TSU-0282: Ko-kinko yamagane tsuba with waves and rabbit motif.
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Ko-kinko ymagane cast tsuba of oval form with chiseled diaper pattern of double head waves on both sides and a rabbit cast and carved with its eye inlaid in yellow metal (gold or brass) on the face. Fukurin which holds together the sandwiched layers of metal (sanmai) is about 2.7 mm wide. Possibly, early Mino (ko-Mino) school. Size: 66.6 x 59.9 x 4.0 mm. Some connoisseurs believe that this kind of tsuba was in mass production at the time. Small animal believed to be a fox, however some attribute it to a long-tailed rabbit or a squirrel. I am leaning towards the rabbit. Similar example is found at Robert E. Haynes Catalog №3, April 9-11, 1982 on page 11, under № 15: “Rare design in style of Sanmai (three layers) / Wasei work. With yamagane core and heavy rim cover. The web plates are carved with double head Goto style waves and the face has a fox. The web plates were riveted at the seppadai. See Lot 4, page 8. Ca. 1350. Ht. 6.6 cm, th. 3 mm” [underscore mine]. Quality of photo is so poor that I decided not to provide it here. The only difference betwen my tsuba and his is that his has a square hole on the right shoulder of the seppa-dai. Early Muromachi (if we follow Robert it is even Nanbokucho, 1337-1392) or Momoyama period. The Momoyama attribution is mostly based on a fact that “waves and rabbit” motif became most popular in Momoyama times. Mokkōgata tsuba of similar design in this collection - see TSU-0282. -
Iron tsuba of otafuku-gata form decorated on the face with death and autumn motifs: autumnal grasses and flowers in yellow brass and shakudō, skull, limb bone and sternum inlaid in shakudō. On the reverse the plate is inlaid in red copper with a chrysanthemum and maple leaves floating in stylized water streams. "Plants floating atop water form common motifs, as occurs with chrysanthemums, maple leaves, and cherry blossoms, in particular." [Merrily Baird]. Such plants may be used as a family crest (mon), or may be just a reminder of a floating nature of life. Momoyama period, late 15th century. Dimensions: 75.3 x 69.9 x 4.3 mm. -
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 8-lobed form pierced with six openings (sukashi) and decorated with design of bamboo and arabesque in flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan). Two of the openings serve as hitsu-ana. The design on the face represents bamboo trunks and leaves, clouds, waves, and vines; on the back - vines and leaves, that forms an arabesque (karakusa) motif. Rounded square rim. 'Silver' patina. Hitsu-ana with copper sekigane. Heianjō (most probable) or Kaga-Yoshirō school. Late Muromachi or Momoyama period; 16th century. Size: Height: 74.6 mm; Width: 69.5 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 4.2 mm. Weight: 113.9 g. Provenance: Gary D. Murtha. This tsuba is illustrated at: Japanese sword guards. Onin - Heianjo - Yoshiro by Gary D. Murtha [GDM Publications, 2016, p. 48]: "Iron, 80x75x3 mm tsuba with brass karakusa vines and leaves on one side with bamboo, leaves, and clouds on the reverse. This tsuba is one of those pieces that might be classified as Onin or Heianjo work, but the flush inlay tips it to the Heianjo side. Late Muromachi period." I would like to add that it easily may also be classified as Kaga-Yoshirō. Robert Haynes in Study Collection.., page 32, illustrates a look-a-like example, and writes: "This style of inlay, where the designs on the face and the back are very different, was common to the work of artists in Kyoto in the Momoyama period." -
Iron tsuba of 14-petal chrysanthemoid form (kikka-gata) with alternating solid and openwork petals, the latter outlined with brass wire (sen-zōgan) and the former decorated with brass dots (ten-zōgan), on both sides. Seppa-dai is outlined with brass wire. Small hitsu-ana probably cut later. Late Muromachi period (Ca. 1514-1573). Ōnin school. Unsigned. Dimensions: 87.0 x 87.8 x 3.2 mm. Similar tsuba in this collection: TSU-0420.2022
Other similar specimens can be found at:
Henri L. Joly and Kumasaku Tomita, Japanese art and handicraft, "Swords and sword fittings" section, sub-section “Inlays of Ōnin, Kyoto, Fushimi-Yoshiro, and Kaga Province”, Plate CX, #128: Iron, chrysanthemoid, thin guard with alternate petals covered with brass spots. Ōnin style. 16th century.
