Suggestions about these two tsuba please?

[Geraint]

Hi All.

 

The images below are of two tsuba, one is copper, 75mm x 68mm x 7 at the mimi. The plate bears a stamped pattern, the single hitsu ana is plugged with shakudo and the applied rim is roped. The other face is identical but bears heavy punch marks to adjust the nakago ana. The second is solid, blue - black shakudo, much better in hand than in the image, 72mm x 68mm x 5mm, slight fullness near the nakago ana tapering just a littel towards the mimi, the surface worked with very regular and well formed grooves, the mimi similarly decorated with grooves running around the circumference.

 

I have come across a similar example for tsuba 1 but nothing like tsuba 2. Both are on swords with complimentary koshirae. I would love to know your thoughts on these.

 

Many thanks.

[Lindus]

Have always found the second Tsuba an interesting item,some years ago it was suggested that it would be worth putting it into shinsa.

I know there are some good Tsuba men out there,any thoughts on this?.

[Soshin]

Hi Geraint,

 

Both look to me (i.e. opinion) like middle to late Edo Period kinko tsuba about average quality for the time period. The second one might just get a attribution to Kinko if submitted for shinsa. I not sure I can get any more specific as this is not my area of focus for my collection and both are not signed which does help.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[Lindus]

It is interesting that we have many posts re the quality of nanako,when you see the the skill required to cut these lines although perhaps not that in top nanako it is very good indeed.

Agree that this is a rare design and cannot understand why it would not have had a seppa dai or signature.

[Lindus]

Surprised that little comment has been made on the Shakudo Tsuba,perhaps John or Ford may wish to offer an opinion?, just idle curiosity as it is so unusual.

Roy

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning all

 

May I suggest that the second tsuba's parallel lines are a later addition, much in the same way as the Victorian Silversmiths created "Berry spoons" from their Georgian forebears' work.

 

The reason there is no seppa dai being one of financial economy?

 

Just a thought.

 

Cheers

[DirkO]

A similar tsuba sold recently on eBay - they do pop up every now and then

 

 

[Baka Gaijin]

Good afternoon all,

 

Hi Dirk, the parallel lines on the example you show represent rain I think.

 

Cheers