Spartancrest

A recent auction sale https://www.jauce.com/auction/d477991218 had, what you are led to believe are a daisho of tsuba. From what I see they are totally unrelated, the smaller of the two pieces looks ok [a bit of an indent at the bottom] A very fine fukurin, the sukashi look ok [a bit dusty]. But check out the larger piece, that full flower head, the 'kebori' on the leaves - all a bit off. But the ura side is where the game is up! The lower stem of the Chrysanthemum has casting bubbles but the fun inclusion is the Chinese star on the flower head - I know a star is a star and the symbol is common in many cultures, but that is my take on it. Now another intriguing feature are the ategane/ume, they don't look like they were made to fit this guard at all, but came from some former jewelry piece - the detailing on them out weighs the tsuba. I would be interested in others thoughts.

Where was this post two days ago when I had to explain them to a newbie - sorry Jesse - Great work John One here https://www.jauce.com/auction/l628127283 but then again they seem to be nearly everywhere! Have you ever noticed that a majority have very similar Tagane-ato the little apprentice who put them in must have worn out his punch by now!

I am sorry I should have said those guards could be up to 70 years old, they started production in the 1950s as far as I can ascertain - 30 more years and you will have some 'genuine' antiques.

Luis do you think it is a copy or a legitimate Utsushi ? I don't know much about menuki but if they follow the trends like tsuba, there may be a lot of counterfeits out there?

Blurb are running a 40% off deal on 4 Photo books, or 35% on 3 Photo books until the 22nd of January for those interested. Codes are STACKUP40 and STACKUP35 Not ideal as you need to buy 3 or 4 books but if people can get together for a bulk buy, that's the way to do it. [This is for the 'Deluxe' gloss paper book] https://www.blurb.com/b/10516296-album-of-designs-for-metal-carving-ch-sen-gafu-de I will let you know of any other deals going as they occur. Regards.

This is also 'high' end https://www.jauce.com/auction/o449060436 You can smell the fake all over it! 120,000 yen what a cheek!

This was already posted on Monday - the original design should have looked like this. Maybe he is hoping the guy who sold it to him might buy it back out of shame?

You may get it cheaper here direct from Japan - https://www.jauce.com/auction/h532016780 $200 cheaper is not to be sneezed at! It pays to look around!

When does a Hamidashi tsuba become just a thick decorative seppa? Unfortunately the missing dimension of thickness is not available. https://www.jauce.com/auction/n489118022 Something to ponder on. https://www.jauce.com/auction/s799877985 It is easier when there are a pair! But the question remains what is the crossover?

Sheez! Matt I am impressed with the box, let alone the contents!

Every collector needs his Magnet that's for sure! I bought what I took to be a mokume of different alloys of copper only to discover under the layers of spray painted clear lacquer that in fact the guard was iron and much better than expected! [Any help in getting rid of modern spray coating would be most appreciated!] Simple tools like a magnet and a bone/antler or ivory stick are things beginners should get hold of. Fakes are always going to be a problem - they are just getting better at it all the time [not the one pictured]

Hi Yas , found this one listed today - https://www.jauce.com/auction/g500246208 it is another well made 'reproduction' and I suppose if you don't have a spare $9363.85 US. [ that is the exchange rate on the £] you could buy a copy for considerably less! The same design was mentioned on Christmas Quiz. Someone is doing pretty good fakes out there! [they need to do some work with the colours though!]

I don't know where I should post this link and image - it is in relation to Malcolm T's comment and mine under it [above] looks like we have another 'replica' doing the rounds. https://www.jauce.com/auction/g500246208 The colours are way off but the detailing is darn good, The mei is a waste of effort and the V shape bottom of the nakago-ana are giveaways. I will also post it on Merry friends of "Y!Auction" Where all the fakes go to die!

This copy [repro] has just sold on auction - there are a dozen versions of it about, this is one of the 'better' ones but still fake. The ura side always lets them down, probably late Meiji early twentieth Century - hard to tell some are still being made! https://www.jauce.com/auction/d498881440 40 bids sold for 35,500 yen.

I see Barnes & Noble have the matte book listed https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/album-of-designs-for-metal-carving-ranzan-tsuneyuki/1138546816 They have it listed with free shipping. I am unsure if this is USD.

Jesse You will also note the over run of metal into the nakago-ana. A lot of fast production fakes have this, as well there is a tendency for a V shaped bottom of the nakago-ana rather than a straight line. Like George has said the 'mei' is wrong it is rather wide and not like it should be if cut with a chisel. Fakes can even have sekigane simulated by an outline marked by different colour, not a cutout and filled with copper [ this is not present of course on your example.

Nambu tekki tsuba with a purpose! These cast iron plates would serve very well as 'sizzle' plates, I have a set myself [always five in a set] They are on the small size, like a saucer so you won't fit a big meal on them ! They turn up from time to time at reasonably cheap prices - the catch these days is the weight and shipping cost! https://www.jauce.com/auction/f486771757

Hi Tomas The 'Cloud Dragon' guards you have are perhaps the most common examples found, I believe they were made for practice swords or Mozo-to. Because your guards are cast you could first try simply boiling them in water for a while, if they don't 'clean up' you can try boiling in vinegar for five minutes, rinse in water and use a soft cotton cloth to dry. You will lose any patina but that is not really a factor in cast reproductions.

