Flight of the Phoenix - Tsuba by Tadamasa?

[Grevedk]

Dear NMB fellowship,

 

I am again in need of your guiding hands on the subject of either confirmation or possible correction of and earlier translation of Mei. This time a very nice iron Tsuba I recently acquired from an esteemed NMB member. 
 

Design:

 

Iron Mokko Gata Tsuba with Phoenix bird and Paulownia (the Phoenix bird was adopted  in Japan as a symbol of the imperial household - especially the empress.
 

Measurements  8,3 x 7,8 x 5 mm.

 

Former Mei translation:

 

“Higo Tadamasa Bishu Josai” - made by Tadamasa from Higo school (Edo Higo) in Josai district of Owari province.

No records found so far on who he was. Mei is made in nunome zogan inlay in gold, and have the feeling of being genuine ( but - I might be wrong).

 

I would therefore very much appreciate:

• translation / confirmation or correction of the former translation of the Mei 
• Your thoughts and knowledge concerning the maker of this Tsuba (should you have any)

 

 

 

 

 

Best regards

 

Soren
 

 

 

[SteveM]

Hello Soren

I see this post is not getting any attention. I hate to see a post go unanswered, but  I think the phrase "acquired from an esteemed NMB member" creates a bit of a minefield for people, as posters will be reluctant to critique an item that was sold by an NMB member. We don't know if that member sold it knowing that it would be posted here and therefore subject to scrutiny from everyone. 

[Grevedk]

Hi Steve,

 

Thank you for your honest reply. Truly appreciated. And in reflection I do see your point.
 

My initial question was not intended as anything but a true desire to find out more about this specific Tsuba. The kanji is a bit “twisted” and possibly difficult to translate (translate correctly) which I hoped that someone would be able to clarify.

 

But - there is no need to put anyone “through a minefield”.

 

@Brian would you have the courtesy to delete this post. Thank you.

 

All the best

 

Soren

[Brian]

Don't see any reason to remove it, it may help someone in the future with a similar one. And I am sure someone will provide feedback. I can't comment on the mei but the tsuba looks decent with some fine work on it.

[SteveM]

On the far right,  肥後忠正　囗囗故　Higo Tadamasa - (deceased?)

 

九月故？　九日故？

[Curran]

I had not looked at this thread until now, and I just assumed it was an Akasaka tsuba since the name Tadamasa was in the title.

No, definitely not one of the Akasaka Tadamasa tsuba smiths.

 

It is an interesting tsuba in the Higo-Hizen-Jakushi (closely related groups of Kyushu), yet shows the artist working far away from home in Bishu (same as the Norisuke & Owari kinko artists), perhaps on the way to / or from Edo.

Most of the Higo, Hizen, or Jakushi are not signed with proper names unless the person was very young (student) or very old (emeritus).

This might have been one of the last or the last tsuba of a smith.

 

What is the size in cm?

Fairly large?

 

 

 

[Okan]

Far left 住尾州城西 ? @SteveM can you please confirm

[Curran]

7 minutes ago, Okan said:

Far left 住尾州城西 ? @SteveM can you please confirm

 

I had missed that it was described as "Edo Higo".

That is pretty spot on.

  Good description by whomever labelled it.

 

It would have been extra cool if it had an actual date on it. A shame that we do not know the smith's year of passing/death.

 

[Grevedk]

Gentlemen,

 

Thank you for those reply’s, and taking your time. 
 

Curran - measurements: 83 x 78 x 5 mm. Feels like a Tsuba for a Katana.

 

/Soren

 

 

[Okan]

Ok I think I solved it. Not %100 certain but this has something to do with Banzuke. (ranking list) East and West division...I circled Tadamasa with red on attached photo. Mei on the left also points "West" 

Markus has a great article about this..and probably the only English article about the subject. 

 

https://markussesko.com/2016/10/02/banzuke-番付/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SteveM]

3 hours ago, Okan said:

Far left 住尾州城西 ?

Yes, that's correct. But this is unrelated to the banzuke. And the guy on the banzuke is a Tokyo metalworker. 

 

Wakayama makes no mention of a metalworker who signed Higo Tadamasa. There are about seven Tadamasa metalworkers listed in Wakayama. Only one is from a region close to Higo, and this is a modern (1950) metalworker. Other than that, none from Higo or Bishū. There is definitely a Bushū (Edo) Tadamasa, but Higo and Bishū are both very far from Bushū/Edo. 

 

Jōsai would point to a location in Bishū (Owari/Nagoya). Actually there are two locations in Bishū with these kanji. One is Jōsai in present day Nagoya, and the other is Shironishi (same kanji, different pronunciations) also in Nagoya. 

[Okan]

Gotcha! Thank you!