Compton Collection, Part I, #7: The iron plate is of flowerhead shape with each of the fourteen petals alternating between solid and openwork. The apertures are outlined in inlaid brass as is the seppa-dai and hitsu-ana. The remainder of the plate is similarly inlaid with plum flowers, birds, dots of dew, Genji mon and sambiki mon. 87 mm x 85 mm x 3.5 mm.
Japanese art and handicraft, Plate CX, #128.
And at Jim Gilbert website: Onin ten zogan tsuba, mid Muromachi. Size: 7.7 cm T x 7.6 cm W x 0.3 cm. Iron plate with brass inlay. Kiku gata. The Ōnin ten zogan style is characterized by the decoration of small brass “nail heads” and wires on a thin iron plate. The iron often has a soft, granular texture and seems to be prone to rust. Unfortunately, this rust will undermine the brass inlay and result in the loss of some of the inlay. This example is in reasonably good but far from perfect condition. As is often the case, the backside is better preserved, with the wire around the seppa-dai and kozuka-ana, and all petals still intact.
Compton Collection, Part I, #7.
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Round iron plate of grey colour decorated in low relief (sukidashi-bori) on the face with sea waves (both layered waves, seigaiha, and rough waves, araumi), sago palm (cycas revoluta, sotetsu), presumably orchid leaves (ran) - five of them - hanging from the above, and reeds (ashi), and on the back with waves (seigaiha only), rocks, chrysanthemums (kiku), clove (chori), reed, and presumably orchid leaves - three of them - hanging from the above. The kozuka-hitsu-ana was probably cut later. The plate is lacking the raised rim, typical for the kamakura-bori school. Muromachi period. Dimensions: Height: 76.8 mm, width: 76.1 mm, Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.3 mm, at rim 2.0 mm. Height of nakago-ana: 29 mm. Weight: 82.4 g. NBTHK certificate № 402152: Hozon - "Worthy of preservation". A similar (most probably the same) tsuba is illustrated and described at Butterfield & Butterfield. IMPORTANT JAPANESE SWORDS, SWORD FITTINGS AND ARMOR. Auction Monday, November 19th, 1979. Sale # 3063 under lot № 66. It describes the piece as following: “Kamakura bori work of the Muromachi period. Round thin plate with some small iron bones in the edge. Carved with design of plants (sego palm) rocks, and waves on the face. The back has half of two chrysanthemums, waves, clove, and sego palm leaves. The kozuka-hitsu has been added and later enlarged. A good typical example without the rim most have. Diameter: 7.7 cm., thickness 2.5 mm. Estimated price $100-200":
Butterfield & Butterfield, 1979. Sale # 3063, lot № 66.
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Underglaze cobalt blue and white Zhangzhou (Swatow) porcelain plate decorated vigorously and spontaneously with a bird in the landscape, and flowers in oval cartouches among waves or fish scale diaper. Sand particles on the base. Ming Dynasty [大明] (1368 – 1644); Wanli Era (1572 – 1620); Late 16th – Early 17th century. Diameter: 28.2 cm; Height: 4.0 cm -
Iron tsuba of round form with design of rudder, paddle, and stars in small openwork (ko-sukshi) outlined with brass wire, and further decorated with inlay of five concentric rows of brass dots or nail heads (ten-zōgan) and circular brass wire inlaid inside the innermost row of dots. Two lower round openings may also serve as udenuki-ana. Copper sekigane. Unsigned. Late Muromachi or Momoyama period, 16th century. Diameter: 90.4 x 89.8 x 2.8 mm. -
Iron tsuba of oval form with the motif of horse trappings in openwork (sukashi). Copper sekigane. Iron bones (tekkotsu) on the rim.Size: 80.4 x 75.8 x 5.2 mm
NBTHK Certificate №454567, allegedly saying that it is Akasaka School, Muromachi period. A look-a-like tsuba in Robert. E. Haynes Catalog #7, 1983 on page 57 under №48 is described as follows: "A masterpiece second period Owari sukashi tsuba. The plate is of beautiful color and quality almost like velvet. The design is very hard to discern, it might be the horse trappings, or even a moon. The style and type of Owari tsuba shows the great tradition of the Momoyama period and why it was the renaissance in time, as well as the arts produced, through the long history of all Japanese art. Ca. 1580. Ht. 7.7 cm, Th. (center) 5.5 mm, (edge) 5.25 to 5.75 mm."I believe we can safely attribute this tsuba to Owari School, c. 1580.
