pcfarrar Posted June 3, 2009 Report Posted June 3, 2009 Can anyone help with a school for this sukashi tsuba? I believe the design depicts sun rays? Size: 8 x 8.1 x 0.4cm Thanks, Peter Quote
Soshin Posted June 3, 2009 Report Posted June 3, 2009 Dear Peter, It could be a sun but after counting the number of sukashi openings in the tsuba I would likely say that the sukashi tsuba is in the form of a styled Buddhist Dharma wheel (Skt. Dharma Chakra) in Japanese called a Rinbo. I remember reading about a Tsuba that had similar design in a issue of the NBTHK monthly magazine. In the article it provided a fine example of a sukashi tsuba done in the design of a Rinbo. The tsuba had eight spokes in positive form in the wheel shape. Water wheels are also common but often have more then 4 or 8 spokes to the wheel design. Your sukashi tsuba has four positive form (ji-sukashi) shape and eight negative form sukashi openings. Both numbers 4 and 8 are very important in Buddhism. I hope you find this information helpful and thanks for sharing the photos on the forum. I am not sure what the school of sukashi tsuba belongs to. Yours truly, David Quote
Pete Klein Posted June 3, 2009 Report Posted June 3, 2009 http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/BM_Kok ... 0Tsuba.htm nice example also. Quote
pcfarrar Posted June 4, 2009 Author Report Posted June 4, 2009 Thank you for your replies. Does anyone have any thoughts on the age of the tsuba? I wondered if it might be momoyama? Quote
Michael 101 Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 Hi Peter, The design is named by Sasano as being sun rays but there are also other thoughts also on this design as being fans or even sections of armour plate. The origins of the design go back along way back with examples known from the 1400's Your tsuba looks as if it could be toshu or shoami school work - date is very difficult to place from pictures but could easily be pre Edo. Kind regards Michael Quote
reinhard Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 As Michael said: One possible explanation for this kind of design is "senmen" (or "semmen"), meaning "fan paper", "folding fan". Comparing the following example with your tsuba, I see one problem: The seppa-dai of your tsuba seems to be somewhat off balance. reinhard Quote
Grey Doffin Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 To my eye, the seppa-dai isn't off. I think the kotsuka hitsu-ana is what's making the difference. Grey Quote
Guido Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 The Sukashi on top are a little off center, which also effects the geometry of the Seppadai. Quote
reinhard Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 I took the liberty of erasing shadows and brightening things. Some look good, others don't. reinhard Quote
Soshin Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 Hi Peter, The design is named by Sasano as being sun rays but there are also other thoughts also on this design as being fans or even sections of armour plate. The origins of the design go back along way back with examples known from the 1400's Michael In terms of the design of the tsuba being the sun surrounded by rays of light that is also a strong possibility because the symbol of the sun has very strong connections to a few different aspects of Japanese Buddhism. The presence of the numbers 4 and 8 in the design is also unmistakable in my opinion. The specific aspect I am refereeing to is the Buddha named Dainichi Nyori in Japanese. A quick translation in English of the name of the Buddha would be "Great Sun Buddha". As for the age of the tsuba I likely say it is Momoyama or early Edo and the design copied from early Muromachi period (ca. 1400) works. Still I really like the tsuba even though it's geometry is a little off. Yours truly, David Quote
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