Shrine Sale Tsuba

[Kaigunto230]

As we were finishing our time living in Japan, I didn't have enough money (or knowledge, frankly) to purchase a Nihonto from one of the shops, so I decided to look for a tsuba. There's a massive, monthly shrine-sale near Atsugi, Kanagawa right outside a train station (perhaps Ebina Station?). Allegedly some of the proceeds go towards the local shrine, but I don't actually have a lot of faith that this happens; I think that is likely a thing of the past. Regardless, it's a great place to go to look for Japanese antiques at good prices.

I picked up this tsuba in January 2019 and have treasured it since. It seems smaller, so I'm guessing it's for a wakizashi. It measures 2.75 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide.

 

   On one side, it has water dragons, and on the other it has five shapes. Perhaps they are mon, but they seem too artistic.

   Can anyone please tell me anything further about this tsuba? I'd love to know what the shapes represent or guesses on region of origin or age. I do enjoy tsuba but don't have any reference books in my library, so I really appreciate the assist.

 

 

[Tanto54]

Dear Michael, the shapes on the back are some of the Takaramono Treasures associated with the Gods of Good Fortune.  Each item has an interesting magical power.  These are symbols that are often found on tosogu, kimono, etc. in Japan (but few people recognize them).

[Kaigunto230]

@Tanto54 Thank you so much! The more you know. I figured they weren't mon because there were so many of them; that makes a lot of sense. My other guess is that the triangular shape between the dragons in Mt Fuji. Even though it's faded a bit, I love the inlay work. 

[Kurikata]

Nice story. Purchasing a tsuba is not only a simple business act. In my case, for each of them I remember the time, the circumstances, the way I made some savings to adquire them. By the way yours seem to be an Hizen School Tsuba.

[Kaigunto230]

@Kurikata It was fun searching and searching and then finding it and thinking, "Wow, that's so beautiful, and it has to have so much history. I would be honored to own that."  I'm so glad I got the chance.

   Oh, wow, I would love if it was connected to Hizen. I lived there for six months and think Kyushu is incredible. What makes you think it might be? Thanks so much for the reply!

[christianmalterre]

Hello Michael,

 

yes, i do see....

Your´s Tsuba in hand is Hizen definitely....not a old one of course, but a real one least

 

you may browse this forum here for the thematics " Nanban " or " Namban "

you will get overcrowd with info....

Next step would be for you, and i do promise! it will get a very time consuming hobby for you,after all - so to read the literature available onto Nanban / Namban!

( John Lissenden ) (there were others, they did but not had the insights like John! )

 

next would be Peter....https://www.mandarinmansion.com/about

 

i am pretty shure he and his entourage can very well encourage you!

 

nice Starter package!  Yes! Hizen!

 

Christian

[Peter Bleed]

I agree with the linkage to "Namban" but I think it is purely native in creation and conception. I think it was an item of the great Namban fad of mid-Edo times. It probably looked both flashy and exotic!

Peter

[Spartancrest]

Hi Michael:

For some additional information the two dragons affronté [face to face] are Rain Dragons, they usually have few if any scales, curlicues for legs and a split [bifurcated] curly tail/s

You will find an almost exact copy of your tsuba - not the same shape but all the same elements in the Metropolitan Museum collection. You might get some useful information there as well. [I have taken the liberty to enhance the images for a better view- why do museums produce such dark images?]

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/25679

[Kaigunto230]

@Spartancrest That’s so interesting to see basically the same tsuba with a couple small variations. Thank you! Looks like I’ve got some reading to do.

[roger dundas]

Are the water dragons shown above instead 'Naga'- water dwelling creatures in south east Asian folklore . Sometimes found skillfully carved on Indonesian  kris blades (maybe Malay as well ) ? Also carved stone edifices at the entrance to important buildings. I think I am correct- Naga bodies are more serpentine with no legs or toes nor claws and but instead with bi-furcated tails.

Do the two legendary animals get mixed ?

Roger j

[Spartancrest]

Roger from what I can find the Naga has a variety of types depending on whereabouts in Asia it is depicted, in India it has the either the head and torso of a man/woman or a multiple of snake heads, in Thai culture the head is like a dragon with a huge forward facing crest. Both these countries have only a single tail. But other countries show two tails or even more. Having stood face to face with a huge King cobra in Singapore I can see where the myth might have come from - I still get the shakes! They are bloody big snakes!  We will never know for sure what really inspired the various dragons, probably lots relate back to crocodiles, but big serpents would be on my list. I think the rain dragon has those strange curled legs [how they would move eludes me] like this Japanese rendering. 

[roger dundas]

I thought that you would have a better knowledge about these creatures Dale-thanks for that. As for your coming face to face with a huge King Cobra, I'm glad we don't see their sorts here in Australia. We have enough of our own problem ssssssssserpents.

Roger j

[Spartancrest]

Roger you are so right - the Tiger snakes here in Tassie are big enough - and they are really friendly, they come right up to you! [where is the emoji for "shudder"?]

 

[JohnTo]

Hi Michael,

I have a very similar tsuba, same design, different shape.  As others have said it is classed as a Nanban (Southern Barbarian) tsuba.  These seem to have originally been imported from China or elsewhere in Asia into Nagasaki.  The imported ones tend to have distinctive seppa dai and nakago ana.  the seppa dai is grooved and the nakago ana is not the usual triangular Japanese shape.  They appaer to have been made in Japan, probably by Chinese immigrant artists who then moved out from Nagasaki into Hizen and made tsuba in the Japanese shape.  The thing that interests me in my tsuba is the 'silver' has not turned black, so I assume that it is not silver but an alloy.  Anyone know out there.

 

Like yours mine is iron, slightly tapered towards the rim .  It shows the two stylised dragons in gold and silver, plus five treasures on the reserve.  I believ that they may date from the end of the 18thC.

 

Mine is 7.0 x6.55 cm and 0.3cm thick.

 

Best regards, John  

[Kaigunto230]

@JohnTo Incredibly interesting to me to see essentially the same design on multiple tsuba. Makes you wonder if there was a particular workshop who perfected the design, or if it was relatively common motifs incorporated widely.

[Spartancrest]

Michael isn't it amazing, so far, that the shape of the guards are all different when the pattern stays pretty much the same? I find that unusual and certainly not boring!

[Spartancrest]

I found another very similar to John's  https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product/antique-tsuba-for-samurai-sword-t-148/  I have lightened the image for better definition. The decoration within the seppa-dai is different to the other examples and the mimi is raised rather than flat.

[Kurikata]

Just for your interest, a similar one with one dragon and Yuko Ito Gata shape....