TSUBA KINAI

[Hen67]

I am looking for more information about the school/smith and the possible market value at the moment.

[ROKUJURO]

Hendrik,

can you see the KANJI characters on this photo? Me neither, but that may be my old eyes.

The contrast might be better with light from the side and a dark background.

Let me ask first if the TSUBA is magnetic? It looks a bit like copper with a wrong patina (or paint), and the style is not typical for KINAI TSUBA, which I have only seen made of iron.

The market value might be about what you paid for it, but you will know more when you try to resell it.

[Spartancrest]

I took the liberty of enhancing the image - still a strange colour as Jean has said. From looking at another Kinai example  [Echizen Ju Kinai Saku] there appears to be one kanji missing from the mei and I am no "handwriting expert" but it definitely looks by  a different hand which would be no surprise knowing the number of production line makers and copies.  A better lit image might help but I would think $100 > $150 range? JMO

 

[Seth]

I might have found a new use for my photo software. Does this help any? Not that Dale's wasn't good enough just curious. I used AI.

 

[mecox]

Looks a bit suspicious.  here are some examples:

 

 

[Jake6500]

I'm still new to collecting Tsuba but I have yet to see one like that with a different base metal, and one of the kanji is absent as has been pointed out already.

 

A lot of Kinai works feature the Hollyhock leaf which is because the Kinai school was one of the official schools of craftsman for the Tokugawa Shogunate. A lot of them also tend to be open works. 

 

Given that the Tsuba is neither an open work, nor does it feature the Hollyhock and it is also missing a kanji in the inscription I would be dubious about its origins.

 

Here are a couple photos of one of my Echizen-ju Kinai. I have two like this that are similar designs featuring the Hollyhock leaf, both using an iron base with modest gold adornment like so:

 

 

[Spartancrest]

Hi Jake you might find some info on this guard here https://new.uniqueja...o-Branch-ujka159.pdf

I think the gold tendrils are actually nunome [overlay technique] not inlay [I am possibly wrong - it is not uncommon ]

 

 

 

This one states the 'inlay' is brass  - https://www.samuraim...u-hozon-certificate/

 

This iron Tsuba has an irregular shape. The motif that forms the outline of this work is the Aoi (葵) leaves. In addition, the Karakusa (唐草, arabesque) pattern is inlaid with brass. This brass inlay remains in relatively good condition and adds decorativeness to this work. Since Aoi leaves have a habit of always facing the sun, and the word “Aoi” is taken as “Aogu (仰ぐ, looking up)” for the sun, people thought the Aoi pattern would bring good fortune. Also, the Karakusa design has auspicious meanings. It is a pattern in which vine stems and leaves are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. In this way, these auspicious motifs were incorporated into the design of this Tsuba.

 If you focus on the center part of this Tsuba, you will find the Mei (銘, engraved inscription). It is engraved as follows: 越前住 記内作 (Echizen-Ju, Kinai Saku). It means Kinai, who lived in Echizen, made this Tsuba. Echizen is today’s Fukui prefecture. Please note that no proof appraises this signature. Kinai Tsuba was established in Echizen, and Kinai school flourished very much. Their creations were called Kinai Bori (記内彫) or Echizen Bori (越前彫) and were highly valued. The first Kinai was especially good at dragon motif depiction. The Myochin (明珍) school and the Akao (赤尾) school were also well-known in Echizen. Kinai family was connected to these families by marriage, and three of them prospered together until the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

 

 

 

[Jake6500]

1 hour ago, Spartancrest said:

Hi Jake you might find some info on this guard here https://new.uniqueja...o-Branch-ujka159.pdf

I think the gold tendrils are actually nunome [overlay technique] not inlay [I am possibly wrong - it is not uncommon ]

 

 

 

This one states the 'inlay' is brass  - https://www.samuraim...u-hozon-certificate/

 

This iron Tsuba has an irregular shape. The motif that forms the outline of this work is the Aoi (葵) leaves. In addition, the Karakusa (唐草, arabesque) pattern is inlaid with brass. This brass inlay remains in relatively good condition and adds decorativeness to this work. Since Aoi leaves have a habit of always facing the sun, and the word “Aoi” is taken as “Aogu (仰ぐ, looking up)” for the sun, people thought the Aoi pattern would bring good fortune. Also, the Karakusa design has auspicious meanings. It is a pattern in which vine stems and leaves are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. In this way, these auspicious motifs were incorporated into the design of this Tsuba.

 If you focus on the center part of this Tsuba, you will find the Mei (銘, engraved inscription). It is engraved as follows: 越前住 記内作 (Echizen-Ju, Kinai Saku). It means Kinai, who lived in Echizen, made this Tsuba. Echizen is today’s Fukui prefecture. Please note that no proof appraises this signature. Kinai Tsuba was established in Echizen, and Kinai school flourished very much. Their creations were called Kinai Bori (記内彫) or Echizen Bori (越前彫) and were highly valued. The first Kinai was especially good at dragon motif depiction. The Myochin (明珍) school and the Akao (赤尾) school were also well-known in Echizen. Kinai family was connected to these families by marriage, and three of them prospered together until the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

 

 

 

 

You're 100% correct. I wrote my post thinking about my two Kinai Tsuba as if they are exactly the same and use the same exact techniques but in reality they are sightly different!

 

This one is overlay whilst the other one I own uses inlay technique, and this one is brass whilst the other one uses a smaller, more sparing amount of actual gold and has a different design (though it still features the Aoi/Hollyhock). I was mostly thinking uncritically about the colour when I wrote the previous post, brass having a "goldish" colour. Both Tsuba are also inscribed the same way (Echizen-Ju Kinai / Echizen-Ju Kinai Saku) as mentioned in the description you have posted.

[Deez77]

Hi,

 

While the motif is a common one of the Echizen Kinai school, and there are many variations of signatures across the 250+ years it was productive (the signature minus 'saku' is also correct for periods during that time), based purely on the single, low quality image (with poor lighting and a bad background) I would not recommend this piece as there is still a lot 'off' about it, IMHO.

 

Perhaps with better, natural lighting and higher quality images of both sides of the tsuba, we could provide better guidance. If you are a potential buyer, and this is all you have to go on, I would pass. 

 

Damon

[ROKUJURO]

Hendrik posted this in February and did not care to comment or answer within that span of time. Nevertheless, I found the posts on KINAI TSUBA quite interesting.

[Iaido dude]

I am reposting pics of an ex-Sasano mumei sukashi tsuba with hakogaki and "Kinai" written on cover. This is a very carefully cut nikubori ji-sukashi design of alternating aoi leaves and buds possibly signifying "life-death-rebirth." I couldn't understand how Sasano sensei made the attribution to Kinai. I now see the Rakudai Kinai (d. 1821) motif of aoi featured here, although the design is quite unique. The iron is smooth, without tekkotsu, and has a newer appearance consistent with this tsubako. I am not able to make a certain attribution, but at least I have the new understanding of how sensi would have attributied to Kinai. The pdf Mal posted is really detailed, in-depth, and a wonderful piece of tsuba scholarship. Studying tsuba is a big part of the enjoyment I derive from collecting them.