"Wabi-Sabi" Surface Treatment ?

[Andi B.]

Hello all,

 

one thing I always wonder about is the surface treatment/appearence of tsuba.

Especially when a kind of "weathered" surface can be found.

 

For me as a western layman it's very difficult to distinguish between a weathered surface due to age and bad maintenance and a consciously made worn texture...

 

In below example I assume this surface has been designed the way it is:

On the one hand there are clearly visible man-made punch marks (like very coarse nanako) but on the other hand naturally/eroded-looking dimples. On the omote side at six and nine o'clock / ura at two o'clock the rim is clearly visible next to the dimples so I think the dimples have not been eaten away by rust.

 

Can someone confirm my assumption?

And what was the intention of the tsuba maker - a kind of wabi-sabi?

 

I would like to understand this singularity of (Tsuba) surfaces so is there any literature or information available about this topic (ideally related to nihonto or tosogu)?

 

Thanks!

[raven2]

Hi Andi,

 

I would agree with your assessment. This tsuba has not had any bad rust damage but was manufactured that way. You can always feel the surface and see if the patination is the same over the whole plate. That would indicate that it has aged at the same rate. Not what would happen if it were damaged by rust. I have a couple of tsuba that are very uneven like yours but the metal is smooth as butter when you feel them.