Ko-Shoami?

[cdrcm12]

Hi,

I've had this tsuba for a wee while now and was looking at it again recently to carry out some further research. My thoughts on it have come to think it may be Ko-Shoami. It has a couple of tekkotsu on the mimi, image below and dishes a little from the mimi to the seppa-dai. It's maru-gata with a kaku ko-niku mimi. Design is of bamboo in nikubori-ji-sukashi, quite rustic.

 

Overall dimensions below:

Height - 66mm

Width - 66mm

Mimi thk - 5mm

Seppa-dai thk - 4.75mm

 

Any thoughts from members would be welcome.

 

 

 

 

[Soshin]

Hello Colin T.,

 

Thanks for sharing. I like your tsuba, but I feel it is not old enough to get the “Ko” prefix, which implies that it is older than the Edo Period. To me I think the “Kyō” prefix for your tsuba is more appropriate. I have Kyō-Shōami tsuba with a similar rustic plaint-based openwork motif that has an excellent heterogonous forged iron. I hope you find this additional information helpful to your research.       

[MauroP]

Maybe Echizen?

[cdrcm12]

David/Mauro,

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

I did think possibly Kyo rather than Ko but it seemed on the small side.

 

Mauro,

 

Absolutely see the Echizen link, one below from a scan of Google.

 

 

Another with similar tagane.

 

 

Further investigation required!

 

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[Spartancrest]

Hi Collin that last guard you show, I have eleven image examples of that design. Four are described as Kinai, with one as Shoami. The rest including one missing it's rim from the Metropolitan Museum are not attributed.

Did you happen to buy that guard from Thierry de MAIGRET Auctions? One of my images from there is identical to yours.

[cdrcm12]

Hi Dale,

 

Unfortunately it's not mine, just an image from the net.

Looks to have been a popular design.

 

Thanks

[Kurikata]

Similar on on Ebay without attibution: https://www.ebay.com/itm/174940020343?hash=item28bb3cde77%3Ag%3AmxcAAOSwHkZhMEBK&LH_Auction=1

[Spartancrest]

Bruno it is the same guard as second from the right top row  23/2/21  starting from a cheaper 36,250 yen - compared to the 45,000 BIN. Must be hard to sell at that price?

[Geraint]

Dear Colin.

 

Not that it matters too much but that Echizen example you posted looks very much like a cast replica rather than a genuine tsuba.

 

All the best.