Funada Ikkei tsuba and kanji motif or inscription

[yogoro]

I recently bought this Funada Ikkei signed tsuba and I'm trying to know what signification is this Kanji inscription .Is it a maxim or poet verse ?

 

Thanks

Mikolaj

[Nobody]

惡魔 (akuma) - demon

降伏 (kôfuku) – surrender

[docliss]

Deare Mikolaj

 

I am not convinced by the mei and kao, but doesn't that read Ikkin rather than Ikkei? As to the meaning of the kanji, I am sure that one of our Japanese experts will be able to translate those for us. I love the tsuba, though - thanks for sharing it with us.

 

Regards, John L.

 

Oops - sorry Koichi!

[Guido]

Funada Ikkin was a master of Takabori-Iroe and especially Katakiri-Bori - sorry, but even without comparing the Mei I'm reasonably sure that this Tsuba is not by his hand.

[Ted Tenold]

In the lower image, the upper left quadrant of the plate (between 9 and 12 o'clock) has some markings that could be residual from a prior design. Also note how flush the sekigane are with the surrounding plate. I think this plate has been reworked and resurfaced and Guido's assesment reinforced. The style of carving the kanji is not as refined as I'd expect.

[yogoro]

I don't wrote that this tsuba has old Type NTBHK Tokubetsu Kicho cerificate

Also Kinko Meikan contains similar mei Ikkin Funada ( page13-15 )

What do you think about this mei ?

Mikolaj

[Pete Klein]

This is from the revised Kinko Meikan:

 

 

 

I feel that there are too many differences upon close examination to be confident in the mei. Older papers should always be held with some suspicion as there have been many mei since excluded from the reference literature. It is also important to have the latest version of the Kinko Meikan which is from 1998 if memory serves. I also checked the ten pages of examples in the Toso Kodogu Meiji Taikei with the same result. If in doubt send it for shinsa -- that's what it's there for.

 

PS: I agree with Ted, Guido and the good Doctor on the workmanship issues. Check this out: http://tetsugendo.com/ go to tsuba and you will find an Ikkin tsuba -- I believe it is second generation -- and look at the fine carving utilized.