An early Saotome or Tempo school tsuba for your appreciation and comment

[Mario Tod]

Hello everyone. Today I would like to share this lovely piece with you and hear any interesting insights or comments you may have.

 

Ko-katchūshi tsuba with design of matsutake mushrooms. Mid Muromachi period.?

 

7 cm wide 8 cm high 5 mm mimi

 

The style of rim is turned up and hammered back is referred to in Japanese as sukinokoshi-mimi and if often observed in Saotome and Tempo school tsuba. 

 

Matsutake are considered highly symbolic in Japanese due to their rapid overnight growth. I’m sure other amusing and self affirming symbologies must have been in their mind of the maker and the wearer.

 

The extreme age of this piece and the beautifully simple pierced design really captivate me. I have only acquired it recently and plan to give it an extremely gentle clean and apply micro crystalline wax in the not too distant future.

[FlorianB]

Hello Mario,

 

definitive not (Ko-)Katchushi.
This kind of Saotome/Tembo-style Tsuba was made from late Muromachi till the late Edo-period. Unfortunately the surface is very corroded so it seems difficult to make a statement concerning the age.

 

Best,
Florian

[Mario Tod]

Thanks so much Florian. I appreciate your observations and have amended my catalogue notes accordingly.🙏

[Spartancrest]

https://www.Japanese...om/tsuba/saotome.htm  a very similar Ko-sukashi pattern, in this case crowded together in one segment.

        

See this thread link. 

 

[Soshin]

11 hours ago, Mario Tod said:

Ko-katchūshi tsuba with design of matsutake mushrooms. Mid Muromachi period.?

 

Looking at the design aspects of the hitsu-ana of your tsuba, it has been mounted on a sword, and overall thickness of the plate I would say it is antique. It was likely made circa the middle to late Edo Period. I do see something on the surface of what looks like rust pitting of the surface that has since been aggressively cleaned much more recently. I would need to examine the tsuba in hand under good light to get a feel of the iron and confirm its age. Thank you for sharing I love your enthusiasm for old iron Japanese sword fittings.       

[Mario Tod]

Thank you so much David!

[George234]

Dear tsuba lovers,

I am just a humble beginner in your field and would like to acquire a few nice pieces for my starting small collection. In my search, I also noticed your discussion on saotome/tenpo tsubas, which I find more attractive than the highly decorated tsubas or the soft metal ones.

Let me attach photos of two of them from internet sources, what do you think of them, any idea of approximate time era ? Both have the same hot stamp pattern, is it just decoration or does it mean something ? The first one has an unusual silver insertion of a cross, is this a Christian tsuba or simply just a lucky charm ?

Many thanks for your comments,.

Regards George

 

[Spartancrest]

Hi Jiri and welcome.

https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product/tsuba-watch-0036/  I don't think it is Christian - certainly not "Hidden Christian" that is for sure. Nice silver fukurin which dresses up an earlier guard - I don't think Tempo/tembo had any other forms of decoration when they were first made - but fashions change

I suggest this from the download section.  It is very informative.  

 

[George234]

Dear Dale,
Thank you very much for your quick and insightful reply and for the link to the pefect and comprehensive article. It had not occurred to me that the tsubas were modified and beautified in various ways in later times...

With thanks Jiri