San Diego Tsuba

[Baka Gaijin]

Good afternoon all

 

Looking at some of the Tsuba recently posted from the Robert E Haynes Collection, there is mention of the San Diego which sank off the Phillipines in the early 1600's.

 

http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/RH%20TSUBA%203.htm

 

Can anyone enlarge upon this please.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[myochin]

Dear Malcolm,

 

In December 1600 a junk sank in the China sea, it contained many Chinese ceramics, other types of trade products and TSUBA. The cargo was brought to the surface by Frank Goddio in the early 90's, a (French) exhibition was organised in 1994.

San Diego tsuba refer to tsuba that are similar to those found in the shipwreck and which can be dated with precision.

 

Paul.

[christianmalterre]

Dear Malcolm,

 

here we are: http://www.franckgoddio.org/

 

Christian

[Baka Gaijin]

Good evening all

 

Thank you for such a swift and enlightening response

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Pete Klein]

I believe this is what Boris was referring to, from:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasugbu,_Batangas

 

The San Diego Ship Wreck

 

Nasugbu's greatest contribution to the archaeological world is the San Diego Ship Wreck, discovered by a group of scientists in 1991 with the cooperation of the governments of France, the United States and the Philippines.

 

In his book, Los Succesos de las Islas Filipinas, Fr. Antonio de Morga wrote that being the Admiral of the Islands, he tried to defend the country from Dutch soldiers, who was then under the leadership of Admiral Oliver Van Noort. but since de Morga had very little experience in warfare, he led the San Diego to sink somewhere south of Manila Bay. It was the first ever recorded battle between two European powers in Asian waters.

 

This eventful sinking of the San Diego happened at the dawn of 14 December 1600. Although the fight resulted in a draw, the news of the sinking reached every main city of the Old World. According to the chronicles, the ship contained so much food and battle gear that there was no room for people that would operate them.

 

De Morga, however, failed to give the exact location of the wreck. The ship remained sunk in Nasugbu waters for almost 500 years until its 1991 discovery. To date, it remains the country's most important submarine archaeological finding. From it, the National Museum of the Filipino People was able to collect about 5000 artifacts representing a time capsule of Asia, Europe and the Americas.

 

The artifacts include Asian jars and ceramics from Vietnam and China, weaponry from Japan (like sabres) and Portugal (like cannons and gilded articles believed to come from Iberoamerica. According also to the National Museum, the wreckage contained some of the world's best preserved astrolabes.

 

The artifacts were also exhibited in France in 1995 and Germany in 1996, returning to Manila for the celebration of the centennial of Philippine independence in 1998. Today, the San Diego collection remains the most extensive collection in the National Museum, occupying a large portion of the building's first floor and the whole second floor.

 

Nasugbu is the site of the first recorded naval battle between European troops in Southeast Asia — at Fortune Island to the west of the town.

[BMarkhasin]

You can find the book used on Amazon for about $35 occasionally. It is in French, but the section on tsuba is quite understandable. The full title of the book is:

 

Le San Diego: Un Tresor Sous La Mer. Dominique Carre. Reunion des Musees Nationaux. Paris. 1994. ISBN 2-7118-3135-3.

 

Best,

Boris.

[bridgeofdreams]

There is also an English translation of the book, published as:

 

Treasures of the San Diego: Exhibition at the Philippine Consulate New York from November 1, 1996 to February 28, 1997

Desroches, Jean-Paul & Casal, Fr. Gabriel & Goddio, Franck, 380 pp., profusely illustrated in color, bibliography, list of illustrations, paper, New York, 1996

 

There is a copy listed for sale at Paragon at the moment.

 

I'll also add that all that remains of the Japanese arms that were on the ship are the non-iron tsuba. It seems to be unclear whether these were part of the cargo or belonged to Japanese mercenaries on board, a practice that was not unknown at the time.

 

Craig

[christianmalterre]

just coming back to this threat here...

i think it´s worth so to buy and read this mentioned publication!

Just finnished so to read it;and it does give many new insights...

What is especially interesting is of course,that mentioning of Japanese folks,ben involved in the spanish/portuguese interest of colonial politics...

There´s equally an nice chapter dealing with those embarked Tsuba found during underwater-excavations...

You may equally have an look on the spoken Haynes-commissioned Tsuba offered by Boris-there are some very striking significances to be seen-and at least for all those who did inquire in this excellent publication-there will be some nice pleasure so to eventually do further research...

An very nice and good publication-i really do recomment it for serious study!

 

Christian