Which Of These 5 Tenpo Tsuba Are The Strongest?

[lotus]

I have not posted in ages but started back up studying tsuba again. I was looking at these 5 Tenpo (Edo era) and am just starting to read up a bit on this type of tsuba. I was hoping you guys could help me evaluate this lot of 5 Tenpo tsuba.

 

Was interested in knowing if they all appear to be authentic and how would you rank them from best to worst (quality / workmanship)? I am attaching a single image of each and here are the dimensions :

 

Tenpo 1 - 8.00 x 7.65 x 0.30 cm Yamashiro Tenpo, iron plate with thin sukidashi mimi, kozuka ana and kogai ana with sakudo copper plug (umegane)

Tenpo 2 - 7.35 x 7.05 x 0.40 cm Saotome Tenpo, has typical folded rim at the four “corners” with grooves diagonally around mimi, two hitsu (one kozuka and one kogai). Has top and bottom sekigane.

Tenpo 3 - 8.60 x 8.15 x 0.35 cm Yamashiro Tenpo tsuba for katana, nakegaku (rounded square), fine tsukidashi rim, thinner iron plate.

Tenpo 4 - 8.60 x 7.80 x 0.35 cm Yamashiro Tenpo tsuba for katana, nakegaku (rounded square), rounded rim maru mimi, iron plate (itagane)

Tenpo 5 - 8.20 x 7.60 x 0.35 cm Yamashiro Tenpo, good itagane (forged iron plate) of rounded mokkogata  (4 lobe shape), sukidashi mimi, 2 hitsu ana

 

Thanks!

Patrick R.

[rkg]

Hmmm.

 

To my eye, about the only one that might be early-ish is the second one - the first one might be too, but is it lacquered or something?

 

These aren't bad, but... a lot of what gets tossed in the tempo bin is really pretty mediocre and is perhaps not what you want to study as being exemplars of their best work.  In addition, a surprising number of groups used hot stamps from time to time, so often pieces aren't even by the group - it might be better to call them tempo style...

 

Here's a couple of (IMHO) good examples.  The first one is probably the best I've ever seen:

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kod%C3%B4gu-no-Sekai-%E5%B0%8F%E9%81%93%E5%85%B7%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C-266005023454853/photos/?tab=album&album_id=839106636144686

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kod%C3%B4gu-no-Sekai-%E5%B0%8F%E9%81%93%E5%85%B7%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C-266005023454853/photos/?tab=album&album_id=966355546753127

 

Good Luck,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

EDIT: I shouldn't type these late at night - I forgot a word...

Edited August 17, 2018 by rkg

[lotus]

Richard -

 

I agree on both points. I felt the second one ticked the most boxes for the style (mokko, folded rim, diagonal grroves, fairly thick, nice deep patina). However, it is a bit smaller in size. Oh, and I found that exact Tsuba on a web site talking about Tenpo so I felt it the "safe" choice. 

 

The others, as you said and I agree with are probably mediocre later era pieces. Even the 2nd one might not be that early considering it's size...

 

Oh, and I love your Tenpo Tsuba you attached!

 

Pat

[Brian]

I also leaned towards 1 and 2 being the better 2 out of the lot. Not that the other 3 are junk. Fine examples of the type.

[lotus]

I found a few more I am calling 6,7,8 with dimensions below. 6 and 7 look pretty decent to me. I wonder if either of those are really that much better than say, number 2 from my 1st post.

 

I threw in the last one that I am calling the dark horse. The pic is poor and the stamps a bit faint, but the 2 outer ana shapes are not typical. Not being an expert do those holes signify anything. Also, you can see the folds in the rim though it is a rather ugly-ish looking tsuba. Thoughts?

[lotus]

I forgot to include the dimensions of the last 3 tsuba :

 

Tenpo 6 - 8.4 x 7.6 x 0.3 cm

Tenpo 7 - 7.7 x 7.15 x 0.5 cm

Tenpo 8 - 5.3 x 6 x unknown width

[vajo]

I would favoured the second from the first pictures.

[lotus]

Yeah, I purchased #2. And then I found a very handsome and I "think" very old Tenpo (I assume?) Muromachi maybe?

 

What do you think of this one? Calling it number 9...

 

Dimensions Height: about 6.9cm Width: about 6.4cm Thickness: about 5mm

 

Curious as a I see maybe 4 stamps on front but no stamps on back...

[rkg]

Yeah, I purchased #2. And then I found a very handsome and I "think" very old Tenpo (I assume?) Muromachi maybe?

 

What do you think of this one? Calling it number 9...

 

Dimensions Height: about 6.9cm Width: about 6.4cm Thickness: about 5mm

 

Curious as a I see maybe 4 stamps on front but no stamps on back...

Um, that's an image of the back and there are hot stamps on it :-) - doesn't look like a bad piece though :-)

 

FWIW, If you like this style of tsuba, you might consider looking for some pieces from the group is considered the school the Tempo guys came from - the Saotome group.  They seem to be known mostly for their kiku sukashi/shaped pieces, but there is a large body of pieces attributed to them (especially their earlier ones) that are excellent (great iron, composition, construction, etc) - and usually not terribly expensive.  Some of the tempo guys' earlier work (like the first two I posted earlier) match or is better, but most of the later tempo work just doesn't compare (All of this IMHO, of course).

 

I've posted pictures of a number of them in the past here/on the kodogu no sekai page, and you can find more with an image search - and decent ones are coming up for sale -all the time- (unlike good tempos).  and a few even have hot stamps :-)

 

Back to work,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Patrick,

why not buy this one from Steve Waszak: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26353-iron-tsuba-tembo/

It has a very good size and quality, as far as you can judge that from photos. That would be my favourite!

[rkg]

Steve's piece is much better in hand than in his pics - he showed me this piece at the SF show and I was sorely tempted to get it to photograph if nothing else...  I would still be tempted, but I'm being run ragged by work, my dad's health issues, stuff breaking, etc. But I digress...  I'm not sure his piece is tempo work though - their sukashi implementation is usually a lot less sophisticated. 

 

 

 

Good luck,

rkg

(Richard George)
 

 

 

Patrick,

why not buy this one from Steve Waszak: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26353-iron-tsuba-tembo/

It has a very good size and quality, as far as you can judge that from photos. That would be my favourite!

[Rich S]

I like #2 (Saotome/Tempo) also; #8 might also be a Saotome.  None are bad; I'd be happy with any of them.

Rich

[lonely panet]

not my place to plug a sale but this one is for sale on fleabay at a fair price 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tsuba-Japanese-Sword-Tenpo-iron-plate-4-lobes-hot-stamps-8-00cm-T2/192641481932?hash=item2cda53bccc:g:ONYAAOSw70BbVBvi

[lotus]

Hamfish -

 

I agree that one is very inexpensive but I already picked up #2 and it came in recently and am very happy with the condition. In fact, it is in such good shape I really question how old it is. Hoping it is because someone took really good care of it...

 

Pat

[rkg]

Deleted 'cause I thought I hadn't posted images of a kawari piece here before

 

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)