Copper Gunto Pierced Tsuba

[hxv]

Greetings,

 

How common is it to see a pierced shingunto copper tsuba? And all fittings on a shingunto koshirae (including menuki) made of copper?

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[lonely panet]

Hi hxv,

well iv never seen it, but I am only one person. But I do have a rare cast iron shin gunto tsuba, and have seen a complete gunto koshire made out of iron, so nothing is impossible, why do you ask?

[Geraint]

Dear Hoanh,

 

I have been lead to believe that they are associated with early versions of the mount but that is worth checking.  I have one which sounds a littel like the one you describe which houses an earlier signed wakizashi.

 

All the best.

[Bazza]

Geraint,

 

Pardon me expressing an opinion from just one photograph, but the tsuba you show is IMHO a usual brass one with a copper-coloured coating, a lacquer or some such.  This indicates a very well-preserved koshirae.  What gives me this impression is the wear on the tsuba point to the right of the release button in the image that shows a brass colour.

 

Bestests,

BaZZa.

[Geraint]

Ouch!  Spot on Bazza. I was all set to blame my photography skills until I went and checked.  Must be slipping, it rings like a bell!

 

Well spotted, I'll just go off now and stick my head in a bucket.

[lonely panet]

bazza is dead on the money, look inside nakago ana in the tsuba and it will probably show you bronze/brass.

 

for a minute I thought  it was something unusal

[Dave R]

 Like this one. It would be interesting to know just what this finish is, lacquer or plating?

[hxv]

I have a shingunto tsuba that looks like copper. The seppa dai, covered for years by the seppa, also shows copper color. It's hard to take a good look on the walls of the nakago ana, but I will take macro photos and post tomorrow.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[lonely panet]

simular to daves,

 

I would say copper plate

[hxv]

Here are photos of the tsuba at different angles and locations.  I would be interested to learn your opinions.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

 

[lonely panet]

its the " run of the mill" pierced shin gunto tsuba. the copper plate that was mentioned earlier, is almost gone, but you can see it in places.

 

the base metal is bronze/brass. sorry nothing exotic

[hxv]

Thank you Hamish.

 

Hoanh

[Stephen]

up side sukashi gunto tsuba are worth more and often come on early better gunto/ gendaito blades

[Bruce Pennington]

I'm reading my newly acquired Fuller & Gregory, and they thought that the pierced tsuba was reserved for more senior officers. I've never seen nor heard that anywhere else, but that's what they thought. I picked a nice one up to put on my dad's Mantetsu Koa Issin blade that was missing a tsuba. I put a company grade tassel on it, though, becuase I couldn't afford the $500 for a field grade tassel!