Salvatori Moretto Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Hello folks, I have a set a menuki coming to me that are kirin, bought at a low price, but I have seen many that look almost exactly the same. Is there a way to tell for sure if these are older originals or more recent reproductions???? Also I have had this tsuba(and fuchi) pictured here , but was wondering if someone could tell me what style it is called or what school made them? I feel this information might better help me with the task of finding a kashira for it. I am also going to post the tsuba in the mei translation section to see who they are signed by. Thanks again in advance for any and all help, I hate being such a novice : / Quote
Brian Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Take a look at the backs carefully and see if the studs there are soldered in later, or molded in as part of the menuki. If not separate, they are modern. Quote
Geraint Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Hi Salvatori. The tsuba is signed Hirado Kunishige but the signature is thin and does not inspire me with confidence, I have not come across the use of a kao. The style of the tsuba is also a concern but have a look for yourself. Here are a couple from The Monzino collection. All the best Quote
ROKUJURO Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 From the photos, the MENUKI look cast to me. The TSUBA is signed HIRADO KUNISHIGE. Many examples to be found in the net, mostly soft metal. Quote
Ford Hallam Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 The menuki appear to be the bastard love children of an illicit liason between a kirin and a shishi. They're castings imo. The texture of the metal on the inside is a bit of a givaway, those linear 'wrinkles' are a good clue. As are the unfilled gaps in the edge of the pieces where the metal hasn't properly filled the mould or the wax models were'nt fully formed. The backs look to be fairly flat too, they ought to be shaped to fit against the hilt. I'm with Geraint on the Tsuba too. Decidely dodgy. 2 Quote
Isocyanide Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 The menuki appear to be the bastard love children of an illicit liason between a kirin and a shishi. LMAO that made my morning! Quote
Pete Klein Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 This was scanned from the book, 'Toso Kinko Goto Ke Jushichi Dai' by Shimada et al 1973, page 73 of 'Kirin' by the eighth Shirobei Sokujo. I used to have a similar pair in shakudo but I cannot remember the attribution as it was quite awhile ago. (It wasn't to Sokujo as I'd still have them)! You see this design from time to time. This pair, if not cast looks to have been plated or worked on in some way as it has been heavily affected. Probably modern cast as Ford explained. Quote
Salvatori Moretto Posted September 22, 2015 Author Report Posted September 22, 2015 Thank you everyone for all your great input! Then my next begging question would be about the fuchi. It was found after I acquired the tsuba at the san fran show a little while back. It looks to be almost a dead match to the tsuba but has what appears to be a different signature. Does this make the fuchi a bit dodgy as well? Or were these both originals that have had gimie signatures added to them over time? Probably going to write both the menuki and fuchi/tsuba off to "learning" and use them for a showa stamped blade i'm mounting for use : / Thanks!!!!!!! Quote
Ford Hallam Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 LMAO that made my morning! You can count on me to go for the cheap laugh Quote
Pete Klein Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 So sorry, Ford but here I'm first in that line. PS: if the liason of which you spoke were of two beer companies the result would be, 'Kirin Asahi'! Bada-boom... 1 Quote
Ford Hallam Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Pete, naturally I will defer to your position of seniority in terms of the 'cheap laugh' and no snide references to 'age before wisdom ' from me either A Kirin Asahi beer might be quite uplifting, I'd try a few pints with you Quote
Pete Klein Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Speechless... Your turn, Guido...! Quote
Guido Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 Your turn, Guido...! Since I hold advanced degrees in both disciplines - cheap laughs and beer drinking - I'll leave the kirin each other to you amateurs. Quote
jason_mazzy Posted September 29, 2015 Report Posted September 29, 2015 If those are the menuki on ebay recently, the same seller had gold catfish menuki (edoantiques). I found the catfish and they are modern reproductions of gold over silver cast. Quote
Salvatori Moretto Posted October 1, 2015 Author Report Posted October 1, 2015 Yes this was one of his, often he has decent one's for my projects, but this one is bronze it looks like... But for about 50-60 its still a lot better than buying at Lohman repro prices :D Quote
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