The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba)
An unpublished catalogue of the A. H. Church collection of Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) by Albert James Koop.
The westerly province of Chōshū (Nagato) [Japanese text] was the home of eight or more important families engaged in making sword-furniture, of whom the parent was the Nakai [Japanese text] group, originally established in the neighbouring province of Suō. The indication “of Hagi” (Hagi no jū [Japanese text]), so frequently added to the signatures on Chōshū work, may not perhaps in all cases imply the artist’s actual residence at the Nagato capital.
The early work was influenced by Umetada Miōju (Group XI), who spent some time at the Suō capital, Yamaguchi, as well as by members of the Shōami group (XII); thus, examples by the Nakai often show incrustation of the softer metals on the iron ground. Chōshū guards are usually in iron of a rich black patina, with sharp, powerful and carefully modelled relief, either solid or perforated. There may be a sparing enrichment of gold, but this is unusual.
Nakai
The Nakai [Japanese text] school [see EAX.10401] was founded at Hagi by Nakai Nobutsune (about 1620), whose predecessors had worked at Yamaguchi.
Tsuba with peonies (EAX.10322)
Tsuba with leafy plants (EAX.10323)
Tsuba with bamboo (EAX.10324)
Round tsuba with grape vine and squirrel (EAX.10325)
Tsuba with New Year decorations and leaves (EAX.10326)
Tsuba with tree and hornet (EAX.10327)
Tsuba with clematis flowers (EAX.10328)
Tsuba with beetroot, turnip, and key pattern (EAX.10329)
Tsuba with bean vine and ladybird (EAX.10330)
Tsuba with heraldic cherry blossoms (EAX.10331)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with chrysanthemums (EAX.10332)
N.B. – All guards in this group, unless the contrary is stated, are in modelled openwork within narrow border. In transcribing the signatures, the frequently recurring phrase Chōshū Hagi no jū (“resident of Hagi in the province of Nagato”) is here contracted to CHNJ. In some cases the province-name is given in other forms, here transcribed in full.
Kaneko
The Kaneko [Japanese text] School was founded by Kaneko Yukishige about 1630.
Tsuba with peony plant and dewdrops (EAX.10333)
Tsuba with leaves (EAX.10334)
Tsuba with arrowhead leaves and flowers (EAX.10335)
Tsuba with arrowhead leaves and flowers (EAX.10336)
Tsuba with swastikas and amariō, or rain dragons (EAX.10337)
Nakahara
The Nakahara [Japanese text] School was founded by Nakahara Yukinao (about 1715), a pupil of Kaneko Yukinaka I.
Tsuba with pine cone, needles, and leaves (EAX.10338)
Tsuba with banana palm (EAX.10339)
Tsuba with tiger lily plant (EAX.10340)
Inouye
The Inouye [Japanese] School was founded by Inouye Kiyotaka (end of 18th century), a samurai in the service of the Chōshū daimio.
Tsuba with chrysantheumums (EAX.10341)
Tsuba with iris (EAX.10342)
Tsuba with peonies (EAX.10343)
Tsuba with a rat (EAX.10344)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with cherry blossom (EAX.10345)
Tsuba with Chinese-style landscape (EAX.10346)
Hachidō
The relationship of the Hachidō [Japanese text], or Yamichi, as they used wrongly to be called, is uncertain.
Tsuba with monkey and hawk (EAX.10347)
Tsuba with Chinese-style landscapes (EAX.10348)
Tsuba with Chinese-style landscapes (EAX.10349)
Tsuba with plum blossom (EAX.10350)
Round tsuba with mon crests of the Mayeda family (EAX.10351)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with plum flowers (EAX.10352)
Tsuba with fukiyose, or autumn debris (EAX.10353)
Tsuba with sea shells (EAX.10354)
Round tsuba with Cissus leaves (EAX.10355)
Tsuba with grape vine (EAX.10356)
Kawaji
The same may be said for the Kawaj [Japanese text]. Their designs are among the most easily distinguishable of all Chōshū guards.
Tsuba with maple leaves (EAX.10357)
Tsuba with morning glory on a bamboo framework (EAX.10358)
Tsuba with plum blossoms (EAX.10359)
Tsuba with plum blossom and narcissus flowers (EAX.10360)
Tsuba with plum blossom (EAX.10361)
Tsuba with plum blossom (EAX.10362)
Tsuba with chrysanthemum and an aster flower (EAX.10363)
Tsuba with plum blossom and narcissus flowers (EAX.10364)
Tsuba with peony sprays (EAX.10365)
Round tsuba with plum blossom and narcissus flowers (EAX.10366)
Tsuba with camellia flowers (EAX.10367)
Okada
The Okada [Japanese text] School was founded by Umetada Masatomo (about 1650), a pupil of Umetada Miōju.
Tsuba with characters and flowers (EAX.10368)
Tsuba with chrysanthemum leaves and scrolling stems (EAX.10369)
Tsuba with gourd vine (EAX.10370)
Tsuba with sow thistle (EAX.10371)
Okamoto
The Okamoto [Japanese text] School was founded by Okamoto Tomoharu about 1600.
