Spartancrest Posted October 22 Report Posted October 22 A friend sent me a link to a strange looking tsuba design currently up for auction: The image [eventually] sparked my memory of a similar themed guard in the Royal Ontario Museum: However that description just does not gel [a design of leaves "After the style of Risei of Sadol"] Having found that image, I found another from Japan with a much more plausible explanation of the design. https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-120519.htm Bream bones With that clue I found this image which would seem to confirm the fish bone accuracy. What do others think? 5 Quote
Bazza Posted October 22 Report Posted October 22 Looks good to me Dale, but why are these bones considered 'lucky'?? They look eminently suited to getting stuck in your throat and inviting whacks on your back!!! Here is my Akasaka Tadatoki V, with thanks to Justin O for selling it to me. Here is part of Justin's writeup for general knowledge on the Akasaka group: Hikojuro Tadatoki V was the 8th and last master of the Akasaka school. From the 6th master onwards the guards continue to be influenced by the style of the 4th master period and are in Higo school. This guard in particular is very reminiscent of Higo Nishgaki work. Tadatoki V prepared a genealogy of the entire Akasaka group that is reliable and provides much of the information that we know about this school today. BaZZa. 8 Quote
SteveM Posted October 22 Report Posted October 22 Interesting. I've never heard of this before, but there are three bones in the head of a snapper that resemble farm implements, hence the name "Three Tools" that are circled in red in the picture that Dale posted. They are supposed to resemble a hoe, sickle, and rake. May also have been used in some kind of fortune-telling. Anyway, I found another example of a tsuba with this theme, so I think Dale hit the nail on the head with this. https://issuu.com/kogire-kai/docs/109_____ 4 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted October 22 Author Report Posted October 22 32 minutes ago, Bazza said: They look eminently suited to getting stuck in your throat You bet! Like swallowing a fish hook - fishes revenge? 1 Quote
FlorianB Posted October 22 Report Posted October 22 Fish bones indeed, there was a detailed report on this topic some time ago in the Token Bijutsu magazine, alas I don't know which issue. 3 Quote
Spartancrest Posted October 29 Author Report Posted October 29 Another "fish bones" https://www.bonhams....-and-19th-century-2/ 3 Quote
Curran Posted October 29 Report Posted October 29 3 hours ago, Spartancrest said: Another "fish bones" https://www.bonhams....-and-19th-century-2/ I bid on that one. Quickly outbid by someone else. 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted December 18 Author Report Posted December 18 Victoria and Albert museum has a "fish bone" tsuba as well. https://collections..../item/O466388/tsuba/ A marked decline in the number of bones in this one. Accession number: M.168-1911 Tamba/Sado/Kiami [looks like they are not sure who made it] The museum also has a sukashi type with three bones in negative silhouette https://collections..../item/O466561/tsuba/ M.461-1931 Bushu 2 Quote
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