Big and bold.

[Dr Fox]

Recently acquired can you help identify any school or design type for this tsuba please. 87mm by a rim at 4.3 mm.

[ROKUJURO]

Denis,

 

As for a design guess, I believe this could be TAIKO drums and clouds. Difficult to judge from a photo, but it looks cast to my old eyes.

[Dr Fox]

Jean

Been working in cms all day, have now corrected. Cast as in fake cast?

[Ian]

Hi Denis

 

Maybe something to do with Raijin.

The link below their is a similar one from the reseller with the big imagination. :D

 

All the best

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Japanese-S ... 20d43f7463

[Dr Fox]

Nice one Ian

 

Thanks all.

[Thierry BERNARD]

Difficult to judge from a photo, but it looks cast to my old eyes.

 

don't agree! from this picture i can't see evidences of cast tsuba

[Brian]

No...it's not cast. The pic makes the surface appear a bit grainy...but I think it's a nice tsuba, some decent carving strokes.

 

Brian

[Dr Fox]

It is certainly nice in hand, I didn't get the impression it was a cast item.

[ROKUJURO]

Denis,

 

cast does not necessarily mean fake.

 

If close in-hand inspection shows no seams or lunkers, then it isn't cast.

[Thierry BERNARD]

cast does not necessarily mean fake.

 

[Toryu2020]

Definitely Raijin and I love this expression of the theme!

Nice one Doctor,

-t

[Pete Klein]

There are many legitimate tsuba extant which are cast, the Namban group being a prime example, along with soft metal examples. Please refer to:

http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4129/1/4129_1648.pdf?UkUDh:CyT

Dr. Lissenden's thesis on Namben Tsuba, starting page 132.

[Dr Fox]

Thanks gentlemen

My question was answered, with the indications to taiko drums and clouds, and the term Raijin. Researching these terms has given a full insight into the design on the tsuba.

This is one of a daisho set, the smaller being a copy of its bigger brother, obtained from a good friend of mine.

Thanks all for your time.