Ko-Akasaka or ??

[cdrcm12]

Dear NMB,

 

A little help please.

 

I picked this tsuba up recently and whilst not great condition I thought it had an air of Ko-Akasaka and worth investigation, tsuba dimensions below:

 

Maru-gata
Maru-gata mimi
H: 74.5mm
W: 73mm
Mimi: 7.2mm
Seppa dai: 6.1mm
Nakago-ana: 27mm x 9mm

 

What drew me to it was the narrow, relatively pointed seppa dai, possible early saya shape and it seems to have a classic Akasaka thick maru gata mimi. Seems to show engraved leaves and clouds?, not sure what the two pointed sukashi elements are with dots and carving to either side of the hitsu-ana, I'm sure I've seen this somewhere else but can't think where?

 

Any help and thoughts would be appreciated?

 

[Grevedk]

Hi Colin,

 

Very fine photos, and a very intriguing Tsuba. There is definitely some kind of carvings that look like leaves and maybe even signs of some earlier kind of groundwork for inlay (zogan).
 

Unfortunately I’m unable to neither identify it or even show you in which direction to look. I have however read somewhere that Akasaka Tsuba often has a smaller Kogai-hitsu ana than the opposite Kozuka hitsu-ana. Yours look more alike in the dimensions. And I might well be wrong.

 

I am sure that some of the boards real experts will be able guide you further.

 

Best regards

 

/Soren

[cdrcm12]

Hi Soren,

Thanks for the response. You are correct the reference books I've looked at do state that the hitsu-ana tend to be asymmetrical.

 

I'd like to hear from the experts as well.

 

Thanks again.

[FlorianB]

Hi,

thickness and a small, pointed seppadai alone aren’t sufficent for a Ko-Akasaka attribution.

Not even the size but also the shape of the hitsu ana are non-typical. In general I can’t see even Akasaka here.

 

Concerning the motif there are different leaves depicted, at the bottom maybe myoga, the sharp angeled sukashi elements could be broken bamboo stems, at the top juzuba, a buddhist rosary. Just a quick shot in the dark.
A look at Japanese heraldy (kamon) is often helpful for identifying stylised design.

 

Best, Florian

[ROKUJURO]

Colin,

Looking at your TSUBA, I get a feeling of a late HIGO sideline. The condition is a bit irritating as a first glance may lead one to think of an older TSUBA, but the crisp cut-outs speak for a later one in my opinion.

[cdrcm12]

Hi Florian and Jean,

 

Thanks for your comments, I will study further. I agree looking at it again the sharpness of the cut outs make it younger than at first glance.

 

Many thanks