Jump to content

Oh Dear I've Discovered Tosogu


FletchSan

Recommended Posts

After my wife bought me Lethal Elegance by Joe Earle for my birthday, which I've been enjoying admiring the amazing and diverse artistry of Japanese fittings, I've now gone and purchased 3 tsuba in as many weeks - someone please stop me :)

 

Anyway, here's my latest acquisition which is a rather large beauty. I know literally nothing about tsuba, though the quality seems to be superb.

 

cheers,

 

Ben

post-3412-0-45999000-1544615857_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Ben,

 

Congratulations!  Tosogu collecting is a really fun hobby!  I recommed you do more research before you purchase more as there are many fakes and reproductions out in the market.  The tsuba you purchased looks to be a cast reproduction unfortunately from the one photo you provided.  Check out my website (www.tsubaotaku.com) it has a lot of free reference and study material.  For example I have wrote over six articles about Tosogu over the course of 17 years of collecting and have made many field trips to Japan to continue my study.  I also have a business website (www.raindragonfinearts.com) that provides authentic Japanese fine art and antique pieces at affordable prices.  I will be getting in a whole lot of new tsuba up on the website and eBay store next week.  So bookmark please my website and sign up for email and/or Facebook updates.  Thank you and Happy Holidays.
 

 

 

Yours truly,            

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben

A repro but I hope it did not cost you too much but the overall design is quite pleasing

Like David I also have tsuba for sale and we both would guarantee the description and you take the guessing out of whether is is a honest tsuba or a reproduction

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qj7d66vvq1a7z16/NMB%20listing.pdf?dl=0

 

 

Grev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, that stopped me! .. and a very good lesson. Not too much different to the world if nihonto it seems.

 

What are some of the really obvious telltale signs in this example that it is cast as in hand the detail is there in the dove and flowers - more so than the photo reveals.

 

Thanks all.

 

Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben,

I also had a problem with your 1st picture.  I suspected the tsuba to be a cast fake but I wasn't sure.  Now with the new pictures I'm less sure.  I think there is a good chance that this is not cast but rather made recently (late 20th or 21st century) and never mounted.  The top of the nakago hitsu-ana still looks fishy but the rest of the tsuba looks real.

Grey

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm interesting. I’ll try to take some more detailed photos and try to have someone more expert examine in hand before I start demanding a refund ;)

 

Btw - it was described as a presentation tsuba because of the size. Could that explain why it looks like it was never mounted?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm on the "fake" side, too. And that was the judgement I had from the first image. That pictures clearly shows that the seppa-dai is domed This is clearly evidence that the metal shrank ever so slightly. The fact that the tsuba shows no sign of even having been mounted is also significant. Fred's eye sight ain't bad, and his advice is pretty good, too.

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ben,

 

So the rounding of the of the corners and lack of filing edges or maybe say "hard" sharp corners first problem of the nakago -ana made to fit a sword ever seen a rounded sword nakago  …. answer ...never sharp and clean....tsuba made to fit always !

also please note the that the seppa dai not clean and sharp why is the seppa -dai there ??? the tsuba it a work of art and a wonderfully engraved , inlaid , love them !!!  but it had a purpose and always made for that one reason first.

 

 

Fred   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The signature to the reverse side is very commonly seen on tsuba for example most Kinai were signed to the reverse. Reasons given vary, out of respect, special commision etc so I wouldn’t let this point cary any weight over judgement of this work.

 

Without seeing it in hand I can only echo earlier comments but part cast ( seppa dai area is poorly shaped ) and hand finished such as the carving seen to the reverse is a real possibility. I wouldnt have thought it from the Edo period.

 

Has anyone translated the signature, which seems an obvious clue ?

 

Kindest regards

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never seen decent kataki-bori on a cast tsuba, and the mei is well cut and not cast in.
That alone would make me seek better advice. This is not a slam dunk by any means. If I had to call it, I would say genuine, but modern and not made for mounting.
But I would be sending the pics to Ford and asking his opinion. Work on the back is not terrible. Ground work also looks good and not cast?
Seppa-dai is bad and nakago ana is bad. Hmmm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...