Please help with any detail on this lovely Tsuba

[Chriso]

I was lucky enough to spend a bit of time with the Tsuba shown below and It's matching Fuchi and Kashira that I have posted on the two subsequent postings. These items are destined for an Australian Defence Museum

 

I, and the Museum curator would very much like your opinion on these three items, and if you feel game perhaps a very rough valuation for Insurance purposes. I think it would be a shame for these items to be on display with little or no detail about them.

 

The story is that the fittings were presented to an Australian General with an additional Shin Gunto that was surrended at the conclusion of WW11. I've posted a couple of pics of the sword on the Translation forum if you wish to check it out, Koichi San has very kindly translated the surrender tag that came with the sword.

 

The Tsuba is signed and is in pristine condition, I don't believe that any of the fittings have ever been fitted to a sword as there is no evidence of wear.

 

The box that the fittings came in does not seem to be the original one as it is too large to house the three fittings and they rattle around inside, yeh I know. As yet I have not had the text on the box translated.

 

Height 73.4mm

Width 71.5mm

Thickness 4.8mm

 

Regards, best wished and many thanks

 

Chris O

[Chriso]

A couple of extra pics of the tsuba and the kashira for your pleasure. Sorry about the photo quality.

 

Chris O

[Chriso]

Last but not least the Fuchi. Once again any details including translation of the text would be appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Chris O

[Gunome]

Very nice set !! :D

 

Sebastien

[Stephen]

want to bite my tongue but willing to take the lumps, IPOV items going to a Museum is a kiss of death for the item. Better to have them go to a collector who cares for them until its time to pass them on. Ok fire away

 

If the gunto has to go into it I can kinda understand as it was a war item, but to not know the smith is cutting short the history of it.

[John A Stuart]

The f/k was made by Takase Eiju, however the 'Ei' is a different type. A Mito artist that may have used both kanji at times in his signature. The tsuba by the same artist using a different script. The f/k in kaisho and the tsuba in gyosho or sosho. John

[Chishiki]

Hi, this is likely Lieut-General Sir H.C.H. ("Red Robbie") Robertson. I understand that he had numerous swords surrendered to him, and others 'obtained'.

 

I owned one such sword years ago that was a katana by 1st generation (Saburo) Sukehiro, now back in Japan. I have letter from him somewhere talking about this sword. He said, "I made a Japanese officer go through the swords and select the better.......etc etc....something like that. I haven't read it for years. I'll try and find it and send a copy to you.

 

Good luck with the research into the fittings.

 

Mark

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi,as John has already stated,the Mei (in fact both Mei!) reads Takase Eiju-Haynes H 00436 (with a different 1st Kanji!).He came fom Mito and went to Edo to become a student/member of the Takase school.He was active around 1775-1800.B.W.Robinson reads him Hidetoshi (The Baur Collection...) while Joly makes it Yeijiu (Takase/Furiuken) (Joly's List of Names,Kakihan,Y 87) and shows 2 Kao.What makes the name-thing still more confusing is the fact,that the artist himself used at least (according to pics in my database)

3 different characters (or variations?) for the 1st Kanji of his artname.Ludolf

[John A Stuart]

I checked my books and the Takase Eiju has a different kao although this is somewhat similar and he was known as Furyuken. The Eiju that uses this type of "Ei" kanji like on these fittings is from Tetsugendo school but signed Seiryuken Eiju in sosho only and his kao not even close. Basically I can't match the mei, but, the reading is surely Takase Eiju. John

[Nobody]

The writing on the box:

髙瀬栄寿 – Takase Eiju

武者赤銅色繪縁頭鐔 – Musha, Shakudo, Iroe, Fuchi/Kashira/Tsuba

 

BTW, the kanji for fuchi and tsuba on the box seem to be wrongly written.

[John A Stuart]

Can we also say busha for 武者 as in bushi, warrior? It is a short description of the theme. Nice work done on this set. John

[Nobody]

We never say Busha for 武者. It is just our practice.

