Lot 63
63
A DOUBLE-SIGNED TSUBA OF THE UMETADA AND THE OYAMA SCHOOLS

Details
A DOUBLE-SIGNED TSUBA OF THE UMETADA AND THE OYAMA SCHOOLS
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1775), SIGNED ON THE FACE UMETADA SHICHIZAEMON TACHIBANA SHIGEYOSHI AND ON THE REVERSE MON ZOGAN SEKIJOKEN MOTOZANE WITH KAO

The oval iron plate has a polished surface which tapers slightly towards the rim. The face and reverse are decorated in very fine gold wire inlay depicting a cross within a double ring. The kogai-hitsu is plugged in shakudo--height 7.8cm., width 7.6cm., thickness 4.75mm.

Lot Essay

This tsuba is important for the information which the two signatures provide. Umetada Shigeyoshi was the last master of the Umetada family to employ this name. He made many guards which bear only his name, some in the style of earlier generations who signed Shigeyoshi and others where he used a plum rebus signature. Motozane is probably Sekijoken Motozane I (1741-1830), who was apprenticed to Shigeyoshi. This tsuba was probably made during his apprenticeship.