Museums are not always a good spot to learn!

[Spartancrest]

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.

 

 

 

[kissakai]

In the Birmingham museum some of the labels/descriptions had got mixed up

"All the right notes but not necessarily in the right order"

 

[Steves87]

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.

[Spartancrest]

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  ]

[Jake6500]

Yikes lol 

[Spartancrest]

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 ]

[Spartancrest]

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?

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

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

[Bugyotsuji]

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.

[Spartancrest]

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

 

[Spartancrest]

From the National Museum of Norway. This museum  could easily be posted to the Tsuba casting molds ?  Almost 90% of this museums collection of tsuba are described as CAST  - not true, but that is what the museum describes them as!

https://www.nasjonal...ngen/objekt/OK-10048   The Echizen school tsuba came from CHINA [don't think so] Cast  [in this case, yes it is likely cast to start with] and oxidized shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) with chiselled, engraved and pierced relief decoration

 

https://www.nasjonal...ngen/objekt/OK-09443   Another CHINESE [no way] and described as "The Echizen School, Cast and oxidized iron with chiselled, engraved and openwork relief decoration, details in inlaid gold"

Several examples are described as being Chinese out of their collection of some 64 guards.

 

https://www.nasjonal...ngen/objekt/OK-07298 a Hamano school also described as CAST IRON    "Cast and oxidized iron with chiselled relief decoration inlaid with gold, copper, shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) and shibuichi (alloy of copper and silver)"

  Lost in translation? Bad descriptions to start with!

I guess I am just pointing out that for beginners - museums won't always give you the best information! 

 

 

[Andi B.]

🤔 Hmm, not sure, but I would translate it (with Google of course 😉) as "Echizen Kinai School", place of production Japan - nothing about China...

[Spartancrest]

  Well Google translate can share the blame 

 

I do like the "Protection plate" - that is actually what a tsuba is after all.

[Andi B.]

[Maybe the Echizen Kinai School was in fact founded by a Norwegian speaking Chinese immigrant...]

[Markus]

On 8/3/2024 at 8:49 PM, Spartancrest said:

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. 

 

 

 

[Edited] Just realized was looking at the wrong thing. Try to see if I can find any records on when (why?) the ategane were removed.

 

[Spartancrest]

14 minutes ago, Markus said:

The ategane are still there, nothing was removed.

Sorry you are getting Ategane [or ume if you prefer] mixed up with Sekigane - because the Ategane are definitely GONE - the plugs in the hitsu-ana are removed - who removed them?

   

https://www.hanbonfo...ifferent-tsuba-parts

鍔 (鐔) Tsuba glossary

 

当金 Ategane 

A metal plug placed in the Kozuka or Kogai-ana. Also refered to as Ume ( 埋 )

 

責金 Sekigane         

A filler of Copper or Lead to to make the fit between the Tsuba and the Nakago snug.

[Markus]

Apologies for the confusion @Spartancrest Too early in the morning, lol. Trying to see if there are any records about that.

[Spartancrest]

13 minutes ago, Markus said:

lol.

Markus, you are correct about the guards not being on display - I should have said "they remain at the museum to this day." 

[Early in the morning for you - getting late for bed, here for me! ]

 

 

[Markus]

While there is no record on why the umegane were removed, I was able to narrow down the time frame between 1907 (when the fotos WITH them were taken for the Bulletin) and a record shot taken in 1922 where there were already gone. The museum had several Japanese consultants coming over once in a while around that time period, so I can guess it was maybe done on their recommendation. But, its a mystery...

[Kanenaga]

Concerning Dale's tsuba from the Spencer Museum supposedly showing a man washing potatoes, but no potatoes to be seen -- 

well, here's another with the same theme, including the 2 sticks. This one is by Goto Ichijo, and the potatoes are presumably in the basket. So maybe this is a real theme?

 

Title: Tsuba with a picture of sweet potato washing under the moon

 

[Toryu2020]

芋洗い

Most likely Sato-imo - Google imo-arai and check images it is indeed a real thing...

[Brian]

Amazing how much can be depicted with just a few strokes of a chisel. You can see why the truly talented guys are so highly regarded.

[goo]

Maybe they are using AI to write the descriptions 🫢