Cast, or machined plate?

[Tensho]

I have been seen quite a few sukashi tsuba pop up like this. Most seem like obvious casts. But what does everyone think of ones like the below? Machined from plate steel? 

[Spartancrest]

This is a very popular design and the makers got plenty of practice making them, you will find variations, particularly the rim width and the thinness of the sukashi elements. I think this one is genuine but likely a late one. [Search  鈴虫 鍔]

 

https://www.Japanese...ell-cricket-sukashi/

 

https://www.pinteres.../231724343312341819/          

 

https://www.Japanese.../f100-akasaka-tsuba/

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1078546564

 

https://blog.goo.ne....c1e6db8ebda343ed797d

 

https://aucview.aucf...om/yahoo/1104092529/

 

Plenty of images and information here     V

 

[Tensho]

Thanks for the reply Dale. The lack of rust "inside" the carving and crispness made me hesitant of authenticity.  

[Guest Simon R]

I can tell the seller by the white gloves!

 

On Japanese sites such as Yahoo and Mercari there are a plethora of modern made tsuba appearing.

Some are obviously cast, some are extremely badly forged and sprayed black (many on this forum know whom I mean) whilst others appear laser cut from sheet steel and then chemically patinated.

My gut tells me that yours is the latter with additional 'aging' on top. 

[ROKUJURO]

Matt,

I believe that your TSUBA is a later one (end of EDO JIDAI), but authentic (traditionally handmade). Obviously, it has been in unfavorable conditions. If it were newly fabricated, it would look "nice" (to deceive beginners) and have an evenly patinated surface.

We should look at it again after a careful (= slow) restoration.

[Soshin]

On 1/24/2024 at 3:30 PM, Tensho said:

I have been seen quite a few sukashi tsuba pop up like this. Most seem like obvious casts. But what does everyone think of ones like the below? Machined from plate steel? 

 

I like the openwork design that was made famous by the Akasaka School during the Edo Period, but it looks like a modern tsuba cut from a modern mild steel (low carbon steel) plate to me. Therefore, I don't think it was traditionally made.