Four sukashi tsuba - what schools?

[Marius]

Dear All,

 

These are some of my sukashi tsuba, which, being a beginner, I cannot attribute. I would truly appreciate your input. A tsuba similar to the one with the wachigai is featured in Haynes - catalogue 5, page 32.

 

 

Thanks for looking

[Gunome]

Hi,

 

Nice tsuba.

For me too number 3 is owari, and I would also bid for owari on number 2, because of the sukashi work and symetric patern.

But I am far to be knowledgeable on tsuba.

 

Sebastien

[cspage]

FYI, there is an identical tsuba to #3 at Nihontocraft website, unfortunately no attribution, but dimensions and even on sale price. http://www.nihontocraft.com/tosogu2.htm

 

Colin

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello :D ,

 

IMO the first one with those tiny shells looks very well like SHOAMI work, perhaps KYO SHOAMI .

The second one could effectively be OWARI but I have a small doubt .

The third one is IMO OWARI the square hitsu ana being typical of this school

The fourth one could be SHOAMI too but I have also a doubt, because of some AKASAKA and ONO trends IMO modestly.

 

In fact only the third seems purely OWARI.

 

Best to all

Marc

[John A Stuart]

When it comes to sukashi tsuba one needs a surfeit of information, the more the better. Side views. Measurements, atsumi -thickness, of mimi -rim, of seppa dai, cyotkei -diameter, whether it has tekkotsu and type if it has, ji -surface, polished, rough, hammered etc. How the sukashi were cut as well as the silhouette, which is obvious. I am not being mean, just, some of this data affects the attribution. John

[Marius]

When it comes to sukashi tsuba one needs a surfeit of information, the more the better. Side views. Measurements, atsumi -thickness, of mimi -rim, of seppa dai, cyotkei -diameter, whether it has tekkotsu and type if it has, ji -surface, polished, rough, hammered etc. How the sukashi were cut as well as the silhouette, which is obvious. I am not being mean, just, some of this data affects the attribution. John

 

 

Thank you John, I do apreciate it

 

I will try to post as much information as I can get out of these tsuba. This will be a great opportunity to learn.

 

Not sure though how I shpld identify how the sukashi were cut?

[John A Stuart]

Mainly, roughly or smoothly cut. John

[Marc BROQUIN]

Hello :D

You are perfectly right, John ,

I was giving only my feeling on the design but of course for approaching a better determination it would even be better to have the tsuba in hands :D

Best

Marc

[Marius]

When it comes to sukashi tsuba one needs a surfeit of information, the more the better. Side views. Measurements, atsumi -thickness, of mimi -rim, of seppa dai, cyotkei -diameter, whether it has tekkotsu and type if it has, ji -surface, polished, rough, hammered etc. How the sukashi were cut as well as the silhouette, which is obvious. I am not being mean, just, some of this data affects the attribution. John

 

OK, here are the details (I have put them in the pic's descriptions, too - for your convenience). I can't say how the sukashi were cut, they look all the same to me, sorry Some of the sukashi are rounded, I have indicated this in my description.

 

 

# 1

7,4 x 7.3 mm

nakago ana th. 4mm

mimi th. 3.5 mm

no tekkotsu, polished, smooth.

flat rim, rounded on top, rather slim

 

# 2

6.9 x 6.5 mm

nakago ana th. 4mm

mimi th. 3 mm

rounded rim, smooth surface, polished

sukashi rounded as well

 

#3

6.8 x 6.5mm

nakago ana th. 4.5mm

mimi th. 4mm

flat rim rounded on top

no tekkotsu, delicately hammered?

 

#4

7.2 x 6.5mm

nakago ana th. 5mm

mimi th. 4mm

round rim and sukashi

no tekkotsu, polished

 

Forgive me my untrained eye...

[John A Stuart]

Great Mariusz, I'll start the ball rolling. Marc made a very good call with Shoami. I have a hard time with going back and forth between Shoami and Akasaka. It has features common to both schools, but, with the seppadai being thicker than the rim, the diameter being on the small side and the carving of the shell sukashi I am leaning to Akasaka. The relative thinness of the tsuba in general worries me though, as well as the condition of the iron draws me away from that towards Shoami. I will still say Akasaka. At least for now. John

[John A Stuart]

#2 tsuba. The numbers are at odds, but, I just can't see this tsuba as being anything except Owari. Mostly because the treatment of the myouga is documented in the school as well as other features.

#3 Owari, as well. John

[John A Stuart]

#4 Wachigai design. I have seen a few with this design ie. Kamiyoshi school. A late period school in any event, but, may I suggest this is Taisho, Showa age. Quite modern. John

[Marius]

#4 Wachigai design. I have seen a few with this design ie. Kamiyoshi school. A late period school in any event, but, may I suggest this is Taisho, Showa age. Quite modern. John

 

Dear John,

 

sorry to reply with a delay - somehow I didn't see that you have added your attributions and that the thread was not closed :-) Many thanks for the valuable input - I have learnt something thanks to you and Marc

 

One question - what makes you think the wachigai tsuba is modern? Not that I would disagree, but the patina on it is much deeper that on #3 (the undoubtedly-Owari tsuba). It is very dark, almost black, I cannot reflect this in my pictures... Maybe some other characteristics which betray its young age?

[John A Stuart]

Hi Maiusz, The connective elements seem a late style, (the mon-like element) and the crispness of the nakagoana and seppadai, plus, the patina while dark, is thin as seen on the wear pattern on the seppadai. My reasoning could of course be faulty. John