Fake Menuki

[Pete Klein]

George M. -- It would be helpful to see the ura of your menuki also as much can be observed about your explanations from them.

[JohnTo]

Thanks guys for putting me straight regarding the lost wax moulding process vs the actual way menuki are made. I'm not a pratical metal worker, just someone who observes and makes comments on their observations.  Menuki don't have a particular interest to me, I much prefer tsuba.  When I ran a science group I would often say (when I was wrong) 'A c$%p theory is better than no theory at all'

 

regards, John

[nagamaki - Franco]

Why did the chicken menuki cross the ocean?

 

When it comes to menuki in particular, the proof is in the detail. If fine detail isn't there, then 'like' is likely making your decision. Which is not being objective. Like it or not sellers count and play to that factor.

 

And like the song says "I see trouble on the way."

 

 

 

[TETSUGENDO]

"There's a bad moon on the rise"

 

-StevenK

[Bugyotsuji]

Of course, clay molds for menuki were unearthed at the Sengoku Jidai ruins at Asakura Ishijodani in Fukui. So there might have been one 'original' master and many repros, even 600 years ago. (Thanks to a little bird that flitted past my window.)

[John A Stuart]

Not to mention the resin moulds that have gold foil pressed onto them. John

[Ford Hallam]

Piers, without seeing the moulds you're referring to I would suggest that they were part of the record taking process that John is referencing.

 

 

It was common practice to take a record of finished work either as a way of creating a sample catalogue or simply a record of studio work. The finished piece is simply pressed into wet clay which is then allowed to dry out. Then hot matsuyani (pine rosin mixture) can be poured in to the clay mould (after the metal original was removed). Once cold the matsuyani is very hard to the touch, you can't really indent it with a finger nail, but easily cracks so can't be used to form thin gold sheet on.

 

The real problem I have with the recurring notion that the casting of tosogu, including tsuba, was performed in the Edo period is that while there has yet been no evidence that this technology was used the mere suggestion that is was possible allows for a gray space in which modern faked items are given a pass.

[niknik]

Hello. I think this is fake. What do you say about this thing?

[b.hennick]

The set is a poor quality fake.

[rkg]

Is that a tobacco pouch clasp?

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

[b.hennick]

It could be a pouch clasp. They usually have two wires sticking out.