Category: Tsuba

Kamiyoshi tsuba with cherry blossom and warabite design, forged from fantastic iron.

A very similar tsuba of the first generation Kamiyoshi is published in Ito Mitsuro’s book “Works of Hayashi & Kamiyoshi” No. 176, but has a few less details than the work shown here. This tsuba was probably made by the second generation Kamiyoshi Fukanobu.
It already has an NBTHK Hozon paper and comes in a high quality custom made box.

This tsuba comes from the collection of the famous kodogu collector Kokobu Kenichi and is attributed to Echizen Akao. The design shows the crescent moon with stars and a flying bird, probably a swallow, while everything is surrounded by clouds. The design looks surprisingly modern with the curved lines as clouds, while the moon forms the hitsuana.

Carved on the iron base we see a rain shower (shigure) and a peony, with the flower of the peony inlaid in shakudo. The tsuba is signed Sadao and on the ura side we find his kao very cleanly and finely carved. Since Sadao was a student of Kano Natsuo, we can clearly see the influence of his master, as the entire tsuba is reminiscent of a Natsuo design.

This tsuba was published in the NBTHK monthly magazine Token Bijutsu (Feb. 2007) and also in the series “Tosogu Classroom” by Fukushi Shigeo, which I will quote as follows:

Ajiro-mon no zu tsuba – Bamboo wickerwork

mei: Odawara-ju Masatsugu saku
tatemaru-gata, shakudo, sukesagebori, golden nawame-fukurin, two hitsu-ana

This tsuba is rather unusual, isn’t it. I think it depicts a kind of ajiro bamboo wickerwork. The design is quite elaborate and must have been time consuming to make. The raw material is shakudo and the pattern was worked out in sukisage-sukidashibori. The rim is trimmed with a golden nawame-fukurin and because of the smallish signature I think we have here again a later work of Masatugu.

Please compare this tsuba with this ajiro-mon tsuba.

An old and strong tsuba from the Owari province. Due to the symmetry and the two identical hitsu-ana, as well as the age indication from probably the Momoyama period, it is an absolute reference piece. The motif in the silhouette shows hugging Japanese ginger and folding fans: “Daki-myoga and Sensu“
This tsuba is from the collection of the famous tosogu collector Kokobu Kenichi.

Sukashi tsuba with the famous “Musashino” motif. A great battle was fought in the fields of Musashino (near Tokyo). Typically, this design only shows some blades of grass with raindrops or morning dew, suggesting the aftermath of the great battle. In some more rustic or aggressive designs, even bones or skulls are shown.

On this Edo period tsuba, we also find drops of water on the grass and in addition, karigane flying over the field. A very nice interpretation of Musashino.

Exceptionally, very well and detailed cut Sendai tsuba in sukidashi-bori technique with ajiro pattern.
The shape of the tsuba is oval (naga maru gata) and it’s made from a very dark and heavy shakudo.
It has two hitsu-ana, the hitsu for the kozuka is sealed with shakudo that was given a beautifully chiseled surface.
The fukurin is plated with gold, this contrast gives the tsuba a very attractive aesthetic.
The fact that the tsuba is unsigned, despite its elaborate and high quality, which certainly required a lot of time and work, suggests that it was made for a samurai of higher rank.
The condition is breathtaking and to keep it in this pristine state the tsuba comes in a custom made box with raised base at the seppadai.

Please compare this tsuba with this ajiro-mon tsuba.

Iron sukashi tsuba from the famous Akasaka group with the design of a bell cricket.

Very well cut Nanban tsuba with the motif of a – perhaps Portuguese – galleon.
Please compare this tsuba to the very similar tsuba shown in the book “Nanban tsuba” by Shigeta Yoshimura.