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!