Kabutoshi - they do exist.

[Spartancrest]

Way back in 2020 I posted an item that dealt with 'Kabutoshi ' tsuba. At the time I could not find the reference material for the attribution.

 

Posted April 16, 2020

I noticed these some "time" back ! I like the 'Kabutoshi ' but it looks pretty modern.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-one-and-only-antique-Tsuba-Clock-in-the-world-with-registered-utility-model/402223763540?hash=item5da6679054:g:hGQAAOSwIL9elToI

My mind is playing up is 'Kabutoshi ' the correct term ? 

 

 

The only reply was from Piers.

Dale, are you thinking of Katchushi?

Piers D    平常心　Heijoshin

 

As it has turned out Piers and I were both correct. In 'Arms and Armor Annual' edited by Robert Held 1973.

ISBN 10 0695804073

ISBN 13 9780695804077

There is a section "An introduction to Japanese Sword Guards" by Graham Gemmell [then the assistant Cataloguer of Japanese Art for Sotheby & Co.] Page 82 he lists under 'The main schools of tsuba-making' 

KABUTOSHI (Fig.5) See Katchushi, of which school Kabutoshi is a part. Example shown imitates the manner in which helmet plates overlapped.   

I am happy that I was not imagining the term even though it had been rattling about my head for about 37 years [counting from when I actually read the book in 1983]

 

Perhaps Kabutoshi could be a 'New' term listed in tosogu glossaries?

 

 

 

For anyone interested the 1973 edition is still available - The article comprises 12 pages.  https://www.biblio.com/book/arms-armor-annual-held-robert-ed/d/730355754?aid=frg&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqvaNBhDLARIsAH1Pq538OQzvaa1jibse7bzy4JPFB9QrNIqoc6Aiu5n3cGuZVy3Q9ZtMPFIaAnBbEALw_wcB

[rkg]

The first one makes me think of looking down on a Dalek :-)

rkg

(Richard George)

[Jussi Ekholm]

Dale have you ever encountered this term in Japanese tsuba sources? 兜師 Like Piers I would think they might be classified under armor maker tsuba but of course tsuba are not my focus. I would rather think those as having the design of kabuto or the design was inspired by kabuto.

 

Here is one example by very late Myochin maker.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EH5CNRIX0AAyB5O?format=jpg&name=large

 

Edit: Added few examples

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/e146d09399c6ce3476c3b1b7ceebe693

https://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords6/TB202388.htm

[Spartancrest]

Jussi : I haven't found very many references at all, which is exactly the problem. Any translation from one language to another is always an interpretation and usually falls into a convention - the more people use a translated term the more it is accepted as factual, but it still originates as a "best guess". It is not helped when a language like Japanese has multiple meanings for the same word or multiple words for the same thing.     [ English is a pain in the same regard, as I am sure you know  ]

Perhaps ヘルメット風  [Helmet style] could be a better name?

[John A Stuart]

I think this surely must be a coined term to describe the theme of a type of design by Katchushi not a school in itself. Like tsuba made in kiku design are not made by Kikushi however it could describe the design, no? John

[kyushukairu]

Although Robert Held uses the term ‘kabuto-shi’ (兜師), I have not previously encountered this term in any Japanese source, and as such, I assume it is of Held’s own device. The term kacchu-shi* (甲冑師) refers to someone whose primary occupation was the construction of a set of armour. The term ‘kacchu’ [甲冑] literally means ‘armour’ and ‘helmet’, and ‘shi’ (師) refers to someone who is an expert/master. Tsuba made by such people, and in the style of those made by such people [usually a thin flat plate with a raised rim], are referred to as kacchu-shi tsuba. Myochin was one such group of kacchu-shi who produced tsuba in the style of a kabuto (with overlapping plates), and so, unsigned examples, which lack characteristics seen in such Myochin tsuba, could be referred to as kacchu-shi tsuba. However, the term ‘kabuto-shi’ (兜師) seems incorrect because, as far as I’m aware, there were no specialists whom only produced kabuto - perhaps one of our kacchu people could confirm or deny this.

*I don’t know where the romanisation of ‘katchu’ comes from. The hiragana (reading of the kanji) is かっちゅ (the small つ [っ] indicates the repetition of the succeeding letter). 

[Spartancrest]

Kyle: Do you have any reference date on "Robert Held" and when he used the term? With Graham Gemmell's article from 1973 that makes two references to the term - it is pointing away from spontaneous generation and must have started somewhere. I do also remember the term was used in reference to "advertising" the skill of Kabuto/Armor makers, but even though I know it exists I can't track it down [not since a 'Ransomware' attack on my files several years back]

 
kabutoshi, kabuto shi　兜師 helmet maker  https://edoflourishing.blogspot.com/2013/10/