Intriguing Daisho tsuba set on eBay

[Marius]

Hello,

 

 

Here is the link to the auction:

http://tinyurl.com/2omnpy

 

The tsubas look genuine, however, the red lacquer (?) makes them look really ugly (at least to me). What do you think of that pair? Have they been lacquered originally or is this an addition by some home-grown tsuba expert?

 

 

Best regards

[IanB]

Mariuszk,

The metal is not red lacquered but coloured by heating. To obtain this colour the base metal has to be copper, traces of other metals may well be beneficial but not essential. To get the colour the copper is heated to red heat then plunged into boiling water. The water has to be at a rolling boil to work properly. The colour is known as 'Royal Copper' in Europe.

 

Ian

[Ford Hallam]

The process, as so accurately described by Ian, is known as Hido (fire copper) in Japanese., or Hi-iro-do( fire colour copper) There is a slightly more complicated process, called miso-yaki, which produces a similar result. In both instances the red copper oxides are further complimented by patinating the areas which have not turned red by the more usual processes.

 

regards, Ford

[myochin]

Dear Ian & Ford,

 

This is very interesting.

How deep will the colour affect the plate? What I am wondering is, if the tsuba gets scratched, will you see the original colour of the plate?

 

Are there arny other colour techniques ?

 

Many thanks,

Paul.

[Marius]

The metal is not red lacquered but coloured by heating. To obtain this colour the base metal has to be copper, traces of other metals may well be beneficial but not essential. To get the colour the copper is heated to red heat then plunged into boiling water. The water has to be at a rolling boil to work properly. The colour is known as 'Royal Copper' in Europe.

 

Hi Ian,

 

many thanks :-) That's why I love this board - there is always something new to be learned :-)

 

Best regards

[IanB]

All, The red copper oxide, like the patination of all Japanese metals / alloys, is only a surface effect. Scratch it and you see the normal colour of metallic copper underneath.

 

Years ago, when I was a chemist in a research lab, I played around at patinating alloys. Information from Japan was very scarce in those days and fittings that had been polished bright by the ignorant were fairly common. The best I ever came up with was a simple solution of copper sulphate. The object to be patinated had to be chemically cleaned and then immersed into the solution just as it came up to the boil. This gave a good black with shakudo and a good grey with shibuichi. Unfortunately copper comes out pink, but left to oxidize in the air it soon assumed a nice foxy brown. The odd thing was that the solution had to be fresh each time. This effect may have something to do with dissolved oxygen in the water.

 

Ian

[Martin]

Hi,

 

I just came across this one and suppose that it was treated (patinated) the same way.

http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d77695393

 

cheers,

[Stephen]

think this is one of the most interesting set of tsuba ive seen in some time and the first that looks like this, Pete or Rich or Ford,can you tell us a bit more about this style? the under side looks like its somekind of mushroom? Has anyone see this before?

[Stephen]

tsuba guys got nothing to say???? maybe going after it first???? Humm

[Brian]

It is intriguing, isn't it?

I like it, and think the price will probably have a hefty jump near the end.

I don't think the underside is representing a mushroom...I think it might be the walls of a cave with that texturing.

Pretty unique, and the motif has that feeling of slightly commical imho.

 

Brian

[docliss]

In reply to Stephen's message(s), and in the knowledge that many of you may already know this, the delightful pair of tsuba is the work of Hamano Naotoshi (H 06821.0). This artist was a student of Hamano Naoyuki, and was working in Edo ca 1850.

 

Ref. Haynes' Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated

Artists, p. 1348.

Shosankenshu, p. 74, no 164.

Kinko Meikan,. p. 303a-b.

Bauer catalogue, # 416.

 

Regards, John L.

[Stephen]

what do you think the theme was button mushrooms or what?

[docliss]

I agree with Brian, and see the texturing on the back as representing the rock walls of a cave. Finally, as always, it is up to a personal interpretation, but I find it difficult to reconcile button mushrooms with the kawahori theme, seen as an image of good fortune, or prosperity.

 

Regards, John L.