beakner Posted October 10, 2013 Report Posted October 10, 2013 I have a question. I have a tachi tsuka. It seems like good quality I'm sure it is Japanese Meiji or Gendai era with hand engraved fittings. Upon removing the rotton ito - the dragon menuki were found to be solid on the back? As the pic's show...The original ito is old , brittle & has had repairs. The ito was even worn through to the 'pads' in the high areas, so it seems to have good age, Any idea when they started making solid castings? Thanks, Beakner Quote
runagmc Posted October 11, 2013 Report Posted October 11, 2013 Hi Beakner, Well I'm not really the one to answer this question, but since your post has gone unanswered I will just say that I think cast menuki have been made in some form or another, maybe on and off, for hundreds of years. That said, it isn't seen as the traditional way. The traditional way is called uchidashi, and it's similar to repousse... Maybe someone more knowledgeable in menuki can give you a more thorough answer... Quote
Geraint Posted October 25, 2013 Report Posted October 25, 2013 Just a thought, are you certain that they are solid cast metal? From time to time menuki do seem to appear with the back filled with different substances, if this is a later koshirae as you suggest and as it seems to be, I would have expected pressed metal menuki if anything...........? Quote
beakner Posted October 26, 2013 Author Report Posted October 26, 2013 Hello, Now it seems that they are earlier than I thought. They are apparently castings from an important earlier pair cast in gold...these are cast in brass or bronze & then guilded. Thank you for the imput....Beakner Quote
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