Ford Hallam Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 This is an utsushi of a tsuba by the 4th Kanshiro master. It was made last month in my studio by a victim ....I mean student from Brazil, Remo Souza Nogueira. The material is home made tamahagane. I was very impressed with the steel and it responded very nicely to some experimental processes I've been developing that emulate the sort of finish we see on the original works. It would seem the design was actually conceived by the first master, Nishigaki Kanshiro. There are at least 2 examples in the the Tokyo National Museum and 2 illustrated in Mr Ito's recent book on Kanshiro. The design is invariably described as being of butterflies. I have never been convinced that this is correct and a while back, while studying this group it finally dawned on me what it is. It's genius! :D Any thoughts? No prizes for the correct answer...only smug satisfaction, which I always find quite satisfying myself regards, Ford There are some more images of the piece here, as well as some of the other, copper, tsuba he did while with me. Quote
Marius Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 The design is invariably described as being of butterflies. Beautiful work, you have talented victims, Ford :-) The first association is of a larva, but this is too irregular. It could also be a pod, perhaps a tamarind pod (don't know if there is any tamarind in Japan, though). Quote
sanjuro Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 If I may take a stab at the design.... These shapes remind me of water worn stones in a pool or riverbed. Quote
Lorenzo Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 It may sound stupid, but seriously remembers me this: Quote
DirkO Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 After looking at it a few times it does look similar to a crab claw ? Quote
Grey Doffin Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 I see a catterpiggle and chrysallis, a.k.a. butterfly. Grey Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Posted October 5, 2010 sorry gents...not right yet Quote
John A Stuart Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 I am more curious about how the tamagahane was smelted. New Zealand iron sand? and the tatara? is there a write up about the process you and your student used Ford? I see the leaf that has had the succulent bits eaten leaving the veins in a track like various caterpillars do. I may be influenced by the earlier reference though and probably would have thought edame otherwise. John Quote
Marius Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 sorry gents...not right yet I am going wild now. Is that a colection of eboshi caps? C'mon Ford, tell us Quote
Stephen Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 no not yet, lets hear some more, I've done the old art school squint, finger box, one eye then the other...don't get it...cross section of a plant????. Please let us know if it becomes open to sell....really really like it. Quote
Marius Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 There are some more images of the piece here, as well as some of the other, copper, tsuba he did while with me. I love them both. The copper tsuba has a very good surface finish. Both are really lovely pieces - is your student soon to become nidai Ford Hallam? Are they for sale? Not that I could afford any of them, but they are so good Quote
Eric H Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 Reminds me of gourds... a fine Tsuba Eric Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Posted October 5, 2010 no sorry...I think we can draw the suspense out a little while longer No clues either. John, Remo actually made the steel himself. He sometimes struggles a little with writing extensive pieces in English but I'll see what we can put on the Ironbrush. There is a very specific quality to steel produced this way that is not seen in modern smelted steel. It is precisely this aspect I've been trying to grasp. From my conversations with various smiths in Japan it would seem they too are after this elusive quality. It's basically a sort of openness of the structure but not in a wrought iron sort of way...hard to describe without running the risk of misunderstanding. When sawing, filing or chiselling it feels quite different also. The patina that are possible are also more convincing in relation to the works we see from the past...the good stuff that is. Steven, I have a feeling Remo will want to hang on to this for a while but if you contact him he may let you know as and when he can bear to part with it no ni-dai as yet....I still feel quite healthy and intend to stick around a while :D Besides, I have 2 sons who are quite artistic.... Quote
Markus Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 When viewed from the other side, as the omote side of the pieces of Jingo Shigenaga, it could be - with much phantasy - a stylized depiction of the Japan archipelago (to the right), and the Chinese/Korean mainland (to the left). Quote
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 Ford, are you so tricky to have posted the tsuba flipped ? :D I would have said Eboshi but Markus' explanation makes a lot of sense to me... Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Posted October 5, 2010 Sorry Carlo, the view I posted is correct. the map theory isn't correct nor the eboshi, I'm afraid. It's also not socks or intestines Quote
Ford Hallam Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Posted October 5, 2010 another view...not that it'll help much . Sorry, not a lotus pod. Quote
Brian Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 I think the original inspiration is this: "Ok, let's cut out an oval here, and a squiggle there. Phew...rough night of sake last night....ok..another squiggle there. Hmm..in a few years from now, this random design is gonna drive 'em nuts!" Brian Quote
Andi B. Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 ...maybe a beef shank or something similiar? Do we have to think outside the box or is it obvious (when you tell us the answer)? Quote
DSweet Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 Lotus pod You might be on the right track. My answer is lotus roots. -Donovan Quote
pcfarrar Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 Kind of looks like a phallus to me... Quote
Marius Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 another view...not that it'll help much . Sorry, not a lotus pod. Cross-section of some weird fruit? Brain scan? Droppings? OK, I got it! Fruit, pod.... iPod? Quote
Martin Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 "Ok, let's cut out an oval here, and a squiggle there. Phew...rough night of sake last night....ok..another squiggle there. Hmm..in a few years from now, this random design is gonna drive 'em nuts!" I think Brian is closest until now... :D Quote
Baka Gaijin Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 Hi all Proximal & Distal Phalanges of the thumb and Metacarpal, Proximal, Middle & Distal Phalanges of the index finger of the left hand as one would hold the Saya and right hand on the Tsuka when the sword is drawn. Dem Bones........ Cheers Malcolm 1 Quote
Marius Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 We are getting frivolous here Ford, I guess it is about time Quote
Markus Posted October 5, 2010 Report Posted October 5, 2010 Two brutally stylized swords (koshigatana, ebizaya). Hey, such a guessing game is quite funny. Quote
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