Katchushi tsuba

[Jesper]

Dear all,

I would like to ask for your opinion about this Katchuchi tsuba. The diameter is 93mm, including a good quality shakudo rim (mimi-gata), decorated with very fine lines.The Tsuba is very thin, ca 1.8 mm throughout the iron plate. The rim is ca 2.8 mm thick.  It is decorated with stars, suns(?) and flowers. The Tsuba has two elongated Hitsu-Ana which are irregular placed.

 

The thickness and shape indicate old age, but I bought it as an Utsushi-Mono, i.e. a legitimate emulation of an older work, rather common in the later part of the Edo period. I am however puzzled by the thin plate since they tend to be a little thicker on Edo period Tsuba. The patina is quite dry and it need some TLC.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Jesper

 

 

[Alex A]

Hi Jesper

 

The plate is thin, but is uniform, maybe too uniform for an early tsuba and not much wear. Seen another like it a few years ago, but without sukashi.

 

Utsushi-mono fits for me, but what do i know.

 

The stars and suns you describe reminds me of a rain and snow design that you see on Ko-Katchushi, but look too crisp to be that old.

[Kurikata]

In term of comparison with mine which is similar but without Kogai and Kozuka ana. Diameter is 10,50 cm.

[Jesper]

Thank you for your feedback, Alex and Bruno. Much appriciated. Very nice Tsuba, Bruno! Thank you for sharing.

 

I too, think it is a Utsushi-mono piece. Conditions may of course vary, but it has a newer feel to it. The plate seem too even and the surface does not look old enough, also compared with one of my own old Tsuba (with Hozon), see photo. My main question was concerning the use of very thin plates for Utsushi-mono of Katshuchi Tsuba, since they tend to be thicker in the Edo period.

 

Jesper

 

 

 

 

 

[Alex A]

I can see what your getting at regarding thickness, Jesper.

 

Maybe just an exception to the rule, as sometimes occurs. Sure there's been one or two utsushi over recent years with similar plate thickness.

 

You see Momoyama to early Edo this thin occasionally, but something telling me its not that old, but I have been around in circles a few times.

 

 

This type of tsuba can be difficult to work out, especially from images.