Help with artistic mei on tsuba

[Jorgensen]

This one troubles. Can someone here help me with the mei on this tsuba? 

[vajo]

One is 由 Yoshi 

由久 (Yoshi Hisa)?

[k morita]

Hi,

如竹叟　(Jochiku so) . 
"so" means old man.

[Bazza]

A very interesting ground.  Any comment @Ford Hallam???

And please Jimi-san, if this is your tsuba can we please see the full front and back??

 

BaZZa.

[Jorgensen]

Thank very much for the replys and thanks for the translation help @k morita.

 

Yes, its my tsuba. I only took photo of front, here it is. I will take photo of backside later and post.

 

I did some quick research. It seems to be Murakami Jochiku, to what I can find?

 

[vajo]

Thats a really nice one. 

[Nobody]

Do you know the motif?

 

[Matsunoki]

Child’s toys…..a swivel drum and a fishing toy???.?

[mecox]

Yes a "rattle drum" or denden taiko, but not sure of fish and is the other a fishing rod?

[Matsunoki]

I think maybe you hold up the fishing pole and the fish vibrates down the line using gravity???

[Matsunoki]

……or is it something to tease a cat with?

[mecox]

OK looks like a theme of childrens toys.  I wonder if theme is repeated on reverse.

[Jorgensen]

@Nobody (Moriyama) I have been wondering about the theme as well, so I am glad you ask and take up the subject. I would love to know.

 

@mecox I think you are absolutely right about Denden Taiko! As you, I am not sure how it matches with a fish...

 

Shot a couple new pictures, so you guys can see backside too.

 

[Nobody]

The theme seems to be toys.

On the front side, one is a denden-daiko/taiko. As for the other one, at first I thought it was a cat toy. There may be other thoughts.

On the back side, I think it is a whistle imitating a small toy drum.

[Jorgensen]

@Nobody Thanks for your insight. I was surprised to read you think its a whistle, I did not expect that to come or see this myself at all . What I see is some kind of a hammer with bamboo stick.

 

Very interesting and educating. 

[Mark S.]

The ‘fishing pole’ looks like a bow for a kokyu (violin-like instrument)?  Still not sure about the fish?, but what’s the old joke?… “you can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish!” 

 

 

[Jorgensen]

@Mark S. It sure looks like a lot like the bow you show! Thank you.

 

 

I found this info about Jochiko (highlighted):

 

"He was active from about Meiwa (1764-1772) to Tenmei (1781-1789) in Edo's  Shinmonzen district and used the go "Kanshodo" and Yukokuken. Because of the use of the character "sho" in former pseudonym - a wooden mouth organ - it is assumed that he also played that instrument."

 

Could that in any way be that was is depicted on backside? In any case, as he seemed to be musical, it would make good sense he depicts instruments on tsuba.

 

 

Also this is written about him:

"Motifs of dragonflies, butterflies and fish were daring for his time and novel in their realism."

 

I still dont get where he fish fits in the theme. Maybe he simply just likes fish and music and shows his likings on this tsuba?

[Bugyotsuji]

Not a Shō. See these:

https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=楽器ショウ&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiAqoTo-Lf9AhXzklYBHRosAGoQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=楽器ショウ&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzIJCAAQBBCABBAlMgkIABAEEIAEECUyCQgAEAQQgAQQJTIJCAAQBBCABBAlMgkIABAEEIAEECU6BAgjECc6BQgAEKIEOgUIABCABDoECAAQAzoICAAQgAQQsQM6BwgjEOoCECc6BggAEAQQAzoICAAQsQMQgwE6BwgAEAQQgAQ6CggAEAQQgAQQsQM6DQgAEAQQgAQQsQMQgwFQ4QpY1WRgxmpoA3AAeAKAAcsBiAGMEZIBBjExLjguMZgBAKABAbABBcABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=0M79Y4CCL_Ol2roPmtiA0AY&bih=715&biw=414&client=safari&hl=ja-jp

[Bugyotsuji]

The thing on the back could be a combination whistle and rattle? On the front a symbolic fish like flying carp on a line, like the origin of the streamers for Boys’ Day? Could all these toys be celebrating the birth of a boy, possibly a grandson of Jochiku?

 

Strangely I have a Wakizashi Koshiraé in a fish theme, unsigned, and having looked at other works of this Kinkō artisan Murakami Jochiku above, and the work of his school, I’m beginning to sense a possible connection.

[Mark S.]

After some more searching, I think I found your ‘hammer’ and fish: Mokigyo 

 

 

 

 

[Mark S.]

But I SO wanted it to be this… 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

It’s so small I think Mokugyo unlikely. And Mokugyo usually hang from a triangular cord. The kazoo could be closer! 

[Matsunoki]

Re the fish…..it has a handle at one end and it looks as if you held it upright the fish would descent the pole in a juddering fashion….I’ve seen similar with monkeys ie a toy….or it could be an older version of this….a cat teaser…again a toy.

 

[Matsunoki]

Or maybe………????

 

[Ford Hallam]

The textured ground is a variation of 'chidori ishime'. These are created by using a Y shaped punch. If used relatively sparingly it makes a very clear 'bird (chidori) foot print in sand' sort of pattern. Alternatively if used very thoroughly, reworking the already textured ground, a 'crinkled leather' sort of effect like this is created. 

 

If I was going to fake a Jochiku piece I'd apply a chiri-men ground as that's actually the texture most associated with his work. Chiri-men is a  crêpe silk weave that has a linear texture.

 

 

 

This is probably the most famous genuine Murakami Jochiku. Incidentally my student and friend Marcus Chambers made an utsushi study of this tsuba under my direction over a 4 week one to one session. Marcus was awarded a gold prize for his diligence, so we really did study Jochiku's methods very carefully indeed. 

 

Jochiku is noted for his use of subtle and novel ground textures and the inclusion of non-metallic inalys like mother of pearl, coral and certain gemstones like malachite.

He was also, it seems, a liberal sort of man. He had two daughters both of whom are recorded tsuba-shi. They signed Jotetsu and Josui.