Thoughts on this leafy tsuba

[sascha1]

Dear members,

I recently purchased this tsuba. I would value you thoughts and opinions. Wishing you good health. 

[Spartancrest]

Hi Sascha. Three Daikon, could we see the other side view? The ura is often not the best side to make a proper judgement.

[sascha1]

Thank you Dale. Here are some more photos. Best regards, Sascha

[Spartancrest]

Do you think that is an Ant on the side? 

 

It does look like it has been mounted from the tagane-ato marks in the nakago-ana but the general feeling is cast to me. Annealed to make it workable?

The veins of the leaves, even though raised on one side and lowered on the other, look very thick and in spots incomplete, I can't make out any bubbles in the surface or cast lines on the openings or rim but it still gives me the feeling of cast? However I have not seen this pattern exactly before, most cast pieces have a large "following" so it may be "unique" [A word I am very reluctant to use!] I hope someone else can shed some light on it for you.

[johnnyi]

Dale, there might be three problem areas, as it seems that there seems to be a crack that extends through the seppa dai and is visible on both sides.

 

regards,  John 

[Spartancrest]

15 minutes ago, johnnyi said:

a crack that extends through the seppa dai and is visible on both sides.

Thanks John. Yes I saw it -  I didn't want too many negative things going at once. Also looks like a lot of corrosion on the seppa-dai and part of the top daikon tuber. Is it age related or has it been forced? These things are hard to determine just from images. Sascha was it expensive?

[sascha1]

Hi Dale and John,

Thank you for your very detailed and educational thoughts on this. No, it was not expensive at all. I'm happy with it as a keychain :). With best regards, Sascha

[Spartancrest]

7 hours ago, sascha1 said:

I'm happy with it as a keychain :).

Sascha, I have more tsuba keychains than I have keys! Still interesting little things and always a conversation starter! 

[Spartancrest]

I found this one described as Heianjo just a single twisted Daikon - sorry I mistook the original tsuba as having three when it infact it only has two.

https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/67211243-tsuba-iron-ivy-radish-heianjo-openwork-Japan-edo-period-1600-1868