Three tsuba

[Cornelius]

Hi all!

 

I have three tsuba acquired over time from several sources. One of them bears a ”Kaneiye” signature.
 Any information related to them is greatly appreciated (dating, possible authors, etc.).

I am also interested in the meaning of the scene depicted on tsuba 2. Thanks so much for any info!

[Jake6500]

2 hours ago, Cornelius said:

Hi all!

 

I have three tsuba acquired over time from several sources. One of them bears a ”Kaneiye” signature.
 Any information related to them is greatly appreciated (dating, possible authors, etc.).

I am also interested in the meaning of the scene depicted on tsuba 2. Thanks so much for any info!

 

Tsuba one seems to be kind of similar to this tsuba I found through a quick online search...

 

https://www.eldreds....ing-a-mou_B3C4B97863

 

Possibly the same Kaneiye? Fushimi school?

 

As for the motif of the second one I believe it likely depicts a teacher and student. Looks like a young boy of samurai status receiving a formal education.

 

I am a big fan of the second one!

 

Edit: To expand on my post, the character on the right is holding a fan which was typically used as a teaching prop. The position of the other hand looks like he is giving a lecture and the head wear is indicative that the man is a priest (as might be the gate in the background).

 

Literacy and numeracy were typically taught in the temple during the pre-Edo and early Edo periods before the introduction of formalised school systems. Important samurai families might also have educators make home visits to tutor their sons.

[Jake6500]

Additional modern photo of a Shinto priest for context:

 

 

The item in the hand may also be Shinto Hinoki wood like the one in this photo and not a fan as I initially said!

[Grey Doffin]

The item in the hand on tsuba 2 would be covered by the seppa when mounted, which is troubling.

Grey

[Jake6500]

5 minutes ago, Grey Doffin said:

The item in the hand on tsuba 2 would be covered by the seppa when mounted, which is troubling.

Grey

 

Hi Grey,

 

The item is in the other hand that wouldn't be covered... I think you're referring to simply the raised hand itself.

 

Still a minor issue if you intend to mount it but nothing that would significantly conceal the motif and certainly not a problem for a Tosogu collector with no interest in blades like me!

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Jake,

Hard to tell from the photo with my old eyes if that is just the hand or something else but, would a properly trained artist have even only the hand covered when mounted? Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps this is very late work, possibly made for western tourists to Japan, and no one worried about mounting.

Grey

[Bugyotsuji]

The iron gate looks like the entrance to a fort. They look like figures from Kamakura times. Maybe it is something to do with the story of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, or Yoritomo in the cave, with the warrior letting down his hair. The raised right silver hand could have been degraded by movement of the seppa. (?)

Famous Kokuho painting by Maeda Seison.

「前田青邨展」、岐阜県美術館で開催中 | お知らせ | 朝日新聞社の会社案内 (asahi.com)

[Cornelius]

Thank you very much for all the info. They are very interesting and useful.
 The scene on tsuba 2 takes place at night, at least that's what the silver moon on the reverse makes it look like.
 I find the idea of Minamoto no Yoshitsune very interesting as well. It could be the young Yoshitsune at Kurama-dera. 
 If things were like this I would be very pleased (even if it is a "very late" tsuba) because I still have a very nice item related to Yoshitsune and Benkei, a small platter made by Toyokawa Mitsunaga II (I post a picture of it below).

 Can we consider on tsuba 1 that it is be a Chinese landscape (sansui - mountain and water)?

[Cornelius]

The hole in tsuba 2 was recently widened probably to accommodate a thicker blade. Polishing is visible.

[Jake6500]

12 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

Hi Jake,

Hard to tell from the photo with my old eyes if that is just the hand or something else but, would a properly trained artist have even only the hand covered when mounted? Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps this is very late work, possibly made for western tourists to Japan, and no one worried about mounting.

Grey

 

Possibly, or it might simply have been made as a decorative piece.

 

Personally I think it is a later Edo tsuba, post 1800 and intended as a decorative piece but I acknowledge the observation.

[Jake6500]

11 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

The iron gate looks like the entrance to a fort. They look like figures from Kamakura times. Maybe it is something to do with the story of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, or Yoritomo in the cave, with the warrior letting down his hair. The raised right silver hand could have been degraded by movement of the seppa. (?)

Famous Kokuho painting by Maeda Seison.

「前田青邨展」、岐阜県美術館で開催中 | お知らせ | 朝日新聞社の会社案内 (asahi.com)

 

This is possible also. Personally I still think it depicts a teaching moment, possibly between a famous figure in their youth and their teacher who has visited the fort to tutor them. The Kamakura Period also coincides with the rise in accessibility to education for samurai children!

 

The low vs high posture of both figures in the image, plus the hands of our "teacher" lead me to believe the tsuba depicts tutoring of the first born son.

 

Then again maybe my preconceived biases are part of the equation!

[Cornelius]

1 hour ago, Jake6500 said:

 

This is possible also. Personally I still think it depicts a teaching moment, possibly between a famous figure in their youth and their teacher who has visited the fort to tutor them. The Kamakura Period also coincides with the rise in accessibility to education for samurai children!

 

The low vs high posture of both figures in the image, plus the hands of our "teacher" lead me to believe the tsuba depicts tutoring of the first born son.

 

Then again maybe my preconceived biases are part of the equation!

14 hours ago, Jake6500 said:

 

Hi Grey,

 

The item is in the other hand that wouldn't be covered... I think you're referring to simply the raised hand itself.

 

Still a minor issue if you intend to mount it but nothing that would significantly conceal the motif and certainly not a problem for a Tosogu collector with no interest in blades like me!

Your observations are very good and correct Mr. Jake. Thank you very much! 
 I don't think tsuba 2 was just decorative. As I said, its central hole has been enlarged in our times. The original hole was narrower, and the kappa would probably have reached right up to the character's hand.

[Cornelius]

I typed the answer from my phone and it appears with different fonts. sorry!

[Cornelius]

Seppa (not Kappa- automatic correction).

[Bugyotsuji]

Hmmm… since the standing figure wears a (symbolic?) sword, I am getting a stronger feeling that this scene shows the young Yoshitsune at long last meeting his half-brother Yoritomo, sitting before Yoritomo and offering his services.

Yoshitsune went on to be a brilliant and well-loved general as the Minamoto (Gen) beat the Taira (Hei), but, without realizing it, in so doing he had aroused the jealousy of his older brother.

[Jake6500]

7 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Hmmm… since the standing figure wears a sword, I am getting a stronger feeling that this scene shows the young Yoshitsune at long last meeting his half-brother Yoritomo, sitting before Yoritomo and offering his services.

Yoshitsune went on to be a brilliant and well-loved general as the Minamoto (Gen) beat the Taira (Hei), but without realizing it, in so doing he had aroused the jealousy of his older brother.

 

You may be right as I overlooked this detail. I just went back and had another look, I had not noticed what looks like a wakizashi on the standing figure!