Tsuba symbol identification

[dir]

I'd be grateful if anyone can help with the identification or meaning of the symbols on this tsuba, which has a shakudo rim and on both sides are groups of three (two a couple of times) stokes pointing to the middle (amida-yasuri-me?). I did find a tsuba with the same sukashi, though it is a different shape and with a different design. The description is that it is simply geometric decoration - but I feel there must be more to it.

 

Thanks and regards

 

David

 

 

[SteveM]

Possibly a representation of some trigrams (the same kind of symbols used on the Korean flag)?

These trigrams are called "hakke" in Japanese. Each has multiple meanings. I'm not an expert on trigrams. Wikipedia can explain them much better than I can. 

 

But since there are only two on your tsuba, I am kind of doubting myself. Anyway, just a suggestion. 

http://sanmei.com/contents/ja/p2310.html

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

[dir]

Thank you, Steve. An avenue worth pursuing - though since there seems to be a letter Z (well, sort of!) then I don't think they can be trigrams in the hexagram sense.

 

Regards

 

David

[Kurikata]

Why not some kanji for Tale of Genji chapters ?

[Spartancrest]

I think Bruno has it covered - Chapter headings from the "Tale of Genji"

https://tsubakansho.com/tag/genji/

David the image Alamy is trying to sell in that clip is in the public domain for free from the Rijksmuseum in Amstedam Number- AK-MAK-1112 - I know because I did a book on the whole collection.   How far from the Museum do you live? You can probably get a closeup view!

[Spartancrest]

David, another with the same pattern [crude]. https://www.jauce.com/auction/k1067110802

[Kurikata]

Please refer to this thread:

 

[zanilu]

Same pattern on a tsuba from my collection:  

 

 

I did research this pattern a little bit and I was not able to fit it into the patterns from the Genji monogatari as per the table reported previously by Bruno.

 

Regards 

Luca

[dir]

Thanks, Dale! I'm not too far from Amsterdam, so might pop in there one day. I've also found your book, plus the one on the Met - so will order these.

 

Regards

 

David

[Spartancrest]

Hi David I am trying to get a much more interesting book out before Christmas, the complete collection of tsuba in the Walters Art Museum - about 800 pages in two volumes, in my opinion they have a better collection than the Metropolitan. I have changed my style a little and where possible I have added associated items from the mounted examples such as F/K, tsuka kozuka and kogai with a few umabari thrown in. In other spots I have added legends or woodblock prints dealing with the subject matter on the tsuba. I must say the Walters Museum has been very helpful and has supplied several "hard to get" images not found in their on-line collection. 

You might find the Met book a bit disapointing because of the print quality, the glossy paper option would have been very expensive costing around $200 which I thought was excessive so it is only available in 'economy colour' to keep the price within reach. You can always contact me with a personal message, I very likely can get any of the books sent much cheaper than the book dealers.

Regards.