Monster Tsuba

Marius · February 2, 2017

Definitely one of the fattest tsuba ever

This baby is really big and fat. 9.4 x 9.3 x 0.9 cm at mimi. It is heavy, too with its 1.03 lbs (or 0.47 kg)

Slighly dished, remnants of black laquer and delicate punchings on the surface.

Don't ask me how it was used. I don't know if that's a katana or a tachi tsuba. One thing is sure - it was not mounted on a gunto

A rare tsuba, a cornerstone of a collection and a great conversation starter. I wonder what the NBTHK would say? Probabaly... "Tetsu tsuba"

In two pics you will see it next to a normal sized katana tsuba.

$495 incl. shipping, PP/bank fees inclusive.

This is a "one in a lifetime" tsuba. Ichi-go ichi-e if you will

christianmalterre · February 2, 2017

a real tart! this time!

this guard is very interesting indeed!

!

funny!

Christian

Toryu2020 · February 3, 2017

PM sent

Marius · February 3, 2017

HOLD

Jussi Ekholm · February 4, 2017

As we are not supposed to really comment on sales, would it be possible to post an image or 2 of this tsuba along with the measurements for discussion after the sales Marius? This is of course if the new owner will also agree on it too.

I had that thought immidiately when seeing this rare piece, like you said this is really a conversation starter.

dominnimod · February 9, 2017

As we are not supposed to really comment on sales, would it be possible to post an image or 2 of this tsuba along with the measurements for discussion after the sales Marius? This is of course if the new owner will also agree on it too.

I had that thought immidiately when seeing this rare piece, like you said this is really a conversation starter.

Maybe it could be an attempt to make an extremely long sword functional, taking down the point of balance?

Thierry BERNARD · February 9, 2017

I own this one

80.63 mm x 81.90 mm x 11.93 mm thick

419 grams near 1 lbs

Greg F · February 9, 2017

Thierry that Tsuba is awesome! What a beast. Thanks for sharing.

Greg

Marius · February 9, 2017

Justr to inform all that the tsuba has SOLD. I guess the new owner might want to discuss it here. He has my permission to use my pictures as he sees fit.

Thierry BERNARD · February 9, 2017

Thierry that Tsuba is awesome! What a beast. Thanks for sharing.

Greg

I'm not sure why it is so huge!!!

The seller said it was used for cutting tests, but I'm not really convinced

Thierry BERNARD · February 9, 2017

another of my monster tsuba

140 mm x 130 mm

490g

I think this one was an offering to a shrine or gods!

dominnimod · February 9, 2017

I'm not sure why it is so huge!!!

The seller said it was used for cutting tests, but I'm not really convinced

And if this super thick tsubas were part of some technic/school that involved the use of tsubas as a mace?

Marius · February 9, 2017

Offering seems the only answer. After all, some nodachi are impossible to use (way too heavy to handle) and their koshirae are so massive as if designed for giants.

Jussi Ekholm · February 9, 2017

I was thinking tameshi-tsuba for the one that Marius was selling. As it is very plain and the weight would be comparable to those listed in Seskos Tameshigiri book. Also as the nakago-ana is not too large so I would guess it was not for really big sword. I think it would fit quite well to description of tameshi-tsuba for wakizashi. Of course this is all just arm chair speculation.

Tengu1957 · February 9, 2017

I would agree that it's possible that it may have been used for tameshi. I wondered if the small cut out would have been used for a shim to help fit the various blades in the handle. I have a large copper one that is about 400 grams that I believe was used for tameshi. No other way to get the cutting results on smaller swords.

Gary

Brian · February 10, 2017

If the new owner is ok with discussing it, I can move it to the tosogu section. Otherwise, have to delete the sold listing.
Marius, can you check with him?

Toryu2020 · February 10, 2017

Still waiting on delivery but

If yall want to move this to Tosogu I have no problem.

-t

ROKUJURO · February 10, 2017

As far as I know, TAMESHI-GIRI was mostly done with a special TSUKA and no TSUBA..

Tengu1957 · February 10, 2017

The use of oversized Tsuba to add additional Weight to assist in the act of cutting is pretty well covered in Marcus Sesko's book on Tameshigiri. The oversized Tsuba isn't something I know much about but I have always thought of them as either Shrine dedication pieces , Tsuba for oversized shrine swords , or plain ones used for Tameshigiri.

Gary

Toryu2020 · February 16, 2017

I willl have to read that article by Markus,

The nakago ana is just too small to be useful for tameshigiri - i would expect a larger opening that could be modified with shims as suggested. This is wakizashi sized. If I had to guess I would say this was off of some Kikuchi-yari or other specialized weapon as it does not make sense as a sidearm. It is just too damn heavy...

-t

Bazza · February 17, 2017

I would agree that it's possible that it may have been used for tameshi. I wondered if the small cut out would have been used for a shim to help fit the various blades in the handle. I have a large copper one that is about 400 grams that I believe was used for tameshi. No other way to get the cutting results on smaller swords.

Gary

Hi Gary,

I have a strange heavy, copper tsuba weighing in at 340 grams. It has strange hitsu as well and a remnant of something that could be the remains of a lacquer coating. You show us yours and I'll show you mine!!!

BaZZa.

Tengu1957 · February 17, 2017

I will try and find out how to upload an image so I can send it. I have been buying cutting test blades over the last couple of years so I have been trying to find out about the methods used by the testers. There seems to be a wide range of tricks used to achieve results ( weighted Tsuka's , oversized Tsuba , etc. ). I have a shodai Kato Tsunatoshi wak that TaiTai was performed by Yamada Yoshitoshi with that is on the short side so I imagine some kind of device was used to increase the cutting ability.

Gary

kissakai · February 17, 2017

Hijack in progress

How about monster thickness?

No idea why it is thick

It is 67 x 66 x 5.6 / mimi = 12.5mm

Jussi Ekholm · February 19, 2017

I willl have to read that article by Markus,

The nakago ana is just too small to be useful for tameshigiri - i would expect a larger opening that could be modified with shims as suggested. This is wakizashi sized. If I had to guess I would say this was off of some Kikuchi-yari or other specialized weapon as it does not make sense as a sidearm. It is just too damn heavy...

-t

I think the wakizashi sized ana makes sense for it to be used as tameshi-tsuba for a small blade. On Markus' Tameshigiri book it says on tameshi-tsuba that for ko-wakizashi tameshi-tsuba should weigh about 560 - 750 grams and for wakizashi c. 200 - 450 grams.

Of course it could have been made for totally different purpose too.

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