davel Posted September 14 Report Posted September 14 Anyone has or know where to find better pics of these pieces? Especially the horse/pine and the Hotei tsuba. Thxs Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 15 Report Posted September 15 there is an image plate 94 at the back of the book and the Hotei fording a stream tsuba was formerly from the Hawkshaw collection now in the V&A A round one in the by Ōtsuki Mitsuoki, 1766–1834 I just searched through 3,325 images in the V&A and they have not updated their records since this entry https://collections..../item/O187937/tsuba/ images from at least 100 years ago! This image taken from the Hawkshaw collection by Henri L. Joly 1910 [ catalogue number 2463 ]. 8 Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 15 Report Posted September 15 They don't make it easy but I found all of them except for Hotei which the V&A don't seem to have a current image of - they can run but there is nowhere to hide! Some images are still very grainy. The Tiger tsuba in that image: https://collections..../O199603/tsuba-soyo/ M.20-1913 "This one is made of shibuichi, an alloy of copper and silver normally patinated to give a wide variety of colours from silver to brown as well as a range of greys. It is encrusted with a tiger and a leopard which are gold with shakudo stripes and spots. Shakudo is an alloy of copper and gold generally patinated to a rich black colour. Beneath the animals are tall bamboo, also of shakudo, touched with gold, and on the reverse is a second tiger and bamboos similarly rendered." Length: 8cm Width: 7.45cm signed Soyo, Yokoya school, probably ca. 1700-1800 M.465-1916 - YOKOYA Kozuka no other information. M.464-1916 - YOKOYA Kozuka no other information. M.463-1916 - YOKOYA Kozuka no other information. M.259-1911 - YOKOYA - Purchased from Yamanaka & Co. (127 New Bond Street, W.), accessioned in 1911. 4 3 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 15 Report Posted September 15 An altered colour image of Hotei - best I could do. M.308-1911 Tsuba, is made of brass with gold and silver decoration. It is a rounded oblong engraved in katakiri, a style of carving with a variety of line thickness and depth, with a design of Hotei, the god of prosperity, fording a stream, his bundle on his head, a fan inlaid in gold with a silver tassel in his hand. Before him go three Chinese boys, one, on the reverse, bearing his hat. The tsuba has a hammered-up edge and is irregularly faceted. Signed engraved by Shiryudo Mitsuoki [Otsuki School] Approx. length: 7.87cm Approx. width: 7.24cm Purchased from Yamanaka & Co. (127 New Bond Street, W.), accessioned in 1911. 4 Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 15 Report Posted September 15 Obviously not the same tsuba. https://www.bonhams....apanese-art-part-ii/ From Bonham's sale The Edward Wrangham Collection part II, 10 May 2011 London It might give us a clue as to the design on the ura? 3 Quote
davel Posted September 15 Author Report Posted September 15 Now that's a bit of research! Although i can see the relationship between Hotei & Persimmon tree i always felt that the St Louis Art Museum piece Ura didn't really match. The Bonhams piece 'feels' much better but who am i But according the the description (Hawkshaw collection) : Quote Before him go three Chinese boys, one, on the reverse, bearing his hat. Seems like the design there is still different from the Bonhams one? Thxs again. 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 16 Report Posted September 16 There looks to be a little "Chinese whispers" confusion between Hawkshaw's description and the V&A Hawkshaw states "two {2} boys" no mention of 'Chinese' origin - one carrying Hotei's hat. Which would suggest the boy on the back has the hat, as I can't see the one on the omote with it - not that the image is very clear. The V&A states "three {3} Chinese boys, one, on the reverse, bearing his hat. Well we don't have the ura view so it is not possible to be certain, but I would think Hawkshaw's description would at least get the number of 'boys' correct. For more information you know you can email the V&A and ask for either an image or a more accurate description - they don't bite, but they can take their time answering. While talking to them you might suggest they put some effort into their records and give a few size measurements and present the tsuba images with the omote view in their search engine and not the numerous ura views! Oh and let them know they harbour a nice selection of cast reproductions! [Far be it from me to criticise the technical skills of such an illustrious institution ] Marjolein de Raat <m.deraat@vam.ac.uk> Marjolein de Raat Assistant Curator East Asia 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 18 Report Posted September 18 Like a dog with a bone - I found the Hotei image, in colour! [it was in my own records- needle in a hundred haystacks] and I know of another publication from the V&A that has a small B&W image "A PICTURE BOOK OF Japanese SWORD GUARDS" 1927 - a booklet of some twenty pages. Trying to save image space here but if you need an image with more resolution send me a PM. Boy on the back with Hotei's hat. 4 Quote
davel Posted September 18 Author Report Posted September 18 Think we need to call you the Tosogu Sherlock Thxs a lot for the effort! 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted September 22 Report Posted September 22 https://archive.org/...SwordGuards/mode/2up 1 1 Quote
davel Posted September 23 Author Report Posted September 23 Thxs for pointing out the book! That Umetada listed there is as well. Quote
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