Tsuba: a bird on ume branch

[andreYes]

Please take a look on my new tsuba I just received.

I suppose that it could be a pre-Edo katchushi style tsuba with a design added later. The decoration looks like was made by a Nara school master. The dimensions are: 73x68mm, thickness of the mimi - 5 mm.

 

The bird is very small, and the fine details can be seen only with a good magnification (my camera has a pretty good macro )

 

Will be very grateful for any opinions and comments...

[Clive Sinclaire]

Andre

Isn't that a nice concept and design?, what a pity about the condition though. Do you think it refers to a Otoguisu (nightingale) in the plum verse, representing the 2nd lunar month? I think you may be correct that it is Nara work, but I doubt it is pre Edo.

Clive Sinclaire

[kusunokimasahige]

I think it is very nice looking and dont think the condition is that bad.

 

Can something be done about that red rust ?

 

KM

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

I would agree with Clive the plate condition isn't that good as there is what looks like red active rust. The date is also Edo Period as well. The detail of design is also good. Nara school masters generally signed their work so I don't think it was produced by one of them. With that said it might be a Nara school work. The is just my free opinion.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Mark Green]

I love that tsuba.

 

Simply elegant.

 

I'm sure you can help control the rust.

 

Mark G

[andreYes]

Thank you all for your comments!

 

The condition of iron is really not very good, there is some amount of red rust, but the patina seems to be undamaged. I think I can clean it, I have some experience

 

 

You're right, Clive, bird on ume branch brings association with otoguisu... But the bird itself seems to be very different. I looked over pictures of different common Japanese birds, and found that it looks very much like the Dusky Thrush:

[Toryu2020]

Hototogisu...

[Lindus]

I think it is very nice looking and dont think the condition is that bad.

 

Can something be done about that red rust ?

 

KM

 

Try a fiber glass pen,available from good art stores. it will work wonders as long as you avoid the soft metal.

Roy

[andreYes]

Try a fiber glass pen,available from good art stores. it will work wonders as long as you avoid the soft metal.

Roy

 

Roy, thank you!

Interesting idea, never heard about it. I should find and try this device.

Now I'm using ivory to remove rust.

[kbt]

You can also find those pens at an automotive paint store, they are often used to sand near emblems and such.

Kim Toth

[andreYes]

Finally I finished to clean this tsuba, I hope it looks a bit better now

 

I think it's Nara school (or at least Nara style). Any other ideas?

I'm still not sure about the age... Most probably it's Edo. Beginning? Middle?

 

Is it possible that it's a ko-katchushi plate, that was inlaid later?

[cspage]

Wow. I am totally impressed with the cleaning of this tsuba. This is a lovely tsuba.

 

Colin

[Soshin]

Wow. I am totally impressed with the cleaning of this tsuba. This is a lovely tsuba.

 

Colin

 

I agree with Colin nice cleaning the rust off of your tsuba. Nice tsuba.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[yogoro]

Hi , Andrey !

 

I have similar katchushi style tsuba , a bird design was made later and tsuba was signed by Ittokusai Hideyoshi ( student of Omori Teruhide , middle Edo )

Mikolaj

[andreYes]

Thank you

 

Mikolaj, thank you very much for the pictures! Very nice tsuba, and I like this theme!