Soshin Posted March 7, 2012 Report Posted March 7, 2012 Hi Everyone, Here is a really old tsuba I would like to post about new to my collection. :D It is a Onin tsuba with abstract ko-sukashi elements in four directions of the tsuba. About 2/3 of the brass ten-zogan is still present and almost all of the black lacquer. The measurements of the tsuba are 7.8 X 7.6 the thickness at the rim is 2.5 mm. The thin rim display nice linear tekkotsu. Based upon the color of the brass inlays, use of black lacquer, and abstract sukashi design I would date it's age from the middle to late Muromachi Period. Any suggestions about the ko-sukashi design would be helpful. Before coming to a US collection over 30 years ago it was mounted on a civilian Japanese sword during World War II and was located by the US collector in Malaysia during the 1970s. The Japanese sword was a complete loss but this tsuba remained likely due to the black lacquer was able to be restored. I have a new camera and will post better photos of it over the weekend. Comments, questions, and answers are welcome. Yours truly, David Stiles Quote
John A Stuart Posted March 7, 2012 Report Posted March 7, 2012 Are those sukashi not the classical representation of myoga (ginger)? John Quote
christianmalterre Posted March 7, 2012 Report Posted March 7, 2012 Hoh! i really do not know John,but i think you are right here...this may fitt... Looks to be an lovely little new addition to your´s collection David. (i don´t recall the name of it-but there´s an book spreading out there,dealing with such Tsuba/Generally something Titeled like "Tsuba with Zogan"/You may have an look for it-it´s not expensive,very well made,plenty of very excellent colour photograps... there´s this very one stylism you have here,equally depicted.) Very nice David! Like it very much-good found! Christian Quote
Soshin Posted March 9, 2012 Author Report Posted March 9, 2012 Hi Everyone, John and Christian, I think you are right the ko-sukashi are stylized myoga (Japanese ginger). The whole design might be referred to as shiho (no) myoga (四万茗荷) in Japanese as the myoga are at the four directions. I have a NBTHK papered Owari tsuba with that type of four direction design on it. Here is some better photos of the tsuba both the omote and ura side. The brass sen-zogan is only around the four ko-sukashi which I like. The five rows of brass ten-zogan on the surface reminds me of this tsuba from the Yamabushi website: http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/BM%20Onin%20Tenzogan%20Tsuba.htm. It has a total of four rows of brass ten-zogan while mine has five rows. It like mine has sen-zogan around the ko-sukashi. Comparing my tsuba to the Yamabushi example the back lacquered iron is almost identical in color and texture. Yours truly, David Stiles Quote
christianmalterre Posted March 9, 2012 Report Posted March 9, 2012 David, do you have that article relating to Onin-Tsuba written by John Berta(under "guidance" of Bob Haynes)? If not,let me know... Chris Quote
Soshin Posted March 9, 2012 Author Report Posted March 9, 2012 Hi Christian, No I don't have a copy of that article. Post a copy or a link as I think other people might find it interesting. Thank you. Yours truly, David Stiles Quote
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