You will notice one has lost the applied metal face. Having said that I have not seen the anchor theme like yours before it may be much less common.

 

Very interesting, thank you.

I don't know about these "dance swords", could this name come from a Japanese word whose original meaning may be confusing ? Notion of danse, practice, martial art, etc, may be close and translation depend on context.

[Alban L]

5 hours ago, Tanto54 said:

Dear Alban, instead of kendo gear, I believe your tsuba shows a samurai.  What you are seeing as a "men" or kendo helmet is actually the sode (shoulder armor).  I think that your tsuba shows Kanemitsu or Tomomori.

 

Thanks for comment.

And also for illustration shown by Dale, could be a reference to this samurai. If I'm not mistaking, he was the Taira commander defeated at Dan no Ura battle ?

 

What gave me the impression of a kendo gear wast mostly the helmet, seems there is facial protection like in kendo. 

EDIT : sorry I just get your point about shoulder armor. If I understand we only see the shoulder and face is missing like the second tsuba illustrated by Dale. I will check on the reverse side if that makes sense !

[Spartancrest]

Alban - the image is  : Suruga Jirô Kiyoshige in armor with a huge anchor by Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861)

[Alban L]

4 hours ago, Spartancrest said:

Alban - the image is  : Suruga Jirô Kiyoshige in armor with a huge anchor by Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861)

 

Another samurai using an anchor,  I just read about this one, thank you.

 

George, it appears you're right for the samurai figure, when looking on the opposite side of tsuba, the face should be just along the anchor, so what we see is the shoulder. So the face, and perhaps also the hand, were made in another material which is missing here. Interesting !

 

 

 

[Brian]

George and Dale, your knowledge is remarkable!

[Spartancrest]

Alban here is another Woodblock print featuring a Samurai and a huge anchor.

Title

Seki sanjūrō sakata hangorō

 

Print shows two actors, Seki Sanjūrō and Sakata Hangurō, one with a large sword and the other carrying a large anchor over his shoulder.

Utagawa, Kuniyasu, 1794-1832, artist

Created / Published [between 1815 and 1830]

[SteveM]

The one in the Kuniyasu print with the anchor on his shoulder is Taira no Tomomori (see George's post), also known as Shinchūnagon Tomomori, also known as Ikari Tomomori. "Ikari" means anchor. At Dan No Ura, after losing to the Minamoto, it is said that he walked into the sea holding an anchor. Wikipedia says he tied an anchor around his feet. Anyway, it was an honorable death, as they say. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taira_no_Tomomori

 

But Suruga Jirō Kiyoshige is also a possibility for the motif on the tsuba in Alban's original post. The ukiyoe print in Dale's post #4 is from the set of 100 Famous Warriors. Suruga Jirō was a retainer/guard for Minamoto Yoshitsune, and enters the 100 Famous Warriors list due to his exploits in protecting Yoshitsune. 

https://www.Japanese-wiki-corpus.org/person/Jiro SURUGA.html

I don't follow why he's holding an anchor in the print. It was no doubt more obvious to people in the 19th century. 

 

photo is of the Taira no Tomomori statue in the city of Shimonoseki (near Dan No Ura).

 

 

 

[Alban L]

Thank you for your expertise, much appreciated !

 

So we can’t say whose character it may be precisely, but a common Japanese maritime theme. Really interesting, I will see diferently this tsuba !

[Alban L]

Here is another maritime theme tsuba, representing Japanese traditional ships. This was the typical shape of stern and rudder of merchant ships like kitamae bune which where following the northern sea route.

 

 

[Spartancrest]

Alban I have an image from an article published by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in 1912 of a Choshu school guard from the 18th century.

[Alban L]

Hi Dale, another one with similar design, thanks !

[Spartancrest]

Hi Alban I know I have already sent you the image of the Anchor for sale on ebay but that guard has a 'utsushi' or larger companion in the Princeton University Art Museum. Also a sukashi anchor, also from that collection, you might like to add to your records.

 

y1930-65   = 83 mm x 77 mm x 7 mm       y1930-63  = 71 mm x 67 mm x 5 mm

[Alban L]

Thank you Dale, very close pattern indeed

 

Here is also another small ferry or fishing boat design, full of fishing baskets and goods.
It was said to illustrate a "treasure ship". Actually it doesn’t looks like takarabune or treasure ships common representations but may still be an illustration of abundancy.

 

 

[Spartancrest]

Looks a little overloaded! I hope the waves didn't get any higher! 

[Alban L]

1 hour ago, Spartancrest said:

Looks a little overloaded! I hope the waves didn't get any higher! 

 

You're right ! Indirect message we have here, reckless pursuit of abundancy may drive you to complete disaster ! 

[Alban L]

Good morning,

 

Here is an update with new maritime items. First an anchor Kashira, a bit rusty buy lovely object :

 

 

Another Fushi-Kashira set with sails pattern, I really like this one :

 

 

To complete this set, I recently got this tsuba with a similar pattern from Grey Doffin whom I thank again. 

 

 

And last, a single menuki with a Samurai in a small boat (I am searching another menuki to complete this one, I may just have found it), and a pair of menuki with cormorant fishing boats :

 

 

 

[Brian]

That anchor is stunning.

[Spartancrest]

Beautiful pieces and an interesting theme - wow you have been busy! 

Just the guard to go with that anchor kashira - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/294566514997

 

Whoops- or this one is nice too https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1055698290

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/w1056944942

 

[Alban L]

Thanks Dale, the first anchor tsuba is impressive !

[Toryu2020]

FWIW

I vote for Tomomori as the personage alluded to when we see the anchor - one version of the story is that the young Antoku was frightened by the prospect of jumping into the sea - Tomomori knowing they had lost called to him "look my lord it is quite easy", tied the anchor to himself and stepped off his boat and sank into the waves, thus he is seen as a symbol of ultimate loyalty.

 

The print showing the character "Suruga Jiro" is Kabuki and the anchor on the shoulder is meant to make him more powerful and heroic.

 

I like your tsuba in the original post, at first I would not have said he was "wielding" it but if you look close there does appear to be someone cowering in the other boat (at 7 o'clock)

 

Here is my poor contribution - Tochibata school...

[Alban L]

1 hour ago, Toryu2020 said:

I like your tsuba in the original post, at first I would not have said he was "wielding" it but if you look close there does appear to be someone cowering in the other boat (at 7 o'clock)

 

You're right, I didn't see it at first but it looks like there could be even 2 people in the other boat, missing inlays for hands and figures like the main character

[Ford Hallam]

Alban, this is a superb piece, I can see why you love it.

[Bugyotsuji]

Been staring at my own naval, but it does not get any better.

 

[Brian]

@Alban L  You should consider some restoration work on that kashira. It would look amazing.

[Alban L]

31 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Been staring at my own naval, but it does not get any better.

 

This is a beautiful one Piers ! I saw this pattern several times, would be nice to find one someday

[Alban L]

17 minutes ago, Brian said:

@Alban L  You should consider some restoration work on that kashira. It would look amazing.

 

Sure, but I don't know much about kashira restorarion, I may have to find someone who could do it.