Iaido dude Posted February 6 Report Posted February 6 I have two sukashi tsuba (I have attributed to later Shoami and later Owari) with multi-tiered rectangular hitsu-ana. I have begun to wonder when and where this design element was first incorporated and subsequently used. I am including a few pics from Owari To Mikawa No Tanko of a rare mokko-shaped Kanayama with multi-tiered rectangular kogai hitsu-ana and an Owari with double rectangle hitsu-ana. Shoami double tomoe and myoga (mid-late Edo) Owari matsukawa bishi (mid-late Edo). My koi (Sonny and Cher). Kanayama Owari hyotan 4 Quote
Soshin Posted February 6 Report Posted February 6 Here is an example that is a bit different than the examples you already have. The tsuba is no longer in my collection. I listed it in my write-up as being the work of an unknown school. It measures are: 7.7 cm X 7.8 cm 4.0 mm at seppa-dai, 4.0 mm at rim. It sold quickly to another US based collector at the Chicago show back in 2019. I hope you find this example helpful to your study. 3 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 6 Author Report Posted February 6 Some more Kanayama from various seller's sites (all items sold). 3 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 6 Author Report Posted February 6 Thanks, David. I'm looking more intently at early sukashi tsuba. 1 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 6 Author Report Posted February 6 Here is a Kanayama (Holbrook)/Ko-Shoami (Haynes) attributed tsuba. 3 Quote
FlorianB Posted February 7 Report Posted February 7 I think, rectangular hitsu-ana should evoke the impression of or a reminisce to old age. Sometimes a connection to Genji-chapter symbols seems possible (the first one). The last one looks like a well frame. 1 Quote
Soshin Posted February 7 Report Posted February 7 @Iaido dude Steve, did more checking here a tsuba that was once in my collection and later sold in December 2016 via the Internet that I attributed to Kanayama that have the rectangular shaped hitsu-ana. I do remember it having very noticeable iron bones along the rim. I hope this example is a bit more helpful to your study. 2 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 7 Author Report Posted February 7 Thank you, David. This tsuba looks very familiar. I think I’ve seen it or another with the identical composition previously. 1 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 7 Author Report Posted February 7 Here is a Kanayama in my collection with the motif of a water well 9rather than a window0, which may be a Buddhist symbol. I posted on this nearly a year ago, but not in relation to the shape of the hitsu-ana per se. The composition includes both the square hitsua-ana (buckets?) and a rectangular section above and below (the frame of the well with crank?). 3 Quote
Dan tsuba Posted February 7 Report Posted February 7 Interesting thread. My rectangular shape hitsu-ana tsuba. 2 Quote
Soshin Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 1 hour ago, Iaido dude said: Here is a Kanayama in my collection with the motif of a water well 9rather than a window0, which may be a Buddhist symbol. I posted on this nearly a year ago, but not in relation to the shape of the hitsu-ana per se. The composition includes both the square hitsua-ana (buckets?) and a rectangular section above and below (the frame of the well with crank?). Just some minor points while I wait this evening. shrines = Shinto (jinja 神社) temples = Buddhism (ji 寺) The practice you are referring to is mostly associated with pouring fresh water over the head of Jizo Bosatsu using a wooden ladle typically in the temple courtyard outside of the main temple hall. Sweet tea is also poured using a smaller wooden ladle over the head of a statue of the standing Bady Buddha around the time of historical Buddha birthday which celebrated in April in Japan. 1 Quote
cluckdaddy76 Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 I have one example in my collection of this tsuba with a plugged rectangle hitsu-ana, I have not identified the school but perhaps somone else can. Jason 2 Quote
Steves87 Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 Kaga Yoshiro Mon is another well known user of square hitsu-ana 1 Quote
KungFooey Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 I bought this late last year and posted it on this forum. No idea of the school and at least one person thought it had been reshaped. Now I actually have it in hand, that seems unlikely. 1 Quote
Geraint Posted February 8 Report Posted February 8 Dear Jason. Really like your tsuba, research around Higo Jingo school. All the best. Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 8 Author Report Posted February 8 Very nice composition on your Owari, Florian. Is that a rounded square mimi? Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 8 Author Report Posted February 8 16 hours ago, Soshin said: Just some minor points while I wait this evening. shrines = Shinto (jinja 神社) temples = Buddhism (ji 寺) The practice you are referring to is mostly associated with pouring fresh water over the head of Jizo Bosatsu using a wooden ladle typically in the temple courtyard outside of the main temple hall. Sweet tea is also poured using a smaller wooden ladle over the head of a statue of the standing Bady Buddha around the time of historical Buddha birthday which celebrated in April in Japan. I think you are quite right, David. That reference to shrine was from an American Buddhist website. Definitely not shinto. I will correct the wording in my writeup for my own records. 1 Quote
FlorianB Posted February 9 Report Posted February 9 Steve, You’re right, kaku mimi ko niku. 78mm x 75 mm x 6 mm, I speculate it’s from Genroku period because of the elegant design. IMHO the rectangular hitsu ana should add an archaic touch as mentioned above. Quote
ZH1980 Posted February 9 Report Posted February 9 A mid-Edo papered Akasaka tsuba; recently purchased. 3 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 9 Author Report Posted February 9 Beautiful. Appears that at least part of the composition is comprised by karigane. The arrangement is also the Buddhist kuruma (noble eightfold path). The wide rim appears to be kaku mimi ko niku, which is more reminiscent of late Owari rather than Akasaka. What are the dimensions? Here is another one attributed to Owari: https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1155034292 3 Quote
John C Posted February 10 Report Posted February 10 Another version, albeit poor. Note the "sword strike" at the top. John C. 2 1 Quote
sabiji Posted February 10 Report Posted February 10 I had already posted this Ko-Shoami here in another context. This piece was also mentioned in Touken Bijutsu. It was written that it was by no means typical for ko-shoami. Furthermore, it was pointed out (as FlorianB already wrote above) that rectangular hitsuana create a certain archaic aura and give the impression of age. 2 2 Quote
Iaido dude Posted February 10 Author Report Posted February 10 There is a sense of the rectangular hitsu-ana being present from the time sukashi tsuba were being made and well into the Edo period (a nod to the earlier “archaic sensibility”). I’m guessing that forging a more primitive rectangular shape in either positive or negative silhouette is “simpler” than corresponding curved shapes, although the finding of both hitsu-ana shapes in the same tsuba indicates that that it was not for lack of skill on the part of the tsubako. Quote
cluckdaddy76 Posted February 10 Report Posted February 10 Geraint, thanks for the feedback. I was leaning that way myself. I have seen a couple listed as Higi/Jingo school that looked similar, but none had the square Hitsu-Ana. Jason Quote
Geraint Posted February 10 Report Posted February 10 Dear Jason. I agree that it's an unusual feature but not altogether unheard of. https://www.ricecrac...471_tsuba_jingo.html Enjoy the journey! Quote
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