Inscriptions on Edo tsuba

[Remka]

Hello,

Could you help me translate the inscriptions on this Edo period tsuba (I think) please?
Would you also have an idea of its value?

Best regards.

[GHP]

What I can read:
*州住 村*
*shū- jū Mura*


After searching using those kanji I found:

Looks like the same tsuba.
武州住 村茂
Bushū- jū Murashige


As to value. Opening bid was ¥1,000 and it sold for ¥5,250 on 4 March 2019.


--Guy

[nickn]

Same design different tsuba
The Mei looks part of the casting??

[zachb]

Same design different tsuba
The Mei looks part of the casting??

Hard to say as it looks (to my untrained eye) like someone has been after the posted tsuba with steel wool and a file.

[Beater]

Bushu school

Rather than repeat, there's a fairly good article here on Bushu (sometimes called Bushu Ito) school tsuba. They worked mostly in iron and were prolific in the Edo period. High quality work from the Chosu branch of the school can be quite masterful.

http://www.shibuiswords.com/bushu-choshuSchools.htm

I'm not sure if this tsuba is a cast copy, which might account for the lack of sharp detail and obscured mei, or if simply over cleaned? It is rather crude but that is / was reflected in the price it realised.

Couple of my Bushu guards...you’ll note most Bushu guards mei begins with “Masa”.
https://i.ibb.co/PcDZ05n/image.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/3sLD0rK/image.jpg

[nickn]

Not that it matters but I don’t think the auctioned tsuba is this one compare the details

[GHP]

Not that it matters but I don’t think the auctioned tsuba is this one compare the details

Which details?? .... I just compared both again and they look the same to me ... right down to the "golden eye" of the bottom horse and the "rusty eye" of the top horse. And the nakago ana looks the same on both tsuba .... as if they fit the same sword.

Also, there is a scuff mark on both tsuba between 村#茂


[note: To make the comparison easier, I cropped, rotated & lightened the image, and whited-out the hitsu-ana and nakago-ana the auction tsuba]


--Guy

[nickn]

Thanks
My eyes are still seeing differences !
Looks like it’s been cleaned ?
Did it really sell for under £30?

[GHP]

Thanks
My eyes are still seeing differences !
Looks like it’s been cleaned ?
Did it really sell for under £30?

Probably differences are due to slight angle difference and shading? If they are two different tsuba .... and *if* original to the Edo period, could they have been wax cast and highlighted before the metal was poured? I don't know what they did back then.



The web site shows it hammering down at less than £30 -- but perhaps there was a reserve and no one met the reserve? It closed out with the highest bid at that ¥5k price.


Cheers,
--Guy

[GHP]

...Couple of my Bushu guards...you’ll note most Bushu guards mei begins with “Masa”.
https://i.ibb.co/PcDZ05n/image.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/3sLD0rK/image.jpg

I really like the bamboo motif tsuba.


The Chinese glaive is nice, too. I just found out it is called 偃月刀 Guan-dao, named after the general Guan-yu who devised it.


-Guy

[Beater]

I really like the bamboo motif tsuba.


The Chinese glaive is nice, too. I just found out it is called 偃月刀 Guan-dao, named after the general Guan-yu who devised it.


-Guy

Thank you Guy. Always appreciate a bit of new information.
You'd be surprised how many people look at that tsuba and don't work out that it is pole arm as it is presented as a circle.
Is that Chinese General the same man featured on the fuchi-kashira of my tanto? I think he was identified as Kuan (sounds like Guan?)


<a href="https://ibb.co/dBzL4Xr"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/wyxwh8R/image.jpg" alt="image" border="0"></a>

[GHP]

...
Is that Chinese General the same man featured on the fuchi-kashira of my tanto? I think he was identified as Kuan (sounds like Guan?)

Yes! Look closely and you'll see he's holding a glaive. I think he's the only "ancient" who is depicted with a glaive.


--Guy