Silver Mounted Tachi

[Dojikiri]

Hi  All,

I recently bought a silver mounted itomaki tachi (Bizen Kageyori), the silver mounts are all blaclened and resemble shakudo, I would have thought that shakudo would have given a better and more durable colour as well a being cheaper, any thoughts?

[Pete Klein]

Is it like this one?

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2012/12577koshirae.jpg

 

I would imagine that silver might be easier to work into complicated forms but of course Ford would be the one to comment on that due to experience.

 

Silver can be quite beautiful when left to develop it's patina over time as it is a complex of blues and grays as opposed to 'black' shakudo which of course can be beautiful in it's own right.  I have the feeling I would like the silver for myself.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Images?

[Gakusee]

If this is the Thomas del Mar auction sword (same as the Aoi one), that was a sweet deal. Good, refined hada on that sword, even though the blade was really polished down.

The koshirae on that sword also did not need extra work was decently patinated. Not pure silver in my view but also very good koshirae.

[Ray Singer]

This was the Thomas del Mar auction tachi.

 

[Pete Klein]

https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-mei-signature-is-kageyori/

[TETSUGENDO]

That  type of stiff and hesitant karakusa decoration is usually Meiji.

 

-S-

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

For What Little It's Worth

 

Looking at Pete's link my initial thought is this is some sort of silver/copper + 'maybe' even a touch of gold mix, (shibuichi). It would take a true pro, imo, to properly restore. I don't see shakudo here.

 

 

 

 

[TETSUGENDO]

Franco,

 

Yes Franco not Shakudo or Shibuichi, but as Micheal S. said a lower grade silver alloy (900/800 fine). Most of this later silver koshirae falls within these ranges.

 

-S-

[Ford Hallam]

While silver is somewhat more malleable than shakudo, and shakudo is very similar to copper,  I don't think the workability would have been a factor in choosing either.

 

As to patina on silver. What we see in a glossy black layer on silver is essentially silver sulphide. This is not a stable layer and in time will actually flake off. I'm sure most here will have seen that effect. One of the reasons it flakes off is that it is more brittle and inflexible compared to the underlying silver metal. Changes in temperature lead to different rates of expansion etc. and the layer becomes detached.  In addition, silver sulphide will, where it can, continue to develop and thereby continue to consume the underlying silver metal. This damage can be seen when the silver sulphide does flake off and the underlying silver is exposed as being rough. And then the process begins anew. So with this in mind I doubt that the patina we now see was intended when the koshirae was made.

 

There is another, non sulphur based, process that might have been used to give the silver a more mellow pewter type tone but that tends not to go black like this.

[Pete Klein]

"In addition, silver sulphide will, where it can, continue to develop and thereby continue to consume the underlying silver metal. This damage can be seen when the silver sulphide does flake off and the underlying silver is exposed as being rough. And then the process begins anew. So with this in mind I doubt that the patina we now see was intended when the koshirae was made".

 

A bit of a conundrum, what?  Wabi-sabi in process...!  LOL

[Dojikiri]

Hi,

Yes is the AoiArt tachi, luckily, by chance I found it in their online archive before the sale, it is listed there at 4.2m yen, Pete's page has it at 3.2m and 'HOLD' so Aoi dropped a million yen! The koshirae is certainly late and may be Meiji. Also very luckily Del Mar only discovered the Kageyori was a juto on the morning of the sale, too late to tell anybody.

 

I haven't posted any images as I can't better AoiArt's.

 

In the same sale I bought a Gassan Sadakatsu, also originally from Aoi, see below:

 

https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-osaka-junin-gassan-sadakatsu-kin-hori-dosaku/

 

Alan

[Gakusee]

Well done, Alan, on both fronts. You did well. Enjoy them.

I saw the koshirae before the auction. The Del Mar photos do not do it justice and in fact the patina is not quite as dark.

The Aoi photos are closer to reality.