Tsuba Information Help

[Tanto54]

I'm interested in any additional information that anyone might be able to provide on this deep brown, Mokko Gata shaped Tsuba with Shakudo Yanone (arrow heads). I believe that it is iron. When I first saw it, I thought that it was a very dark Sentoku because of the color, but the base metal is magnetic while the Yanone and Sekigane are not magnetic (the Sekigane are slightly more red brown than the base metal which is more like a chocolate bar). Size is 81mm x 75 mm x 3 mm (4 mm at the Uchikaeshi Mimi).

 

Thanks!

[Soshin]

Hi George M.,

 

Nice tsuba thanks for posting. The workmanship looks like Mito circa the late Edo Period. The dark brown patina was used to contrast the color of the inlays. Just my opinion.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Curran]

These tend to be classified as Aizu Shoami.

Or at least that is how they tend to paper.

 

With the mimi and other variations, I certainly understand David's call. It does display more of a Mito feel.

 

Attached in a word doc should be an Aizu Shoami Yanone tsubaimage of one I think I sold via Christies London in 2008.

AIZU SHOAMI Yanone Tsuba.docFetching info...

[Tanto54]

Thanks David and Curran - both of you have given me good trails to follow. Curran, I've already started following up your lead and found your other post on this tsuba several years ago along with parts of the origami - great! David, I think that you are right about the colors - in hand, it shows the shakudo yanone very well. Thanks again to both of you for taking the time to respond.

[Tanto54]

Bump for any additional information or opinions....

[Soshin]

Hi George M.,

 

I came across the term Mito Shoami. I was wondering if this a correct term. Was there a branch of the Shoami school in Mito Province during the mid to late Edo Period? Having some greater explanation by Curran would be helpful as I think this tsuba would belong to such a school if it is real. I remember coming across this term when reading Dr. Stein's Japanese Sword Index website under the section on tsuba.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[John A Stuart]

Yes, Mito, Aizu, Iyo and on and on, to differentiate the branches and characteristics. Sometimes not so easy, as in Mito/Aizu being contiguous. John

[Soshin]

Hi John S.,

 

Thanks for the clarification and the fact that all of these school works overlaps around the same time period. Here is a tsuba in my collection that I think while the subject is very different the workmanship is similar. George M. I hope you find this helpful in your research. I would consider my tsuba also a work of the Aizu Shoami school circa the late Edo Period.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Curran]

Petersan or Rich T can correct me on this, since I know myself to be a bit imprecise with terms.

 

Mito does not mean Mito Shoami.

There are many many outstanding artisans in the Mito school and many branches that are their own subschool of very distinct work. I have one signed piece that I would stack up next to any Yoshioka, Ishiguro, or even later mainline Goto work in terms of quality of shakudo and workmanship.

 

Mito Shoami term is used a bit more negative zone in the Venn Diagram of Mito, and can often be dismissed as such due to cheap gold/silver gild over copper insert, usually in a very mediocre iron plate. It is like saying Kyoto work vs Kyo Kanegushi (thought I confess I really like some of the Kyo kanegushi stuff). Your tsuba feels more on the Mito side of the pool, though shinsa brains might still chalk it up to Aizu Shoami. Sometimes they can be knee jerk reflex based on design, and these things can't tell us the true answer.

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We can't know for sure. I recently saw a signed an papered Omori f/k that I would never have guessed was Omori work were it not for the signature. I would have sworn it was Goto or Kaga Goto.