Shakudo Vs. Shibuichi

[Shugyosha]

I currently have a kozuka for sale here, which I believe is ko kinko and done in shakudo. A board member kindly pointed out that, due to the brown colour, he thought that it was probably shibuichi. My understanding is that shakudo comes within a range of colours dependent on the recipe and I thought that dark brown, a little off black was a possible for shakudo. Does anyone have any comments?

 

Here's a link to the listing, please let me have your thoughts.

 

Best,

John

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26873-ko-kinko-kozuka/

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello John,

 

Shibuichi can range from being a silvery grayish, to even a silvery grayish/greenish, to a silvery copper brownish, to almost being a charcoal darkish silvery gray. Which could be mistaken for shakudo depending on the lighting. On the other hand shakudo should be black, blackish, sometimes you'll see a dark purplish black, but there's no mistaking that it's a black. Exceptions, for the sake of this conversation not going there. Black.

 

Next to each other there shouldn't be any confusion as to which is which.

 

Thank you.

[christianmalterre]

Hi John

 

hope this helps in your´s request...?

 

Todays Kinko/ Goldsmiths Shakudo in Japan should have a percentuage of about 3-5% of Gold.

 

Muromachi times Shakudo varied between 3-7%

 

Shibuichi is split into following three subs.

 

-shiroshibuichi ( white) 40-50% Cu, 60-50% Ag  (resulting into a highgrey to silver colouration after finnish)

-namishibuichi ( standard ) 75% Cu, 25% Ag ( 3:1 )

-kuroshishibuichi ( black) 75% Cu, 22% Ag, 3% Au  ( the common in latter Edo )

 

 

Christian

[christianmalterre]

i just allowed me so to browse a bit....

now i see.....

may it be relating to : http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26873-ko-kinko-kozuka/???????

 

in this case, i´d keep it!

 

Christian

[Blazeaglory]

I just made a post in your sales thread but I thought I posted it here!

Anyways I posted my Shibuichi Kozuka for comparison and mine has the same brownish/dark copper areas as yours.

 

So I'm gonna say its Shibuichi

[Shugyosha]

Thank you gentlemen, shibuichi it is then. 

 

Kind regards,

John

[Alex A]

Worn Shakudo can look brown sometimes.

 

Quick example https://www.aoijapan.com/tsubamumei-a-mokko-gata-shakudo-tsuba-of-autumn-flowering/

[Shugyosha]

Thanks Alex. It's complicated this collecting lark isn't it? 

[Alex A]

Yes John, sometimes i wished id started a less complicated hobby like particle physics

[Blazeaglory]

I was just thinking that earlier...

 

I woke up screaming Koto! KOTO KOTO! Last night..lol