Tsuba Collection (Tsuba shūsei, 鐔集成) by Nakamura Tessei (中村鐵青), p.36, fig. 12.
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NEWThin plate iron tsuba of round form with a military commander's fan (gunbai) design in openwork (sukashi); Ko-tosho school. Kamakura period (1185 – 1333), 13th to early 14th century (according to Nakamura Tessei). Dimensions: 91.2 x 89.5 mm, thickness: 1.5-2.5 mm. Provenance: Patrick Liebermann Collection. Reproduced in the exhibition catalogue Samurai. Guerriers et esthètes, BNU, Strasbourg, March 11 – July 13, 2022, №045, p.91 and in Patrick Liebermann, Tsuba. Itinéraires d'une collection, 2016, №72, p.111. Reference: a similar tsuba reproduced in LIB-3304.2024 (see below) and in this collection TSU-0332.2017 (provenance Sasano Masayuki). -
NEWLarge iron tsuba of mokko form with the openwork (sukashi) design, described by some as rotten leaves swirling in the wind and boar eyes (inome, 猪目, heart-shaped elements); round rim (maru-mimi); no hitsu-ana; pronounced iron bones (tekkotsu); chocolate patina.
Signed to the left of nakaga-ana: Yamakichibei (山吉兵へ). Attributed to the First Generation (Shodai) master.
Dimensions: 90 x 82 mm, thickness 3.7 mm at centre, 4.9 mm at rim. Weight: 142 gReferences: similar handguards demonstrated at Yasukazu's Owari to Mikawa no tankō №176 and Kajima's Tsuba no Bi №28.
Owari to Mikawa no tankō №176
Tsuba no Bi №28
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Rose quartz snuff bottle of rounded rectangular form on raised foot with round neck, carved in relief with a double dragon in a cartouche; round turquoise stopper with silver collar.The Eastern dragon is not the gruesome monster of medieval imagination, but the genius of strength and goodness. He is the spirit of change, therefore of life itself. Hidden in the caverns of inaccessible mountains, or coiled in the unfathomed depth of the sea, he awaits the time when he slowly rouses himself into activity. He unfolds himself in the storm clouds; he washes his mane in the blackness of the seething whirlpools. His claws are in the fork of the lightning, his scales begin to glisten in the bark of rain-swept pine trees. His voice is heard in the hurricane, which, scattering the withered leaves of the forest, a dragon quickens a new spring [C. A. S. Williams. Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs / 3rd Revised Edition. — Rutland, Vermont & Tokyo, Japan: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1993].
The Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Mid-19th century. Dimensions: H90 x W52 x D30 mm -
Agate snuff bottle of rounded rectangular form on raised foot with round neck, cream body with dark brown inclusion, carved in relief with a sage seated under a wooded rock, and a duck; round red agate stopper with brass collar. Late 18th or 19th century. The Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Dimensions: H72 x W48 x D28 mm -
Iron tsuba of round form with one hitsu ana; centre of the plate outlined with the inlaid circular brass wire broke by a circular opening 7 mm in diameter located between 4 and 5 o’clock of the plate and in its turn outlined with brass wire. Extraneous to the central wire, the plate is decorated with four rows of brass dots (ten-zogan). A few dots are missing. In a custom kiri wood box. The meaning of the emblem is probably either the sun or the moon.
Ōnin school. Unsigned.
Mid Muromachi period, middle of the 15th century.
Dimensions: diameter 88 mm; thickness 3.3 mm.
