New fake "lion dance tsuba" in high relief with mei - beware

[GRC]

Here's one that made me raise an eyebrow yesterday, then sure enough, spotted another one today... latest modern casting that will catch some people unaware.

If you want one, fine, just know that it is a modern casting made yesterday, so pay accordingly.

This one quickly got bid up to 18,500yen on its first day of being listed on YahooJ.

 

The one I saw yesterday had a black finish with gold highlights, so it comes in a variety of finishes.

If you look closely at the images, there's lots of signs that it is cast (air bubbles and surface irregularities).

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

Glad to have you back Glen!

These 'new' ones look the part but fakes have been coming for some time - some better some - - well YUCK!

 

Plenty of museum replicas some have been around for more than ten years! [looks like the price has gone down since 2016] Still way over-priced!

I would say watch out for the bare toes - the tabi covered feet might be OK?

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1040153013 [Released on April 25, 2020]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1040316574  [Released on October 6, 2021]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1040316915  [Released on October 9, 2021]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1040159784  [Released on April 25, 2020]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/c805965121  [Listed on April 28, 2012] 

 

[GRC]

Thanks Dale 

Not surprised the theme has been around for quite some time. Thanks for sharing those other examples 

I wonder if the Meiji period one is the original or just another permutation of the theme?

 

I figure most people will recognized the overly colored ones, and stay away, but I thought I'd share the iron one I posted because the iron patina looks pretty convincing and is sure to fool a lot of people.

[GRC]

Found the first one I saw! Posting it to show the color variation to the first one posted above.

[Spartancrest]

On 3/15/2023 at 1:02 PM, GRC said:

Here's one that made me raise an eyebrow yesterday

Price for that 'replica' is still going through the roof - over 20,500 yen and won't stop for a while yet! 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/v1084809565

 

When scrolling along not far away from it, I found these two -

https://www.jauce.com/auction/m289427759
https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1001338054

with a guard between them - now can anyone see why one is 50,000 yen  and the other is 8,000 yen? [that is just the starting price] - when both are cast!

It might help if the images are turned up the same way. 

 

This is a case of "don't advertise a fake next to another fake"

 

Oh and don't get me started on this one - AGAIN!  https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1071343193

Edited March 20, 2023 by Spartancrest
replica reference

[Spartancrest]

Sorry to highjack this thread but for those interested try putting this set of kanji into a Google image search.   土佐國住 明珍宗利 

 

[Spartancrest]

On 3/15/2023 at 1:02 PM, GRC said:

latest modern casting that will catch some people unaware.

 Glen - Caught, skinned and cooked!  82,000 yen !!  We are in the wrong business! 45 bids - they were fighting over it!

[Spartancrest]

This blog is about one of my pet hates as far as modern fakes go - would not surprise me if the same company makes the "lion dancer"

https://kinnmukukurikara.blogspot.com/2015/12/blog-post_25.html  [you might have to translate to English to read it]

[GRC]

Almost certainly the same "mastermind" behind all of these, but then I assume that cranking these out then becomes a simple task with the large scale production capabilities in China.

On 3/20/2023 at 8:55 PM, Spartancrest said:

Caught, skinned and cooked!  82,000 yen !!

  Tragic... you could get a really good, legit tsuba, for that price.