Tsuba with peony flowers (EAX.10372)
Tsuba depicting four of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (EAX.10373)
Tsuba with pine tree (EAX.10374)
Tsuba with cherry blossoms (EAX.10375)
Tsuba with karakusa, or scrolling plant pattern (EAX.10376)
Eight-lobed tsuba with arrow-heads (EAX.10377)
Tsuba with waves and cherry blossoms (EAX.10378)
Tsuba with gnarled plum tree (EAX.10379)
Round tsuba with peonies and dew drops (EAX.10380)
Tsuba with irises (EAX.10381)
Tsuba with banana leaves (EAX.10382)
Tsuba with peonies and karakusa, or scrolling plant pattern (EAX.10383)
Tsuba with shishi, or lion dog, and waterfall (EAX.10384)
Various Chōshū guards signed by otherwise unrecorded artists; late 18th or first half of 19th century
Tsuba with begonia plant (EAX.10385)
Tsuba with bean plant (EAX.10386)
Tsuba with dragon, cloud, and waves (EAX.10387)
Tsuba with plum blossoms and kiri, or paulownia leaves (EAX.10388)
Round tsuba with chrysanthemums and dewdrops (EAX.10389)
Round tsuba with peonies and a karakusa, or scrolling plant pattern (EAX.10390)
Tsuba with sparrows and butterflies (EAX.10391)
Tsuba with heraldic device and karakusa, or scrolling plant pattern (EAX.10392)
Tsuba with two children representing the twin pines of Takasago (EAX.10393)
Tsuba with chrysanthemum and butterflies (EAX.10394)
Tsuba depicting Minamoto Yoshitsune fencing with Yūjōbō (EAX.10395)
Tsuba with shishi, or lion dogs, among peonies and rocks (EAX.10396)
Tsuba with dragon and sacred pearl (EAX.10397)
Tsuba with horses in a lanscape (EAX.10398)
Tsuba with dragon amid clouds (EAX.10399)
Tsuba with carp leaping from turbulent water (EAX.10400)
Tsuba in the form of a basket containing iris leaves and chrysanthemums (EAX.10401)
Round tsuba with clematis and cricket (EAX.10402)
Round tsuba with shells amid waves (EAX.10403)
Various signed guards in Chōshū style
Tsuba with bamboo stems (EAX.10404)
Tsuba in the form of a peony flower (EAX.10405)
Tsuba depicting the Eight Famous Views of Lake Biwa (EAX.10406)
Tsuba with hares in a landscape (EAX.10407)
Tsuba with clematis flowers and leaves (EAX.10408)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with tomato plant (EAX.10409)
Tsuba with butterflies and plants (EAX.10410)
Various unsigned work in Chōshū style
Tsuba with shells (EAX.10411)
Round tsuba with clematis vine (EAX.10412)
Round tsuba with clematis vine and dewdrops (EAX.10413)
Round tsuba with clematis vine (EAX.10414)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with peony growing from a rock (EAX.10415)
Round tsuba with peony blossoms (EAX.10416)
Octagonal tsuba with chrysanthemum leaves and dewdrops (EAX.10417)
Tsuba with chrysanthemums and grass (EAX.10418)
Tsuba with chrysanthemum and stylized clematis (EAX.10419)
Tsuba with chrysanthemums (EAX.10420)
Tsuba in the form of a gnarled pine tree (EAX.10421)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with flowering plum tree (EAX.10422)
Tsuba with flowering plum tree (EAX.10423)
Mokkō-shaped tsuba with bamboo (EAX.10424)
Tsuba with ground bamboo and a spider (EAX.10425)
Tsuba with ground bamboo and a spider (EAX.10426)
Tsuba with palm leaves (EAX.10427)
Tsuba with palm leaves and a locust (EAX.10428)
Round tsuba with grass and dewdrops (EAX.10429)
Tsuba with fan, leaves, and dew drops (EAX.10430)
Round tsuba with arrowhead and aoi, or hollyhock leaves (EAX.10431)
Tsuba with aoi, or hollyhock leaves (EAX.10432)
Tsuba with kiri, or paulownia leaves (EAX.10433)
Tsuba with three heads of maize (EAX.10434)
Tsuba with myōga, or ginger shoots (EAX.10435)
Tsuba with vine (EAX.10436)
Tsuba with arrow-shaped leaves and umbel flowers (EAX.10437)
Tsuba with scrolling stem of Cissus leaves (EAX.10438)
Tsuba with leaves and fruit from a tree (EAX.10439)
Tsuba with orchis plants (EAX.10440)
Tsuba with clematis flowers (EAX.10441)
Tsuba in the form of a basket containing begonias and asters (EAX.10442)
Tsuba with carnations (EAX.10443)
Tsuba with yarrow sprays (EAX.10444)
Tsuba with karigane, or flying geese (EAX.10445)
Tsuba with geese flying amid driving rain (EAX.10446)
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