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Jadeite snuff bottle carved with shou character and foo dog handles, with a black collar and jadeite stopper carved with a blossom design. Late 19th century. Dimensions: H74 x W39 x D26 mm -
Snuff bottle made of smoky quartz with white skin carved with cats hunting butterflies design; cherry quartz stopper. Late 19th century. Dimensions: H70 x W36 x D17 mm -
Agate snuff bottle carved with a dragon in clouds design; tin-mounted lapis lazuli collar with red coral stopper. Late 19th century. Dimensions: H56 x W52 x D34 mm. -
Snuff bottle in the form of Fo (or Fu) dog (lion-dog) guarding a cub carved of tourmalinated quartz with lapis lazuli and serpentine stopper. Late 19th century. Dimensions: L81 x W59 x H19 mm. -
Large inside-painted glass snuff bottle with a mountain landscape design, signed and sealed Wu Chen Zuo, with a serpentine stopper. Mid-20th century. Dimensions: H105 x W61 x D27 mm. -
Snuff bottle made of rock crystal with brown skin carved with a sage and a deer under the peach tree on one side and a cuckoo on a plum tree on the other, with a chrysotile stopper and tin collar. Late 19th century. Dimensions: H68 x W40 x D21 mm. -
Cinnabar lacquer snuff bottle carved in low relief with a scholar under a pine tree and another under a maple, with lapis lazuli stopper and black collar. Early 20th century Dimansions: H77 x W36 x D19 mm. -
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Overlay of red glass on snowflake glass snuff bottle, carved in relief with seven children playing in a landscape with rocks and trees, with aventurine stopper and black collar. Late 19th century Dimensions: H72 x W56 x D30 mm -
Overlay of blue glass on snowflake glass snuff bottle, carved in relief with eight Buddhist treasures, with a pink glass stopper. Mid-20th century Dimensions: H66 x W50 x D25 mm -
Iron tsuba of round form decorated with eight roundels – circular emblems of flowers and/or family crests (mon) made of cast brass, pierced and chiselled in kebori, and with flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan) of vines or leaves all over the plate. Both hitsu-ana are trimmed with brass. Nakago-ana of trapezoidal form. A distinctive character of this tsuba is a mon at 12 hours, depicting paulownia, or Kiri-mon [桐紋] – a symbol of the Toyotomi clan, led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉, 1537 – 1598). Kiri-mon was also used as fuku-mon (alternative family crests) for the Imperial Family and Imperial Court. Another important emblem at 6 o’clock is the Katakura clan [片倉氏, Katakura-shi] family crest. Katakura Kagetsuna (片倉 景綱, 1557 – 1615), a retainer of Date Masamune (伊達 政宗, 1567 – 1636); Kagetsuna was operational in Hideyoshi’s Odawara campaign in 1590, which ultimately ended the unification of Japan. Unsigned but may be attributed to Koike Yoshirō Naomasa or his workshop (Yoshirō, orKaga-Yoshirō school). Dimensions: Diameter: 85.5 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 5.0 mm.
Kiri-mon
Katakura-mon
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Iron tsuba of almost round form with a brass outlined circular opening (sukashi) in the bottom adorned with the Myriad Treasures [takaramono, 宝物] and winter motifs inlaid in cast brass (suemon-zōgan); hitsu-ana possibly cut later, both plugged with shakudo, nakaga-ana fitted with copper sekigane. According to Merrily Baird*) (2001), the symbolism of Myriad Treasures “is associated with the Seven Gods of Good Luck, who carry them in a sack”. Among the treasures, which are said to ensure prosperity, long life, and general good fortunes, are (reading clockwise from the top):- Sake set [shuki, 酒器], namely flask, ladle, and cups
- Cloves [choji, 丁子]
- Purse of inexhaustible reaches [kinchaku, 巾着]
- Magic mallet [kozuchi, 小槌]
- Key to the storehouse of the Gods [kagi, 鍵]
- Rhombus, or Lozenge (hosho, 方勝), with the second ideograph meaning victory.
- Sacred (or wish-granting) gem, or jewel [hōju, 宝珠]
- Hats of invisibility [kakuregasa, 隠れ笠]
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The so-called Yoshirō-tsuba [与四郎鐔] with an iron plate of mokkō form densely decorated with floral arabesque and adorned with eight pierced, chiselled and inlaid brass roundels and signed on both sides 'Koike Yoshirō Izumi no Kami Naomasa'. Four of the roundels are pierced and have geometrical designs representing flowers (e.g. wood sorrel) or snowflakes. Four others are solid and represent family crests; on one side: Mulberry (kaji) – mon of the Matsunaga clan [松永氏], Bamboo Grass (sasa) – mon of the Takenaka clan [竹中氏]), Wild Geese (kari) – mon of the Shibata clan [新発田氏]), and Pine Needles (matsuba); on the other side: Nine Stars (kuyō) – the Hosokawa clan [細川氏], Paulownia (kiri) – the Toyotomi clan [豊臣氏]), Bamboo Leaves (take) – the Minamoto clan [源], and Seven Treasures (shippo) – Izumo Genji clan [出雲源氏]. Hitsu-ana obliterated with a nanako-treated pewter plug. Brass with rainbow patina. Artist: Koike Izumi no Kami Naomasa (Japanese, active late 16th – early 17th century). The Momoyama or early Edo period, end of the 16th to the first half of the 17th century (1574-1650). Size: 81.7 x 78.8 x 4.3 cm. Provenance: Dr. Kazutaro Torigoye. Special thanks to Markus Sesko for providing the translation of hakogaki. Hakokaki lid (outside): 小池与四郎 – Koike Yoshirō Hakokaki lid (inside): 銘曰小池与四郎 – Mei’etsu: Koike Yoshirō – Signed: Koike Yoshirō 和泉守直正 – Izumi no Kami Naomasa – Izumi no Kami Naomasa 木瓜形 鉄地 – Mokkōgata, tetsu-ji – Lobed shape, of iron 真鍮据紋象嵌 – Shinchū suemon-zōgan – with brass suemon-zōgan inlay 縦二寸七分横二寸六分 – Tate ni-sun shichi-bu, yoko ni-sun roku-bu – Height 8.2 cm, width 7.9 cm 右正真也 – Migi shōshin nari – Above described object is authentic 昭和廾九年八月十一日 – Shōwa nijūkyūnen hachigatsu jūichinichi – August 11, 1954 草堂「花押」– Sōdō + kaō – Sōdō [pen name of Torigoye Kazutarō, 鳥越一太郎] + monogram Ref.: (1) Tsuba Geijutsu-Ko by Kazutaro Torigoye, 1960; (2) Tsuba. An aesthetic study. By Kazutaro Torigoye and Robert E. Haynes from the Tsuba Geijutsu-kō of Kazataro Torigoye. Edited and published by Alan L. Harvie for the Nothern California Japanese Sword Club, 1994-1997, p. Yoshirō, 4. See also Yoshirō tsuba. -
Small iron tsuba for a dagger (tantō), of quatrefoil form (mokkō-gata), with raised rim (mimi), decorated with flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan) to form an abstract design alluding to the mushroom of immortality (reishi). Opening (hitsu-ana) to the left of nakaga-ana probably cut later and fitted with shakudo sekigane. Maker's signature on seppa-dai: Koike Naomasa (小池 直正).
Momoyama period: End of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century. Dimensions: Height 53.7 mm; Width: 45.5 mm; Thickness at centre: 3.5 mm; at rim: 4.9 mm. Other examples of signed Koike Naomasa work in this collection: TSU-0346. Reference: The closest example in literature is in Compton Collection (II): №11 with the description: “A Koike School tsuba, Edo period (circa 1625), signed Koike Yoshiro. Sheet-brass flush inlay of cloud forms and wire inlay creating the same shape. Koike Yoshiro Naomasa worked from the Keicho to the Genna periods (1596-1623). He arrived in Kyoto from Kaga.” [Japanese Swords and Sword Fittings from the Collection of Dr. Walter Ames Compton (Part II) / Sebastian Izzard, Yoshinori Munemura. — Christie's, New York, October 22, 1992]. See: Yoshirō tsuba.
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Iron tsuba of round form (maru-gata) with 8 openwork petals outlined with brass wire (sen-zōgan) and decorated with brass dots (ten-zōgan), on both sides. Seppa-dai and hitsu-ana outlined with brass wire. Late Muromachi period (Ca. 1514-1573). Ōnin school. Unsigned. Dimensions (mm): 80.4 x 79.8 x 3.6 (center) 3.2 (rim). Similar tsuba in this collection: TSU-0374.2018
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Iron tsuba of round form pierced (sukashi) in a chessboard fashion and decorated with linear (sen-zōgan) and cast (suemon-zōgan) brass inlay, including symbols of the swastika, flower-lozenge, maple leaf, pine needle, etc. on both sides; rim and openings outlined with brass inlay. Nakagō-ana plugged with copper fittings (sekigane).
Momoyama period. End of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century. Dimensions: Diameter: 75.5; Thickness: 4.5 mm. -
Iron tsuba of round form, tapering from centre to the rim, decorated with eight roundels – circular emblems of flowers and/or family crests (mon) made of cast brass, pierced and chiselled in kebori, and with flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan) of water plantain (omodaka) and seaweed all over the plate. Hitsu-ana outlined in brass. Four positive silhouette roundels are 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12 – pointing crests/flowers; four negative silhouette roundels – bellflower, cherry and plum blossoms. Yoshirō school (Kaga-Yoshirō). Unsigned. The Momoyama or early Edo period, end of the 16th to the first half of the 17th century (1574-1650). Size: H: 88.3 mm; W: 88.7 mm; Thickness 4.0 mm (Seppa-dai), 3,2 cm (rim). Other Kaga-Yoshiro tsuba in this collection: TSU-0334: 7.7 cm; TSU-0342.2017: 89.6 cm; TSU-0344: 8.1 cm; TSU-0329: 8.0 cm; TSU-0376.2018: 8.1 cm; TSU-0379.2018: 8.2 cm. We see that the usual size is about 8 cm; larger pieces, such as this one and TSU-0342.2017 dedicated to Hachiman, are rare. Article about Yoshiro tsuba. -
The thin iron plate of round form and black colour carved in sukidashi-bori with the design of rocks, waves, bridge, mountain pavilion and 5-storey pagoda under the moon, on both sides, alluding to Todai-ji temple in Nara. Slightly rounded rectangular hitsu-ana probably pierced later. Very narrow raised rim as usual in katsushi tsuba. In a modern wooden box.
