Edo Period Tsuba Validation

[pedram]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new to this forum but a fan of Japanese sword arts for a couple of years now. I practice Mugai Ryu iaido for the last year and have started to create my own collection of Japanese swords and parts.

 

A tsuba that I've bought a while ago from Japan is something that I havent been able to validate properly and I hope that you here, with a lot more knowledge then me, can help me with this.

 

According to the seller it is signed Soten from the Hikone school and is from the period 1800-1850. Can you guys please help me identify this tsuba? 

 

pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/P782S

 

Thanks in advance! All information is very helpfull!

[ROKUJURO]

Pedram,

welcome on the NMB board! Please sign all of your posts with your first name plus an initial as is requested here. 

Your TSUBA seems indeed to be signed SOTEN, but the signature is not done in the classical way (Goshu Hikone Ju Soheishi Nyudo Soten Sei). The TSUBA itself is nice, but does not seem to be made in the typical SOTEN style (which is not necessarily bad).

SOTEN TSUBA were popular so they were produced in large numbers by many TSUBA artists. There is a saying that out of one hundred 'SOTEN' TSUBA on a table, all of them might be copies/fakes. Not all were bad, but probably not original.

Hope that helps in your studies. Have a look in the internet, you will find many pictures to compare!