[John A Stuart]

Thank you. I had not heard the term before. John

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello, :D

Having made a little research about this TAKASE EIJU, I can give some humble comments.

 

Though there are several EIJU (or HIDENAGA pronounced the other way) (for example SEIRYUKEN EIJU FROM TETSUGENDO school), there is apparently one TAKASE EIJU.

 

After Haynes, this KINKO artist , named FURYUKEN & also IZAEMON was living and active in MITO (HITACHI province) around 1775 to 1800.

 

He was a gokenin, low grade retainer :? of the MATSUDAIRA Daimyo of MITO. He has been student of the first TAIZAN MOTOZANE and signed pieces at the age of 61 and 64.

Ref. : MOSLE, #1586 & 1599

HAWKSHAW, pl. XXXVIII, #2278

WAKAYAMA, TOSO KINKO JITEN, W-43-L-1

WAKAYAMA, TOSO KODOGU MEIJI TAIKEI, W-III-95/96

 

The design of both FK and Tsuba seems to be copied one on the other but fit likely with Mito attribution. :|

After Checking in WAKAYAMA, TOSO KODOGU MEIJI TAIKEI, W-III-95/96 signature of the FK could fit (I say could) with the different Mei figured at page 96 and not of page 95 because in this case the kao is definitely different).

 

But in that case the kanji for EI is written the way of SEIRYUKEN EIJU and not TAKASE EIJU. Anyhow the Kao of page 96 top is very similar.

 

So this piece should be submitted to shinsa to be more sure.

 

For the Tsuba the complete mei, even if "made by the same artist", presents a mei which is not registered in all the books I have looked at.

The design of the Tsuba fits with Mito attribution but seems to be a late "copy" of the figured caracters.

 

I have already seen this practice on a set. The menuki were true and the tsuba not.

 

In fact it is a very interesting case and would be thankful to know about the shinsa comments.

 

Sincerely,

 

Marc

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi,I have 13 examples of Takase Eiju's Mei,but only one with "Your" 1st Kanji (= Joly's drawn Mei at Y87 as "Yeijiu").I have added your Mei to my pic.Ludolf

[Amon]

Very nice!

 

And thank you Mark for always put the storys behind,

I'm very greatful for that kind of information.

 

Best regards, John

[Chriso]

Guys,

I'm very greatful for your replies and as i said to the museum curator, the answer is out there and If anyone can shed light on the background of these items it will be the brains trust who once again have come to the fore.

 

Stephen I agree with you 100% regarding housing these items in a museum. With a bit of fore thought they could have been donated to me....... only kidding.

 

Once again many thanks to all

 

Chris O

[Ford Hallam]

for what it's worth...

 

To my eyes the workmanship, specifically on the tsuba, doesn't have a look of the Edo period about it. The cherry blossoms in particular remind me more of the sort of approach that had developed by the early Taisho period and on into the Early Showa as does the work on the tree and it's branches.

 

Unlike many piece I have suggested are later ( modern ) works these do convince me they were made by a professional artisan but in this case perhaps one who had no direct connection with the old tradition of kodogu making.

 

Regards,

 

Ford

[Bazza]

  Ford Hallam said:

for what it's worth...

 

To my eyes the workmanship, specifically on the tsuba, doesn't have a look of the Edo period about it. The cherry blossoms in particular remind me more of the sort of approach that had developed by the early Taisho period and on into the Early Showa as does the work on the tree and it's branches.

 

Unlike many piece I have suggested are later ( modern ) works these do convince me they were made by a professional artisan but in this case perhaps one who had no direct connection with the old tradition of kodogu making.

 

Regards,

 

Ford

HOORAY - AT LAST. I agree with Ford (as the apprentice to the Wizard might have agreed!!!). The mei has been analysed to death (correctly so) but Ford is the first (I think) to comment on the quality of the work itself. I think these pieces are Meiji at best and copies alluding to earlier work. To me they are uninspiring and dull. The colour of the metal is not that of quality. Also, the tagane (chiselling) of the mei lacks the control of a master hand - compare with Goto Ichijo, for example. It is wonky and all over the place. Unquestionably post-Edo and 'glitzy gimei' IMHO.

