A beautiful chinese tsuba

This morning while digging for pictures I found this:

http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/b00044.html

I am not sure if I get it right, but it seems that is made in China during the middle of the Edo Jidai.

It exhibits tiny MOP inlays (flowers and signature) and it's well crafted.

Any comment? Do you know the story behind this craftsman(s)?

Regards,

Lorenzo

Lorenzo, What appears to be M.O.P. is in fact slightly corroded silver (I assume it is the sulphide). I have noticed that when it does corrode, it seems to spread slightly onto the surrounding surface and gives a blurred look.

Ian Bottomley

Dear Ian,

Yes stupid me I mistook the signature with "pearl" in the description.. I really need more attention when I translate

Sorry for that.

I think the text mentions that it is made with imported steel and may have been crafted in China or by Qing dynasty artisans based in Nagasaki. The signature 珠貝 is Jyubui in Cantonese (Zhubei, Man.) and not really sensible in Japanese I think. Sukai?? Even for namban tsuba in general this is different isn't it? John

My Cantonese friend says the mei means 'jewelery' or 'pearl'.

Interesting that the sacred pearl does not in fact figure in the design. I also find it interesting that it may have originated in the Chinese enclave in Nagasaki. I have long suspected that this was the origin of sawasa products. The Dutch clearly state that sawasa items were obtained in Nagasaki, and the products were clearly modelled on European prototypes, yet the decorative themes are totally Chinese. These surely indicate there was intereaction between Dejima and the Chinese. It would seem that there may have been workshops within the Chinese compound that turned out these decorative items (although when you see maps of the place, and read how many Chinese there were in there, you can only suppose they slept stacked up 20 deep!).

Ian Bottomley

Ian et al,

The design, appearance looks Chinese, ... but you will note that the Dragon is of the THREE TOED Japanese variety. The Chinese, Korean, etc. all used FOUR or FIVE TOES in their depiction of Dragons. My opinion is it was made in Japan by Japanese craftsmen with the intent of having a Chinese flavour, ... or what they perceived Chinese, ... not a great deal different from the Namban Tsuba one sees as was the Japanese perception and flavour of Europe.

... Ron Watson

Can someone who read Japanese better than me check what the description exactly states please?

Thank you

There is no assurance as to where the namban tsuba 南蛮鐔 was made, it being indicated as Guangdong, Qing China or Hizen or Nagasaki 中国 広東省 または 肥前国長崎　（長崎県), in the Edo period. Described Hou Ryu Zu Phoenix Dragon drawing, 鳳龍図

It goes on to say there are three catagories of namban tsuba,

1) swords fitted with tsuba that were originally guards for Chinese swords, very rare.

2) tsuba imported or made by Qing artisans in Nagasaki, also a relatively small number

3) imitative style tsuba made by Japanese artisans.

It goes on to describe the carving in mundane terms, but, does not explain why the dragon has three toes. It would lead one to believe it was either made so for the Japanese market in China or in Nagasaki where the Japanese tastes were evident. John

Thank you for that John.

Ian B

Well, until corrections are made by our resident polyglot genii. John

I just want to add here that Quandong was probably the premier port for the export of Chinese goods made specifically for the Western markets and when one is to see these export goods it is very evident they are made to foreign tastes. Porcelain was particularly easy to spot and was in turn imitated by potters in Europe, ie. Delft ware, which was tin glazed to look like Chinese porcelain and painted in Chinese stylisation. Why? It was cheaper. Japan also had an export industry as we have seen in the VOC products made for the Western markets for example.