Robert. E. Haynes Catalog #7, 1983, p. 57, №48.
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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 with two ebi (lobster) on omote (obverse side) and shika (deer) among scattered momiji (maple leaves) on ura (reverse side) motif in brass takabori (high relief) suemon-zōgan. Traces of lacquer. Unsigned. Late Muromachi / Momoyama period (late 16th / Early 17th century). Dimensions: 69.0.6 mm (H) x 69.6 mm (W) x 3.4 mm (T, seppa-dai). Weight: 92.6 g. Illustrated at: The Lundgren Collection of Japanese Swords, Sword Fittings and A Group of Miochin School Metalwork. Christie's Auction: Tuesday, 18 November 1997, London. Sales "GOTO-5881". Christie's, 1997. - #2 at page 7. Provenance: The second John Harding; The Lundgren Collection. Description at Christie's: "The iron plate depicting two lobsters in takabory and brass takazogan, the reverse similarly decorated with deer among scattered maple leaves, square mimi, late Muromachi / early Momoyama period (late 16th/early 17th century) Diameter 68 mm, mimi thickness 4 mm. Provenance: The second John Harding." Also at: JAPANESE SWORD-FITTINGS & METALWORK IN THE LUNDGREN COLLECTION. Published by Otsuka Kogeisha, Tokyo 1992. № 134. Description on page 173: Sword guard with design of shrimps in inlay (scarlet [sic] maple leaves and deer on the reverse side). Unsigned. Heianjō inlay school. Vertical 6.85 cm, horizontal 6.90 cm, Th. of rim 0.40 cm. Iron. Taka-bori relief and brass inlay. Momoyama period, 16th - 17th century. According to Merrily Baird, maple leaves, especially if paired with the deer, allude to autumnal tradition of Japanese aristocracy of viewing the seasonal changes of color in the Nara area. The lobster is typical Japanese ebi, - it lacks prominent claws, and has a spiny shell. As a symbol of longevity and good fortune, lobster is a staple of New Year's decoration. -
Iron tsuba of square with cut-off edges form (sumi-iri-kakugata) with lattice design in openwork (sukashi) and solid center. Hitsu-ana plugged with lead.
Unsigned. Late Muromachi period, ca. 16th century.