 

Best regards,

Barry Thomas

(Who opens his mouth so that others may put their feet in...)

[Marius]

  Bazza said:

To me they are uninspiring and dull. (...) Unquestionably post-Edo and 'glitzy gimei' IMHO.

 

Barry,

 

I have seen a similar (albeit a much better IMHO) tsuba in this German book:

 

http://www.amazon.de/Das-Schwert-Samura ... 3877486479

 

The tsuba from the book is either in the Museum für Völkerkunde zu Dresden or in the Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig. Unfortunatelly, this book has been written by an author lacking knowlegde of kodogu, so that tsuba description boils down to the material the tsuba was made from.

 

I might do a scan if someone is interested.

[Mark Green]

WOW! Great set Cris.

I would think the paper shims in the fuchi would indicate they have been mounted.

And I think I detect a bit of copper color around the seppa area

Why would you think these wonderful fittings were never with a sword?

Mark G

[Markus]

Hi Chris,

 

Please don´t consider this as an offence, just a tip which is dear to me,

but I suggest to touch all non-ferrous tsuba and fittings with gloves. It would

be a pity if the one or other pieces patina gets damaged through exhausitve

touching with bare fingers.

 

[Chriso]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the continuing comments I really do appreciate your efforts.

 

Marivsz T K. If you could possibly see your way clear to posting a scan on the similar themed fittings, I would be very appreciative.

 

Mark, yeh I tend to agree thet the paper shims inside the fuchi are a bit of a give away, and i was making a judgement based on the pristine condition of the fittings. If they have been previously mounted, I would love to see the sword that they were fitted to.

 

Marcus, I come with hat in hand. I should know better, and yes i do have a pair of gloves that I could have used, but I guess to the detrement of the items, I just love the feel of the raw item, you can almost feel the artisan at work.

 

Please keep posting, I'm loving the comments both fore and against.

 

Regards Chris O

[Akitombo]

Hi,

Just a quick note to flag up an exact copy of this tsuba by Goto Tsuneharu in Ninon-To issue no.5 March 1997, published by the To-Ken Society of Great Britain.

In the Tosogu section at the back, No.8, Bob Haynes did the write up for Clive Sinclaire.

I am sure Clive could tell us more.

The tsuba is Edo, dated around 1850.

Regards

David

[historian2]

wow very nice......Erich

[reinhard]

This is the one from Icke-Schwalbe/Karpinski's book Mariusz was talking about.

 

A general hint: If something looks neat, elaborate, uninspired, two-dimensional and executed by a trembling hand, it is probably the opposite of art and of any other true talent.

 

reinhard

[Jean]

  Quote

executed by a trembling hand

 

Maybe Parkinson

[Akitombo]

Hi,

Here is a pair of menuki I have with the same theme.

Benki by order of Yoshitsune attaching a notice to the plum tree of Amagasaki(Joly.Legend reprint PG.85 and 583).

The other samurai is blowing a conch sheel, the sybol of Benki, emblem of Yamabushi.

Regards

David

[Rinsan]

Hi

You may already know but the story depicted on the tsuba is the "Plum tree of Amagasaki". The most popular version is that Yoshitsune ordered Benkei to write a notice for a plum tree he saw in Amagasaki which read, "Even in Kuan (a Chinese province noted for its plum trees) could not be found such a tree; ....... if a robber breaks a twig of it he shall forfeit one of fingers as a penalty". I've missed a bit of the notice but you can find the full text in Jolie's "Legend in Japanese Art" page 587. The notice makes a pun on branch and finger, both are 'isshi'.

I often find the the stories depicted on tsuba fascinating.

Keith

[docliss]

I regret that I have come rather late to this thread but, while all the pieces share a common legendary theme, the quality of the work on the fuchi-gashira is markedly superior to that on the tsuba. Are we then agreed that the former are probably genuine examples of work by Takase Eiju (H 00436.0), and the latter a later copy, made by another Mito artist, to match the f-g and complete the set?

 

Regards, John L.