Dan tsuba

Hi Curran! What is that cryptic beer mug in your last post supposed to represent? This Buds for you! Thanks for your support, and I will also drink to that! Ha, ha, ha, ha, etc! Onward to more Edo period cast iron tsuba research!

Well Mauro, I went to the site you stated and found that frog motif tsuba. Part of the description from the museum is shown below- "Date of Use- 17th or 18th Century The iron plate of this tsuba was cast not forged. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Iron; roughly oval; frog carved in the round in relief; no signature legible. MATERIAL metal, copper metal, silver alloy (?) TECHNIQUE cast chased engraved pierced” I have included the pictures of the tsuba below from the other thread. Now, to me, that is a cast iron tsuba that has been overcleaned so it appears more silver in color (as overcleaned iron tsuba tend to do). Just my opinion!

I saw this information about the frog motif tsuba (shown above) on this other thread- https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/53444-question/#comment-561175 (some of the information from a post by Spartancrest)- “Found in the Museum of Vancouver DB 403. They state: The iron plate of this tsuba was cast not forged. No signature is legible. The Museum also states: DATE OF USE 17th or 18th century. So, they believe it was made in the Edo period. [Let the arguments commence! :)]”. I know many members will think (and state?) that the museum could be wrong. But maybe the museum could be right in their assessment? Who knows, just some more interesting stuff about cast iron tsuba.

Well, here is something of interest. From a recent thread on the forum- https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/53444-questi?on/ The frog tsuba in that thread appears to be cast iron (picture attached). Edo period? Not Edo period? Who knows! Just some more interesting stuff to consider. Onward my friends!

I have to agree with Jean (Rokujuro) on this one. That frog tsuba looks to be cast (Edo period?). I am not sure about the other tsuba in the other pictures.

Hey Scogg, So you stated that "I would refer to my comment on the top of page 2 of this same thread" which is good information (my opinion) about eBay. You also stated "I personally would not recommend eBay to new collectors." So, where would you advise new collectors to purchase their tsuba from? I have shown several pictures on this thread of tsuba that I have purchased on eBay. With some learning and insight, I believe new tsuba collectors can also make similar purchases of authentic Edo period tsuba on eBay, and even buy some bargains at a reasonable price from eBay. Your thoughts?

Well Scogg, that is great! Since this thread deals with purchasing tusba on eBay, members may be interested to know that a veteran member (such as yourself) who is also a moderator on this forum has also purchased tsuba on eBay. That information may just make new collectors (or other collectors) have another look at eBay. Thanks!

Thanks Scogg for the explanation (but I don't believe in coincidences!). So, what I get from what you are saying, is that some good bargains and purchases can still be had on eBay! Onward!

Well Scogg, Thanks for the information, I know that eBay dealer is knowledgable about what he sells and I have bought several (what I consider) nice tsuba from him in the past. But why is it that when I post something you usually respond within a cople of minutes? As a moderator, are you alerted when I post something? Just saying.

Jean, I can always count on you for your negative comments! You stated "E-Bay does not make presents!" So, do other dealers make presents? There are still several good bargains to be had on eBay, for those that can discern between actual Edo period tsuba from fakes or rerproductions. To each their own. Those that can spend whatever they want for a tsuba are the lucky ones, others have to search for bargains. My collection of tsuba is not museum quality, but it is still fun for me and a learning expierence to collect what I can afford. Are you suggesting that collectors of tusba should only buy museum qulatity tsuba? Damaged or not, my tsuba teach me a lot. And to me that is the important thing. You purchase what you can afford, and I will purchase what I can afford. Does that make my learning expierence from tsuba any less than your learning expierence? Don't be a tsuba snob. My opinion.

So, I think I found another bargain on eBay that I purchased. Price was $85 U.S. ($100 including shipping and taxes). Just saying if you search for bargains on eBay, you can sometimes find them! Pictures attached.

Hi Gary, and welcome to this great forum. I don't think your tsuba is cast iron. That is because the fan shapes on your tsuba are stamped onto and into the tsuba. You can't do that on cast iron because the cast iron will fracture and break. Just my opinion.

Are you kidding me! About $1350 for this tsuba, and it is a fake! Hence my philosophy, if you don't spend a lot you can't get bit for a lot! I will stick to eBay and my bargains! Just my opinion!