Late Muromachi period, 16th century. Dimensions: 81.1 x 79.5 x 3. mm (seppa-dai), 2.2 mm (base plate), 4.4. (rim).Reference: “Art of the Samurai” on page 232, №140: ”Kamakura tsuba with Sangatsu-do tower and bridge. Muromachi period, 16th century. 83 mm x 80 mm. Unsigned. Tokyo National Museum. The mountain pavilion and bridge carved in sunken relief on the iron tsuba – both part of Tōdai-ji, a temple in Nara – are detailed in fine kebori (line) engraving. As a result of the chiselling used to create the relief, the ground of the piece is relatively thin”. Also page 41 in Tsuba Kanshoki. Kazutaro Torogoye, 1975 [LIB-1480.2018].
This tsuba is very much similar to TSU-0384. -
Footed round dish depicting a gentleman in an urban landscape holding a halberd in a style of "Arlecchino di Montelupo". Unsigned. Chips to the bottom. Diameter: 32.5 cm; Height: 4.5 cm. Produced in Italy, in Montelupo, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southwest of Florence. 17th century, probably the first half. "After 1630, the year of the great plague, the number of potters reduced considerably and in the second half of the 1600s production suffered a drastic slump, potteries that specialized in a more prestigious production disappeared completely leaving only the potteries that produced kitchenware and terracotta objects" [www.tuscany-charming.it]. -
Small amber-glazed marbled (Jiaotai) pottery tripod censer. Inside the glaze is monochrome because the clay itself is not marbled. Spur marks on the bottom. Small chip on a lip. China, Henan province, the Tang dynasty [唐朝] (618 – 907). Diameter: 6.3 cm; Height: 5.5 cm. -
Moulded and sculpted earthenware horse with dark-blue, cream-dappled body, green and cream saddle pad, amber and cream saddle, and amber harness details. H: 28 cm. -
Small stoneware cup with rounded sides raising from a short foot to an inverted rim; glazed inside with a cream and brown six-petal design on a green background with cream and brown stylized flowers. Amber glaze outside, blue bottom, foot unglazed. Dia: 10 cm; H: 4 cm. -
Small stoneware cup with rounded sides raising from a short foot to an inverted rim; glazed inside with a green and brown six-petal design on a blue background with creem dots. Amber glaze outside, blue bottom, foot unglazed. Dia: 10 cm; H: 4 cm. -
Footed conical bowl decorated with green and amber bleeding concentric circles on cream background inside and outside. Diameter: 13.5 cm, H: 6.2 cm; -
Footed conical bowl decorated with cream and brown splashes on green background inside, and cream and green splashes on the brown background outside. Diameter: 13.5 cm, H: 6.2 cm; -
Footed bowl with deep, rounded sides decorated with cream and green splashes on amber background, inside and outside. Diameter: 13 cm; H: 7 cm. -
Iron tsuba of round form decorated with a ladle, pestle, mortar, and rice sickle in positive silhouette openwork (nikubori-ji-sukashi). Slightly rounded rim with iron bones (tekkotsu). Seppa-dai plugged with copper fittings (sekigane). Silver patina. The design resembles mochi-making utensils; mochi (rice cake) symbolizes longevity. Kanayama school, c. 1590 (Momoyama period). Note: unusually large size for a Kanayama tsuba: diameter 79.5 mm, thickness at seppa-dai: 5.5 mm, at rim: 6.0 mm. Concerning the design: While the ladle and pestle are clear, the mortar (under the seppa-dai), and the sickle (to the left) require certain imagination. -
Underglaze cobalt blue and white porcelain plate decorated with a falcon on a pine tree and rough waves beneath; rim with a stylized wave design; seven spur marks on the reverse. Diameter: 31 cm; Height: 5 cm; Diameter of the foot: 18 cm. -
Round plate with a blue and white design of blossoming peony behind a fence with lattice and floral border; flowers to the bottom. Diameter: 33 cm, Haight: 4.5 cm. -
Round plate with a blue and white design of blossoming bamboo and chrysanthemums in the centre with a border of lattice and floral sprays. Diameter: 34 cm, Haight: 5.5 cm. -
Underglaze cobalt blue and white porcelain plate decorated with a bamboo border, key fret above the blue ring, and a bush of chrysanthemums in the centre. The bottom is decorated with stylized clouds and flowers, a border of lotus petals and signed with a general mark in the centre. Diameter: 29.5 cm; Height: 3.5 cm.