Hi Mauro, I have seen a few examples of your no. 8. One sold back on 28th March 2006, sale 1638 by Christies, formerly in the Metropolitan Museum collection. The picture quality is not great. Described as " Iron openwork ishime-ji tsuba with brass overlays on stylized foliage and brass rope rim" [ it and two dissimilar guards sold for $5,400 USD.] Ps. Remind me not to donate my collection to the Met - they will sell it off!

I sent Artemis a message about selling "authenticated" Chinese fakes. To their credit they have replied and the item has been removed from the auction. "If you see something - say something" If only eBay and others were as responsible! Artemis Gallery Ancient Art Sydelle Rubin-Dienstfrey Ph.D. Art History Mgr. Research & Writing Mgr. Fine Art Hello Dale, Thank you for this input. We will investigate this ASAP. With much appreciation, Sydelle

Yas I saw the same on Jauce. It is a very bad sign. I wonder where and how they obtained so many - from Christies themselves or a returned consignment? I agree with Barry it is a very bad practice selling empty boxes with hakonaki [especially with a Christies consignment sticker] The unscrupulous will load them up with repro's or fakes and demand big prices from the unwary. This is a similar practice as selling old Shinsa papers with no items, it is open to substitutions. I note the boxes have substitute linings and no cushions - what happened there? Also they all appear relatively new, they haven't been in some collection very long - ?

Well we have hit rock bottom with this little item - https://www.jauce.com/auction/524113488 The attached statement reads very funny. State Slightly scratched and dirty ★ ☆ Fake Important Cultural Property Chidori Chidori Figure Inferior Goods Bending Tsuba ★ ☆ Inferior Important Cultural Property Chidori Chidori Figure (Inferior Goods 1 ???? Yen) is exhibited .. Refer to the photo. Please make your own judgment. Does not include shooting jigs. Aluminum molded products Partially wooden or copper- covered rings Inferior goods have been sold. I bought it from a major company in Osaka . It is a very rare bending brim. Be careful of the staggered figure of the eastern rain, which is an important cultural property of modern inferior goods . Please do not buy this product ・ Purchased and received a bad evaluation ・ Distributor name: I want to keep the morals of one of the commandments." I have to believe the seller is having a shot at the original seller who sold him the piece, he really should name and shame! What he may have been trying to buy [if I have put the jigsaw back in place ] is this design, taken from "Japanese Swords" by Nobuo Ogasawara - the design appears in other publications [and I have always wanted one!]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Katana-Tsuba-Crab-Basket-Sword-Equipment-Japanese-Sword-Samurai-Antique-M638/284092202276?hash=item422536fd24:g:twoAAOSwr7RfvKtN https://www.ebay.com/itm/Katana-sword-guard-crab-basket-sword-equipment-Japanese-sword-prop-tsuba-h-292/274584701363?hash=item3fee8609b3:g:k9wAAOSwF2tfuPOy Two ebay sites with the same junk - right down to the same pictures used but by two sellers. https://www.jauce.com/auction/k493388709 Japanese, Jauce site. Also the same stock pictures used. No imagination. buyer beware!

Big name auction house pushing junk - https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/Japanese-edo-gilded-silvered-brass-tsuba-crab-46-c-3684f009c4 The last line of the description is very telling - 'authenticity' - you must be joking! Description East Asia, Japan, Edo Period, ca. 1603 to 1868 CE. An unusual basket-shaped gilded brass and silvered brass tsuba (hand guard) traditionally used with Japanese swords. The upper section features a gilt brass crab crawling over the basket, and the body of the tsuba presents an openwork brass basketweave design with a central blade opening (Nakago-ana) and a silvered brass rim. The crab is likely a reference the legend of Heikegani, the so-called samurai ghost crab. Heikegani is a species of crab that is native to Japan and possesses a pattern that is reminiscent of a human face. Given this, the Heikegani crab is thought to contain the souls of Heike samurai warriors who were killed during the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185 CE - an especially significant event in Japanese history that established the first shogunate. Size: 3" W x 3.4" H (7.6 cm x 8.6 cm) A tsuba is the hand guard of a traditional Japanese sword, usually a katana or tachi. Its primary purposes are to balance the sword, prevent one's hand from sliding down the blade and, as a last resort, as a block against an opponent's thrust or slash. However, as time and skills developed, the tsuba evolved into an artistic item and symbol representing wealth, prestige, or skills as a swordsman. Early tsuba, known as neri tsuba, were made of leather encased in an iron or wooden frame which was occasionally lacquered for strength and stability. Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired before 2000. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

Jesse. The tang hole [nakago-ana] is usually the giveaway on fakes, the poorer Chinese ones often have an ambiguous shaped hole that can almost be used upside down. With the cost of copper being up, most fakes are made of cheaper alloys. The colour [iroe] is also a giveaway, most Japanese tsuba have a subdued colouring not garish [ there are exceptions] It is a big learning curve and I doubt there is anyone on NMB who haven't bought a fake at sometime or other. With modern techniques many fakes are getting better and better, so we all need to look out! Brian is correct, the more you see the more you know - I am sure he can scroll through an auction site and automatically dismiss many of the fakes almost instantly. Me, I often need a second glance! There is another Chinese made fake here - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tsuba-Sword-Braces-Japanese-Swords-Flange-Weight-156/203232505876?hash=item2f5199f014:g:0K0AAOSwdytf6qmh - Chinese fake being sold from Japan, this is increasingly the case. You can spot it is fake very easily if you notice the hitsu-ana, it has casting spills into what should be clear space.