Hi members! So, I am trying to figure out what school this tsuba belongs to and who possibly made it. I looked at the Ashmolean Museum site at all the schools they listed and tusba pictured, and I couldn’t find anything like it. I think it may be an older tsuba because it has two hitsu-ana that are the three lobed type hitsu-ana. Unlike many tsuba that have one oval hitsu-ana and then a three lobed type hitsu-ana. This is one of my most treasured tsuba (pictures included below). And as a side note. I didn't spend my usual $150 dollars for this tsuba. I bought it in a package (lot) of 3 tsuba. I purchased the lot of 3 tsuba for about $260 dollars fron eBay (picture of the lot purchased shown in the last picture attached). So I figure my most prized tsuba cost me about $87 dollars. Any information about this tsuba would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I agree with Rawa and Spartancrest. Others can afford just to buy what they want. For me, with a limited budget (living from one social security check to the other) it is a major part of the hobby (for me) and is great fun trying to find the bargains on eBay! Sometimes, I luck out and add great pieces to my collection. To each their own! Onward!

I see, said the blind man! I went to the site again. You have to click on the image of the tsuba. Then below the image will be two small pictures. Click on those and you will see the omote and ura of the tsuba. But not all tsuba will show those two images. Sometimes the other picture will just show a close up of the mei. And sometimes there will not be those two pictures below the tsuba. They will only show that one picture of the tsuba.

Only one image of each tsuba is shown.

Hey Spartancrest, I checked the site and they show 39 pages of tsuba.

So, a lot of good advice and resources have been presented on this thread. Now, what is the best advice I can give a new tsuba collector about purchasing on eBay? First, study reference materials that have been presented on this thread. Next go on eBay and decide on a tsuba purchase that is within your budget. Perhaps use this forum to contact more knowledgeable individuals and send pictures of the tsuba that the new collector wishes to purchase to get opinions if the tsuba is an actual Edo period (or before) tsuba and is not a fake or a reproduction. And as I stated before, these are just opinions of the members and there are no guarantees. Eventually, the new collector will have to take a chance. But the new collector of tsuba should arm themselves with as much knowledge as they can before making the purchase. My opinion.

Hi Pin Yin, I just wanted to share with you what I consider my prized possession of my tsuba collection. I purchased it on eBay, but not for my usual $150 dollars! It is a finely carved tsuba with a crane above and a turtle below. Those two symbols have deep symbolism in the Japanese culture. Notice how wonderfully carved the crane is. You can see the beautiful feathers, and even the grainy textures in its legs. The turtle is also nicely carved. Then on the reverse of the tsuba (called the ura side of the tsuba), notice how beautifully the waves are carved and seem to be in motion. It is one of my treasures!

Hello pin yin, About reliable eBay sellers. I sent you a personal message through the forum. I don't want to tie up this thread, and we can discuss stuff. In the meantime, my friend, maybe you could review the below thread-

Hi Charlie C., welcome to this great forum. I appreciate what you stated in your post. It was well stated and is a good guide for those that are starting a collection of tsuba. I agree that the money one wishes to spend most likely has to do with the eventual reselling of the piece. Since I have about 200 tsuba in my collection, my objective is for me to keep them and enjoy them and not resell them. There is a lot of learning to be had from even inexpensive tsuba. My philosopy is don't change a winning game, always change a losing game. I beleive that I am winning with my inexpensive purchases of tsuba on eBay. For me it is all about what one can afford at the time of purchase and what new motifs and designs can be added to the collection. Onward my friend!

So, pin yin. Here are some more tsuba in my collection that I purchased on eBay for about $150.00 U.S. I think you get the idea that there are still values to be had on eBay! The first picture shown below is a daisho (small and large sword) tsuba set.

Alex, And there is the difference between you and I. You stated- "My advice to newbies is if you plan on buying lots of mediocre tsuba for $150 (or less) a piece, don't, save and buy better examples. You will appreciate them more and probably re- sell them an hell of a lot faster." Also ypu stated- "Think maybe you are in for one hell of a learning curve when one day you sell some of your collection, that's being honest." I don't collect tsuba to resell them (or anything else that I collect). The "one hell of a learning curve" that you stated is not my concern. I am not looking for a profit from my collection. I collect to enjoy and keep what I have. Obviously, that is not what you do. You probably colllect to resell and make a profit. For you, I think it is all about the dollar bill. My opinion.

Alex, You stated- "Know enough to know that no amount of money should be wasted." What you consider a waste of money by others is not your decision to make. You are entitled to your opinion, just as other are entitled to consider what they determine as a waste of money. Have you seen my post on this thread of the tsuba I purchased on eBay? I would not consider those purchases a waste of money. Again, I was just trying to help the new guy out. What are you doing to help him? Are you advising him to spend his bankroll? My opinion