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(鍔ギャラリー④) Tsuba Gallery #4

Kanayama Tsuba (金山鐔)

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Japanese Title: ??

Material: Iron (tetsu 鉄)

Age: Late Muromachi to Momoyama Period (室町時代後期～桃山時代)

Size: 7.7 cm X 7.7 cm, 5.4 mm at rim.

Signature:  Mumei (無銘)   

Shape:  Maru-gata (丸形)

Surface Finish: Yakite shitate (焼手仕立)

Attachment: None

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This is a handguard (tsuba 鐔) made of forged iron (tetsu 鉄). It was made to be mounted on a long sword (katana 刀). The positive openwork (ji-sukashi 地透) design is that of stacked sweet rice cakes (suhama州浜) in a stylized profile as seen on displays associated with the New Year's celebration. Another term for this is (kagami mochi 鏡餅), or mirror rice cake. On either side of the large rice cakes stacks are individual rice cakes making for a very well-balanced overall design.

The tsuba rim is rounded-square (kaku-mimi koniku 角耳小肉) a common shape characteristic of many iron tsuba from Owari Province. Many large iron bones (tekkotsu 鉄骨) are present along the rim as well as the surface of the tsuba indicating its great age. The interesting surface features I think are the result of additional heat treatment applied to the plate (yakite shitate 焼手仕立).

Comparing the quality and characteristics of the iron of this tsuba with others I have seen I think this is an early Kanayama (金山) tsuba made in Owari Province (尾張國) around the time of the late Muromachi Period to Momoyama Period circa 1550-1600 CE.

 

References:

  1. Kagami mochi - Wikipedia.

  2. Tosogu Classroom: Volume 1 by Fukushi Shigeo, translated by Markus Sesko, ©2016 JSS/US, NBTHK-AB, NBTHK-EB, pages 184-194.

 

Provenance: Charlie Foos Collection

Kōdai Hōan Tsuba (後代法安鐔)

 

Japanese Title: 藤紋図鍔 (Fuji mon no zu tsuba)

Material: Iron (tetsu 鉄)

Age: Middle Edo Period (江戸時代中期)

Size: 7.5 cm X 7.3 cm, 4.0 mm at rim

Signature: mumei (無銘)

Shape: Maru-gata (丸形)

Surface Finish: Migaki-ji (磨地)

Attachment: NBTHK Hozon Paper

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This sword guard (tsuba 鐔) is the work of later generation (kōdai 後代) of the Hōan (法安) School during the middle Edo Period. The tsuba is likely the work of the 5th or the 6th generation Hōan who officially worked from 1731 until around 1799 as a tsuba maker for the Asano Family (淺野氏) that ruled Hiroshima Domain (Hiroshima-han 広島藩) in Aki Province (安芸國). The bold and noble design on the front and back of the tsuba is a family crest (kamon 家紋) consisting of stylized hanging wisteria flowers and leaves (fuji-mon 藤紋).
This tsuba would have been mounted and used by a retainer serving a lord that used this family crest. This specific family crest design was in use by the court nobles (kuge 公家) of the Fujiwara (藤原) family as well as the Itō (伊藤) family who were mid-level feudal lords (daimyō 大名) during the Edo Period and were an early branch of the Fujiwara family descended from Fujiwara no Korekimi (藤原是公). A later 12th century southern branch of the Fujiwara family also used the name Itō that descended from the court noble Fujiwara no Sukechika.
The design is raised above the surface of the plate using a heat and acid based etching method called (yakite-kusarakashi 焼手腐し) this method of carving was often used by the early generations Hōan School and was successfully transmitted to and utilized by later generations. The design is also then highlighted nicely among the dark blackish patina of the iron using a silver fabric inlay technique (gin nunome zō 銀布目象). Starting with the third generation Hōan master the use of these type of inlays of gold and silver became more and more common on their tsuba made of iron. The edge of the tsuba displays a roundish square rim (kaku mimi ko-niku 角耳小肉) characteristic of tsuba made by this School who has its origin in Owari Province (尾張國).
The appraisal paper (hozon tōsōgu kanteisho 保存刀装具鑑定書) by the (Nihon Bijutsu Hozon Kyokai 日本美術刀剣保存協會) (NBTHK), Society of the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword, designating it to be of good quality, authentic, and worthy of historical preservation. The paper was issued on January 16, 2015. The attribution as discussed above is to a nonspecific later generation of the Hōan School of Aki Province.

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Provenience: Curran Campbell Collection

Kōdai Jingo Tsuba (後代甚吾鐔) 

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Japanese Title: 雁図鐔 (kari no zu tsuba)

Material: Iron (Tetsu 鉄) 

Age: Late Edo Period (江戸時代後期)

Size:  7.0 cm X 7.6 cm, 2.0 mm at rim, 4.0 mm at seppa-dai.

Signature: Mumei (無銘), Tagane-mei (鏨銘)

Shape: Nagamaru-gata (長丸形)

Surface Finish: Tsuchime-ji (槌目地) 

Attachment: None
 

This handguard (tsuba 鐔) is made of forged iron (tetsu 鉄). It was likely mounted and use on a long sword (katana 刀). The design is of wild geese flying over a glove of bamboo and tall grass with mountains in the background. The design is of wild geese (kari 雁) flying is continued on the reverse side of the tsuba, but a stream is included near the bamboo.
The whole decorative design is done using two different carving techniques. The method mostly used for the wild geese, bamboo, grass leaves are all done a dug away style of carving technique (sukidashibori 鋤出彫). The mountain on the from and the stream on backside of the tsuba is carved using a line carving technique (kebori 毛彫). The wild geese and bamboo on both sides of the tsuba are highlighted boldly with sliver fabric style inlays (gin nunome-zōgan 銀布目象厳).
The special style of raised rim is wheel in shape (kan-mimi 環耳) and this specific shape is characteristic of the Jingo (甚吾) School. While the tsuba is unsigned (mumei 無銘) the circular chiseling around the ends of the central opening for the sword tang (nakago hitsu-ana 中心櫃穴) is characteristic of the 5th generation Shimizu (志水) Shigenaga (茂永). This type of deliberate chiseling is an secretive signature done by chiseling (tagane-mei 鏨銘). Works by the 5th generation Shimizu master and his many students are all considered later generation (kōdai 後代) works of the Jingo School.
  

 

Provenance: Charlie Foos Collection 

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