Thoughts on this Tsuba with gold and silver

[DaveM4P99]

Hi all. What do we think of this Tsuba? And why would the sukashi be filled in??

 

Reading on here, the filling of sukashi spaces is usually referred as gan-kin (嵌金)...but I am unsure of the purpose.

 

Thanks for any info on this!

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

Dave

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Dave,

Unless my eyes fail me, this isn't a sukashi tsuba. The filled openings are the ryo-hitsu, for kotsuka & kogai. They are filled because the last time the tsuba was mounted to a sword there were no kotsuka and kogai, and the owner wanted them filled. Sukashi refers to openwork design, not function.

Grey

[kissakai]

I expect the design represents something but other will have to help you

Is that the moon peaking behind the clouds?

 

[DaveM4P99]

1 hour ago, Grey Doffin said:

Hi Dave,

Unless my eyes fail me, this isn't a sukashi tsuba. The filled openings are the ryo-hitsu, for kotsuka & kogai. They are filled because the last time the tsuba was mounted to a sword there were no kotsuka and kogai, and the owner wanted them filled. Sukashi refers to openwork design, not function.

Grey

Ok thank you! I was unsure of the vocabulary.

 

Although, the Nakago-ana is also filled in with gold, where the blade would go. Strange no?

[kyushukairu]

One potential explanation is that someone who owned the tsuba wanted to convert it into a paperweight (bunchin 文鎮), and added lead to the kogai-ana, and brass to the nakago-ana to make it more functional (for their intended purpose)

[DaveM4P99]

21 hours ago, kyushukairu said:

One potential explanation is that someone who owned the tsuba wanted to convert it into a paperweight (bunchin 文鎮), and added lead to the kogai-ana, and brass to the nakago-ana to make it more functional (for their intended purpose)

 

Interesting thought! Thank you!

[Bugyotsuji]

Artistically very satisfying composition. Perhaps the owner felt happier filling in the nakago ana, knowing it would never again be fitted to a sword, preferring a gold centerpiece over a sharp-edged opening.

[Kanenaga]

It's a Kaneie-style tsuba, and I quite like it.

Hitsuana are often seen filled in, but I've never seen the nakagoana filled.

[Spartancrest]

  A tsuba converted into a Netsuke by plugging the nakago-ana. https://www.ebay.com/itm/166471369863

 

 

  A fuchi similarly converted. https://www.ebay.com/itm/166469540444

 

 

  Image from a post by GRC  November 22, 2021

 

These examples may not be the same as David's. Nice mystery with the three different metal fillings. 

 

 

Another from the Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas. https://spencerartap...arch/works/1928.2356

Edited November 9 by Spartancrest
More images

[Bazza]

Interesting last tsuba.  Ko-Kinko???  I would give it house room...

 

BaZZa.

[Bazza]

Dale, surely not a clunker???

 

BaZZa.

[Spartancrest]

9 hours ago, Bazza said:

BaZZa.

No, I don't think it is a clunker.  Wish we could see what the seppa-dai looks like, there could be a good signature under there! The nanako is very fine under the slightly worn patina.

   Just a glimpse of sekigane there at the top of the first image, suggesting the tsuba is imaged upside down?

[ROKUJURO]

Yes Dale,

it seems so if you look at the sticker with the number.

[Spartancrest]

1 hour ago, ROKUJURO said:

sticker with the number.

I think this particular museum has something of a random pattern where it puts the sticker numbers 

[Iekatsu]

Yup Ko-kinko, a shame that it ended up like that.

 

[Robert S]

Converting a tsuba to a netsuke would make a pretty heavy netsuke!

[Rivkin]

On 11/10/2024 at 3:35 PM, Spartancrest said:

I think this particular museum has something of a random pattern where it puts the sticker numbers 

As long as its special strength superglue and the number is doubled by chiseling across the plate - everything is fine.