Western Tastes

[peterd]

Hi Guys,

 

I see another snake tsuba for sale $4100 on a well known site. I saw another sale for 3600 euros at a Paris auction.

My point is these are cast tsubas, apparently the scales are formed with two different punches.

While i love the design i think the carving is generally only good average (not special) and not a particular school.

Do you think a Japanese collector would pay as much as a westerner.

 

Yours Peter D.

 

Heres an example    

[Jean]

Peter,

 

The question is: were they sold?

[peterd]

Hi

 

The Paris auction sold 3800 euros,the one on the US sight has only just been posted.

 

Regards Pete

[Brian]

It has a Hozon paper. How sure are you that these are cast, and not genuine handmade art tsuba?

I have one, and have examined it carefully, and am not convinced that they are mass produced or anything less than genuine mid level nice tsuba.
I am sure there are mass produced versions of it, but you would need to examine each item and decide where it is placed as far as quality is concerned. Making a generalization that these are all cast (and by inference low quality) is not strictly speaking a valid assumption imho.

[Jean]

It has a hozon paper, I'll be surprised if it were cast.

[ROKUJURO]

As far as I know, these SENTOKU pieces are all single cast in their basic shape; that is how the metal has to be processed. But the main work of modelling follows then and requires a lot of artistic skills. I have seen a number of these snake TSUBA and I never found remains of simple serial casting.

Ford would be able to confirm (or correct me). 

[Stephen]

the 4100

 

http://www.nihonto.us/SNAKE%20TSUBA%20CN.htm

[peterd]

Hi guys                                     

 

I thought i would reply to some comments.

Firstly, i dont think because these are cast they are poor quality. These are not cast copies but a cast base where the head, tail and body with curves and turns are ready formed.  

What i do see is scales that are individual, belly scales can vary in amount and size. Top and side of head patterns can vary as can the amount of teeth and inside of mouth.

I have never seen signs of casting ie seems or air bubbles. I think they are quite deeply carved which removes these signs of cast.

What tells me they are cast is to quote Ford from a previous post " These are almost always cast brass pieces.The bold crystalline structure is indicative of cast brass".

The example i showed is my own and one of my favourites. Like i said i love the design.

I still think they are a bit overpriced  but maybe thats what you pay for great design.

As in my first post i was just wondering what a Japanese collector would feel about these.

 

Regards 

Peter

[vajo]

Peterd for me to understand. These Tsuba are Kinko. And they are not forged from iron. What you understand on the term cast?

 

I think that are very nice genuine well worked tsuba that i would really have in my collection.

 

Maybe I'm wrong.

 

Regards

 

Chris

[Pete Klein]

http://page14.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/s513200777

[Thierry BERNARD]

http://page14.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/s513200777

a very bad chinese copy!

[Brian]

Wow...that's bad.

[vajo]

Thats a copy. But the others above it's hard to belive. The didn't look so rounded.