Tsuba question?

[Amon]

Hello!

 

I wondering if anyone have some idea of this tsuba?

Age, school,etc?

 

Thanks in advance,

Best regards,

[Amon]

Maybe some ide' from my fello forumites?

[Soshin]

Could you retake the photographs of the tsuba using a lighter background? Using a dark back background with such a dark colored tsuba makes it hard to see any detail. An alternative would be to scan the tsuba with a document scanner. Any information you can offer about how you obtained the tsuba might be helpful as well in obtaining more information about the tsuba. Thanks.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S. (Soshin)

[Amon]

Hi David and thanks!

 

This is the best I can do for the moment since I just

recently bought this waki and are waiting for it to arrive.

 

Best regards,

[Soshin]

The dragon design reminds me of the Echizen Kinai school of tsuba http://www.shibuiswords.com/BITsuba3.htm but the detail on your tsuba isn't that clear compared to the ones discussed on the website sited above. The observed lack of detail of your tsuba might be an artifact of photographs being taken on a dark background that you have provided. I once had a old iaito that had a similar dragon design to what is seen in the Echizen Kinai school but the detail and qaulity of the workmenship was very poor as the tsuba was cast copy. Due to the current quality of your direct photograph of your tsuba it hard to make any conclusions one way or another. Have additional information about the Nihonto might also be helpful. Hope you find my information helpful.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

Daivd S. (Soshin)

[docliss]

I had intended to avoid commenting upon John’s tsuba until he has posted some better images, but David’s suggestion of a Kinai provenance has prompted an earlier reply.

 

One might initially accept such a provenance on the basis of the dragon motif, which has sadly become inseparable from the common perception of the school; the black colouration of the metal plate, acquired from a Chōshū influence; and the broad ryō-hitsu, reflecting the school’s Shōami origins. But here any similarity ends ….

 

Most Kinai tsuba are openwork, demonstrating very detailed carving; they are almost always signed (is that a mei that I see on the omote surface of the seppa-dai?); and the seppa-dai is wrong for those of this school, which are usually koban in shape.

 

No, for all of these reasons I cannot accept a Kinai provenance, but Shōami is a very real possibility, is it not?

 

Regards, John L.

[Soshin]

Thanks John for providing some assistance and additional information to the discussion. I would agree with everything you said after taking sometime to look back at the tsuba in question and the website of on the Echizen Kinai tsuba school. The tsuba are different and only share the same design motif of a dragon. I am fairy new to tsuba and just wanted to help facilitate discussion of Amon's tsuba to improve both of our level of understanding.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S. (Soshin)

[Amon]

Thanks John and David for your comments so far.

I will upload some new pictures as soon as the swords

arrives.

 

Best regards,