Spartancrest Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 The Spencer Museum of Art in the University of Kansas has a nice modest collection of tsuba - around 250 https://spencerartap...#/search/works/tsuba But I don't know who is describing the collection or how much they know about the more common schools of artists. Kinai School Description: Tsuba, radish and leaves pierce work. [ Not even close!] https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4756 https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4888 A cast copy [very common] see https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/226138221756 https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4836 Description: Tsuba, two leaves (blood stain corrosion) [clearly Kinai school design, "Blood stain corrosion" - how do they make that conclusion?] https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4818 Description: Tsuba, shibuichi nanako - kiri and passion flowers and leaves. Then they go on to say made of Iron - obviously Sanmai construction. Wrong descriptions are not restricted to just this museum of course - you need to be vigilant and keep your eyes open though. 2 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissakai Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 In the Birmingham museum some of the labels/descriptions had got mixed up "All the right notes but not necessarily in the right order" 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steves87 Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 On a slight bend of the topic, that first yoshiro mon Tsuba is the first I have seen where a mon has a (Kiri?) Stalk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted July 26 Author Report Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, Steves87 said: a (Kiri?) Stalk. That is what I thought - never seen that before, not sure I like it much as a design - looks like something went wrong [That's what happens when you mix Yoshiro with Kinai ] 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake6500 Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 Yikes lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted July 26 Author Report Share Posted July 26 I had another look at that particular museum and found this : https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4788 Interesting Shoami design - I wonder if the Saotome school would have other ideas on the subject? https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4727 What do we think of the possibility this guard is by the Sōten School ? [highly unlikely IMHO ] 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted August 2 Author Report Share Posted August 2 I just noticed a very small detail on an image sent to me by Steves87 on a namban guard. It struck me as being similar to the Mon from the Yoshiro guard [described as 'Kinai' by the museum] with the addition of two flower racemes. Just a coincidence? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted August 3 Author Report Share Posted August 3 Sorry but this must be the most out there description I have seen from a museum. https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4922 Description: Tsuba, foolish crow tries to dive like duck, drowning verso. No one is "drowning" and the jury is still out on the crow thinking it was a duck! Apparently birds are not allowed to just sit on a tree stump in this particular marshland - perhaps there is a parking meter or it was in a handicap zone? [Parking meter - that would explain the suicide attempt!] Hold that thought - maybe this is the most out there description! Description: Tsuba, man washing potatoes with two sticks. Exactly where are the potatoes? A man or a woman? Looks like laundry day to me - no real idea but like I say "where are the potatoes?" Those two sticks wouldn't wash a potato they would more likely mash them! Also that is the strangest colour of iron I have seen. Anyone with a spare set of glasses for the museum staff? https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4903 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugyotsuji Posted August 3 Report Share Posted August 3 Dale, re that strange hooked bend above. Today I was watching a programme about Ainu art, and noticed just such a feature in the design on the back of a long Ainu cloak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartancrest Posted August 4 Author Report Share Posted August 4 One other museum has some questions to answer. In 1907 the Metropolitan Museum of Art was gifted three tsuba from the Goda Masa Uji collection. Two of those guards caught my attention. Accession Number: 06.1265 & Accession Number: 06.1266 You can see from the images that both had ategane at the time they were given to the museum, however sometime before 1924 both of these guards had the ategane removed [or stolen?] Both guards remain on display in the museum to this day - but what happened to the ategane? If you read the rather heartfelt letter from Goda himself on why he gifted the guards, it is very sad that his trust in their care was so let down. "On July 29th in the 38th year of Meiji (1905), Prof. Bashford Dean, Curator of Arms and Armor of the New York Metropolitan Art Museum, together with Mr. Amagasa Isao, a student of law of the University of Kyoto, called at my residence in the latter city, and stated that he (Dean) had learned in Tokyo that I possessed a large collection of Japanese armor and arms and expressed his desire to be permitted to see them. I consented and thereupon brought out and exhibited to Prof. Dean various articles of armor, etc. Among the things shown were six tsuba made by Kaneiye. These he asked me to sell him, but I declined to do so. Then he requested me to sell him three of the number, but this also I declined doing. Subsequently he called twice upon me and again on the evening of the 20th of October, 1905, when he requested me to loan the three tsuba for a period of five years to be exhibited in the Museum for educational purposes. This, however, I also felt constrained to refuse, yet when I reflected over the persistent zeal exhibited I could but admire the same, and considering that the request was on behalf of an American institution, while unable to consent to receive any compensation, I determined to make an offering of the desired objects rather than exhibit them as requested, and I stated that such was my desire. To the inquiry thereupon made by Prof. Dean as to my motive in this act, I replied: That at the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate I was a military attendant and resided in Osaka at the Castle. When I was yet a child eight years of age Commodore Perry came to Uraga, Sagami, for the purpose of opening our ports to foreign trade and commerce. A promise to that effect having been obtained by him from the then government, from that time on until the present Meiji period our intercourse has spread far and wide with all foreign nations, and that our honored flag should float to-day over all the seas was largely due to the friendly offices of the American Republic. Again during the recent conflict between the Empire of Japan and that of Russia thanks to the warm and friendly attitude of the President of the United States in his successful action in putting an end to that deadly conflict by bringing about the Peace Conference at Portsmouth, with results yet to follow though still unknown I felt much gratitude for the many and valuable services rendered by America to my country. So therefore when Prof. Dean continued to express so great a desire for some of the objects in my treasured collection, I consented to part with the same and send them to the Art Museum of New York as an evidence of my warm personal regard for the American people. Upon this, my statement to Mr. Dean, he was and expressed himself to be extremely gratified, and said that upon his return to America he would bring the same to the knowledge of his Government and that upon receipt of the necessary notification to be sent me by the Governor of Kyoto after a request to that effect by the proper Japanese officials thereunto moved by a communication from the Embassy of the United States at Tokyo, I should forward the articles offered. This was entirely satisfactory to me. Meanwhile as I was growing old and at any time I might be overtaken by death, I had the promise of those of my household surviving me to execute and fulfill my undertaking to the letter. On the morning of 2Ist October, 1905, Prof. Dean left Kyoto and returned the following year to his country passing through India. I saw him off from the Kyoto station, bidding him farewell. On the 26th of January of this year (1907) I received a communication from Ambassador Wright offering kindly to transmit through his office to America the three Tsuba referred to herein." (Signed) GODA MASA UJI Samurai Masaouji Goda died in 1917 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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