Yagyu tsuba

[Okan]

Hi fellas,

 

Just acquired a Yagyu (most likely) tsuba, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it - starting with the period maybe? This one is a bit out of my league.

 

4mm mimi - 7.7cm

 

thanks a bunch.

[Okan]

[Jake6500]

No expert on these by any means but as for the period I'd probably guess early Edo, maybe 1650-1680ish based mostly on the shape of the Hitsu Ana and the apparent thickness which to me suggests early Edo but not Momoyama attribution. I've also read that Yagyu style tsuba became popularised by Yagyu Ren'ya born in 1625...

 

I'm sure other forum members could tell you a lot more than I, so take my rough period attribution with an ample grain of salt.

[Spartancrest]

Okan, yours ? https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q1169771894   or  https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1169771894

 

Something similar on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/285348435808 

[Okan]

  On 4/1/2025 at 1:45 PM, Spartancrest said:

Okan, yours ? https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q1169771894   or  https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1169771894

 

Something similar on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/285348435808 

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Nope! They look like copies..

[Curran]

  On 4/1/2025 at 1:45 PM, Spartancrest said:

Something similar on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/285348435808 

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That one is not too similar. That is my personal opinion.

 

Okan may have snagged a Yagyu from somewhere.

I suspect the patina has been browned up, but it should clean up fairly well.

[Soshin]

@Okan All original first period Yagu tsuba date no earlier than the time of Yagyû Ren'yasai Yoshikane the 5th master of the Yagyû Shinkage Ryû Heihō school of swordsmanship circa 1625 – 1694 CE of Owari Province. If you disagree with me must duel with me until discomfort with a fukuro-shinai at sunrise at Ichijoji. I think it is someplace near Kyoto...      

[FlorianB]

I just wonder about the motif. The similar pine tree pattern is well known.
But on Okan's piece it looks like kukurizaru (or tumblers).
Kukurizaru are an old motif, but always in different angles, to show the playful sense.
But here they are all upside down - so what’s the idea?

[Bugyotsuji]

They look like mushrooms to me! (Semi-joking...)

[ROKUJURO]

They ARE mushrooms.

[ROKUJURO]

  On 4/1/2025 at 12:52 PM, Okan said:

.....Just acquired a Yagyu (most likely) tsuba.....4mm mimi - 7.7cm.....

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Hi Okan,

interesting TSUBA with unfamiliar design for YAGYU (at least for me). Quite solid, looking much smaller and heftier in the photo! 

[Curran]

  On 4/2/2025 at 4:32 AM, FlorianB said:

I just wonder about the motif. The similar pine tree pattern is well known.
But on Okan's piece it looks like kukurizaru (or tumblers).
Kukurizaru are an old motif, but always in different angles, to show the playful sense.
But here they are all upside down - so what’s the idea?

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I wasn't sure either.

Distant Pines vs Kukurizaru  ????

 

Mushrooms makes more sense, but that had not occurred to me until @Bugyotsuji  Piers spoke up.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

The reason I said 'semi-joking' is that they look like French button mushrooms.

[Tim Evans]

This tsuba is similar to number 42 in the Yagyu catalog that was hand copied by Robert Haynes. The design in the catalog is called "distant pines". I agree this is similar, but depicts flopped over mushrooms instead, so a later variant. I am thinking the flopped over mushroom is a Buddhist comment on impermanence. "Here is a softmetal example on a Higo kojiri. There is a distant pines version in Sasano's silver book on page 201.

[ROKUJURO]

Looks like pine needles to me.

[lonely panet]

Check out sasanos book guys. 

[FlorianB]

Mushrooms are always depicted with elongated stems.

 

At least: Kukurizaru giving the impression of mushrooms (or distant pines? ).

[Okan]

Thanks for all the replies. I’m on my way to home from Japan now, i’ll write more tomorrow  

 

ps: it’s kukurizaru

 

 

[Iaido dude]

I think it is an utsushi in the Yagyu style with a motif that I've never seen before in Yagyu tsuba. It's a bit thin for the classic Yagyu tsuba. The appearance of iron is difficult to judge as "sandy" (not sure if it would appear differently with different exposure). 

[Curran]

I suspect it is a bit thicker at the seppa dai than his 4.4mm.

 

4.4mm would be more in keeping with a Norisuke utsushi, though the [note*] Norisuke Yagyu go for a fair premium over your average Norisuke.

Also, this just doesn't feel like a Norisuke utsushi to me.  Another relatively silent NMB member and I both specialize in Norisuke tsuba.

[Toryu2020]

If it is kukurizaru then they are all upside down in the katana orientation...

[Curran]

  On 4/5/2025 at 7:49 PM, Toryu2020 said:

If it is kukurizaru then they are all upside down in the katana orientation...

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Depends on your point of view

When the sword is drawn and you are facing it, they are upright and say to me "let's play".