Tanto Hamidashi Tsuba

Edo period (1615-1868) 

Mei (Kishotei Mitsuhiro and Kao)

Machibori Tsuba made by the 5th master of the Otsuki school – Mitsuhiro.

5,5 x 4,1 cm, 3,5mm

The polished Shibuichi plate bears a flying crane made from silver with golden accents. The boat is made from Shakudo. The reed is made of gold and copper. The back shows a silver moon behind clouds.

MITSUHIRO 1795 – 1841 

5th Master of the Otsuki School

Family: Otsuki

Name: Gihachi Gozaemon

Artname: Kishotei, Dairyujo and other

Living place: Kyoto

Mitsuhiro was the son of Mitsuoki (4th Generation). His father (Mitsuoki) was one of the top three Tsuba artists from Kyoto at this time – beside Ichi-no-Miya Nagatsune and Tetsugendo Shoraku. Mitsuhiro also ran the family shop under the name “Yamashiro Ya“. At the age of 45 he became a priest and used the artname “Soju“. Mitsuhiro specialized in the use of patinated brass and copper, like his ancestors. He is rated in the Kinko Meikan as Jōkō.

Haynes H 05188.0

Additional works by Mitsuhiro

Japanese sword fittings from the Alexander G. Moslé collection, P. 98 Nr. 140

100 selected Tsuba from european public collections, catalogue by Haynes and Burawoy, P. 32 Nr. 56, Baur Collection.

The Otsuki School 

The Ōtsuki (大月) school begins with Ōtsuki Korin (Mitsushige) who was a craftsman of Owari province in the early 1700s.  He traced his lineage back 18 generations to Ichikawa Hirosuke who is (in legend at least) the founder of all kinko artists.

Korin worked in Kyoto maintaining a shop called Senya and did metalwork of all types, including sword fittings, and followed the Goto style. Following him are Mitsutsune and Mitsuyoshi, but the 4th generation Mitsuoki would be one of the all time greats of kinko artists. In practice he is considered the founder of the school.

Other great students in this school were Tokuoki, Hideoki, Minayama Oki, Tenkodo Hidekuni, Matsuo Gassan, and his son Mitsuhiro. One of them was Ikeda Takatoshi who would go on to teach the great master Kano Natsuo.