Help Identification (Noob)

[dominnimod]

Good evening,i'm new in the tosogu forums,i'm here to ask for advice about two tsubas(Both being sold in Japan).One seems like an orange painted iron casted tsuba,my concern with it is that i found another equal in America.The other one is a tsuba sukashi but seems to perfectly shaped and it doesnt seem to have the black iron patina.Are the genuine? I'm a noobie in fittings and i'm not very sure about any of them.Any help is appreciated.Cheers

[b.hennick]

I would pass on all three. The first two appear to be cast. The last modern.

[Grey Doffin]

I agree with Barry,  You need some good books with lots of pictures of quality tsuba; you need to study before buying or you'll waste your money.

Grey

[GrozaB]

If it ships from Japan it doesn't mean it is not from China.

[kissakai]

Hi Josh

When buying a signed tsuba see if the mei (signature) has been chiseled

The two tsuba in the image look rounded so as stated earlier it is almost certainly cast

The last one has a very plain surface so it looks like plate steel

The last quick check is to look around the inside and ouside edges to see if you can see a line where two halfs of a mould have been put together

These seam lines are usually easily seen

I showed Ford Hallam one of my tsubas and he said it was cast but brilliantly disguised

The seam line had been very well disguised on the inner and outer edge it was only when using a magnyfing glass on a valley on the ouside edge that you could see evidence of a cast seam

I have bought quite a few tsuba from this message board as in my opinion they are a safe bet so have a look on the for sale section

 

 

Grev UK

[dominnimod]

Ok,thanks for the help,i will follow your advice and make some research about quality tsuba