Size: 81.3 x 80.0 x 3.6 mm References: 1) Tsuba Kanshoki. Kazutaro Torogoye, 1975, p. 95, lower image. It's also called Kyō shōami. 2) KTK-11: Koshi motif, Late Muromachi (16th c.) -
Iron tsuba of half round and half lobed (chrysanthemoid) form decorated with plants and family crests (mon) in cast brass inlay (suemon-zōgan), and scattered brass dots inlay (ten-zōgan); brass wire inlay outlining the rim, seppa-dai, and hitsu-ana (scalloped wire) on both sides. Surface treated with hummer punch marks. The chrysanthemoid half of the plate chiseled with thin shallow grooves, outlining the petals. Copper sekigane. On the face the inlay represents: mandarin orange (tachibana), half karahana, encircled bellflower, and four encircled three-stipe family crest (mitsubiki-mon of Sakuma and Abe clans, and some others). On the reverse the design is similar but two of the mitsubiki-mon symbols replaced with two comb-shaped Genji-mon ideographs. Ōnin school. The end of mid-Muromachi period, beginning of the 16th century. Size: 74.3 x 72.7 x 2.4 mm. -
Iron tsuba of quatrefoil form (mokka-gata) adorned with the design of stars, wild geese, blossoms, leaves and tendrils realized in the brass inlay. The inlay technique includes suemon-zōgan and ten-zōgan. A smaller opening (kozuka hitsu-ana) surrounded by a scalloped brass border. The seppa-dai bordered with linear inlay. A few dots of inlay on both sides are missing. Measurements: height 71 mm, width 70 mm, thickness at centre 2.7 cm Time: Late Muromachi (1514 – 1573) -
Iron tsuba of slightly elongated round form decorated with design of melon flowers, vines, and leaves in brass flat inlay (hira-zōgan) on both sides. Slightly raised rim (mimi) carved in a way to simulate ring-shaped covering (fukurin). Kozuka hitsu-ana and kogai hitsu-ana both plugged with soft metal (tim or lead). Copper sekigane. Heianjō or Kaga School. Muromachi or Momoyama period, 16th century. Iron, hira-zōgan brass inlay. Round (maru gata) form, diameter 79 mm. Size: 80.3 x 78.4 mm; thickness at seppa-dai: 3.4 mm; at the middle: 3.8 mm; before the rim: 2.4 mm, rim: 2.8 mm. Note on design: though this design resembles family crests with oak and mulberry leaves, I believe it's a melon flower [see Jeanne Allen. Designer's guide to Samurai Patterns. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1990, page 114, №130 "Melon Flowers":Note about the distribution of thickness (niku-oki): "this tsuba has toroid features, niku raises from the rim towards the centre but thins once more out when approaching the seppa-dai" [M. Sesko, "Handbook...", p. 48].
Jeanne Allen. Designer's guide to Samurai Patterns. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1990. Page 114, №130.
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Iron tsuba of round form decorated with a design of bracken scrolls and paulownia leaves and blossoms (kiri-mon) in openwork (sukashi). Details carved in kebori. Squared rim with iron bones (tekkotsu). Hitsu-ana plugged with shakudō.
Size: 83.6 x 82.9 x 5.4 (center), 5.1 (rim) mm.
Unsigned.
Muromachi period, ca. 16th century.
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A ko-tosho tsuba made of iron, of the round form (丸型, maru-gata), pierced in negative silhouette (文透, mon-sukashi) with the design of Shingon Buddhism symbols of vajra [金剛杵] (kongosho), Sun, Moon and Star [月日星] (tsuki-hi-hoshi) – three sources of light [三光] (sankō). Round rim. No hitsu-ana; the shape of nakago-ana may suggest use on naginata [薙刀. Muromachi period (1393 – 1573). Height: 94.4 mm, Width: 93.4 mm, Centre thickness: 3.1 mm. Another possible explanation for "The element at the 11-o’clock position is in my opinion a kemari ball for the courtly game of the same name (picture attached)" [Markus Sesko].
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi [月岡 芳年] (Japan, 1839 – 1892): Tokugawa Yoshimune [徳川 吉宗] (1684 – 1751) playing kemari [蹴鞠]
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Six-lobed iron tsuba in a form of three ginkgo tree leaves (icho), separated with three small triangular openings (ko-sukashi). Leaves have raised rim and decorated with various family crests (mon) in low relief carving (sukidashi-bori). On obverse: bamboo stems and leaves, knotted geese, paulownia (kiri), plum blossom (ume), and ivy. On reverse: pine needles and cone, maple leaf (kaede), bamboo, stylized plum blossom, and Genji-mon. Black patina. Kozuka hitsu-ana is original, with raised rim. Copper sekigane. Kamakura-bori school. Late Muromachi period (ca. 1550). Size: Height: 81.1 mm. Width: 90.0 mm. Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.3 mm. Weight: 120.4 g.
