A tsuba that has some intersting features- Would welcome your thoughts

[roger dundas]

I would very much appreciate any opinions or comments you might make regarding this tsuba.

Firstly, the plate which I presume is 1700s-1800s is in good condition IMO and without any deep rust "pockmarks" to the surface.

Secondly, the large rectangular kogai ana is interesting in that I thought more likely from an earlier period such as 1500-1600s ? The infill looks to be a 'cast' brass plate inlet into the kogai aperture.

And thirdly, the Kanji and their reason for being there? Prayers, good luck sayings ?  80 x 75 x4mm.

I would very much welcome your opinions.

Edited May 18, 2023 by roger dundas
added measurements

[Bugyotsuji]

學and 劍 (study & swordsmanship?) I can make out but the bottom two on the first photo are rather dark, Rog!

[SteveM]

Looks like

猿回　Sarumawashi (monkey on a leash... a street attraction)

書技　Calligraphy?

 

Last one is even more confusing - looks like 廣石, but given the other words are related to the arts or pastimes, I'm tempted to say its a stylized representation of 碁 (go - the chess-like game). But I'm thrown because I would expect these to be written right-to-left, but they are all written left to right. Well, I'm not sure any of these are two-character compound words except for 猿回.

 

 

 

[Larason2]

It helps to also compare what they are in Chinese. Chinese has preserved a lot of the ancient meanings of a single character. I also don't think it's two character compounds, otherwise they would be located beside each other. Here's my take:

 

Front (Omote):
Top right: 學 Knowledge (gak?)
Top left: 劍 Sword (ken)
Bottom right: 日 day/sun/Japan (hi)
Bottom left 猿 Ape (Saru) (can also mean strength (arms like an ape))

 

Reverse (Ura):
Top right: 技 Technology/Ability/Skill (waza)
Top left: 砉? (Swish sound) or 春 spring (haru)? or 書 writing (fumi/sho)? This is the hardest one. There doesn't seem to be a good character in either Chinese or Japanese.
Bottom right: 寅 tiger (tora) (also respect, reverence)
Bottom left: 石 Stone (ishi)

[Spartancrest]

Hi Roger, this is possibly no help but there is a tsuba in the Metropolitan Museum of Art that struck me as similar to yours.  ref. number 14.60.20

Only similar, the kanji are cut with a wider chisel and placed equidistant north, south, east and west [that may even be the meaning, I can't read kanji to save my life!]

The hammered up rim and the square [rectangular] hitsu are what stood out to me.  This guard is 86 mm x 83 mm x 5 mm and dated 18th century, Copper sekigane, Lead ategane [ume] - but that is the extent of the information on it.

[roger dundas]

Thank you very much Piers, Steve M, Carlos and Dale for your comments.  All grist for the mill.

Rectangular ana are an attraction to me for some reason-  possibly because the reason and time of their use is to my mind somewhat obscure?

Roger j

[OceanoNox]

11 hours ago, Spartancrest said:

Only similar, the kanji are cut with a wider chisel and placed equidistant north, south, east and west [that may even be the meaning, I can't read kanji to save my life!]

What I seem to read is (top to bottom, right to left): 生者必誠 (living - person - certainty - sincerity) but I am not sure of the last two.

[SteveM]

生者必滅

All living things will eventually perish.

[OceanoNox]

1 hour ago, SteveM said:

生者必滅

All living things will eventually perish.

Thank you! It reminds me of the nozarashi theme.

[Spartancrest]

8 hours ago, OceanoNox said:

生者必滅

All living things will eventually perish.

Nice cheerful motto to carry around!