What is this, Ko Katchushi utsushi?

[Surfson]

This tsuba just went out on Yahoo. JP, and was a little interesting to me.  it seems to be well hammered and carefully made.  The sekigane are well placed.  The overall construction seems to have paid a lot of attention to shape and design.  I am guessing that it is a Ko Katchushi utsushi, mostly because it doesn't show any evidence that it was ever mounted.  It is odd to me that the flower sukashi at the top would have been partially covered by the tsuka and seppa since it encroaches on the seppa dai, and that gave me pause about whether it is a modern reproduction.  Is this less than it seems?

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Robert,

I think you are right, some doubt as to the age is allowed in this case. Looking closely at the pictures, I have the impression that originally a FUKURIN was mounted. So could well be a later attempt of a KACHUSHI design. The position of the upmost flower is an issue, too.

[Henry Wilson]

The sekigane suggests it has been mounted so I am not sure how you can conclude it appears to be not have been mounted

 

The design is quite busy so some might say Tosho despite the rim. A possible Edo revival. But from Yahoo JP??? If it is cheap yeah! But otherwise I'd stay away!!! If that is what you are asking.

[Tanto54]

Dear Robert,

 

It looks like the ha end of the nakago-ana was shifted significantly upward in a later mounting.  If you measure from the mune end to the center line and double that measurement, would it be long enough for a standard sword from that era?  In other words, I think the later mounting was for a much wider sword than the original (in terms of a mune to ha measurement), and most of the additional width was added at the top of the nakago-ana (and thereby causing the new seppa to encroach into the sukashi).

[Surfson]

Thanks Jean and Henry.  i agree that the sekigane gives the impression of it having been mounted, but there is absolutely no evidence, that I can see, of any change in patina or rust pattern from where a seppa would have been hugging it.  Mounting usually leaves a clear sign like that, and it can be used sometimes to distinguish Meiji pieces that were never mounted from Edo pieces, at least that is my impression.  It already sold for about $350 (I didn't buy it), but yes, not too much money, unless it is a modern reproduction.  As to the rim, it looks to me like it has a small and thin rim built into it.  Jean, why do you suppose that it had a fukurin?  

[Surfson]

Interesting hypothesis George!   What age/era do you all think this piece is from?  

[ROKUJURO]

......Jean, why do you suppose that it had a fukurin?  

The second photo shows clearly a tiny UCHI KAESHI MIMI in parallel with a shallow hammered groove. You would normally not see a groove when an UCHI KAESHI MIMI is formed by upsetting with a small hammer, so I assume that the groove was made to accommodate a DOTE MIMI or something similar. 

[vajo]

The Tsuba looks not centered. Maybe its altered badly?

 

 

The Tsuba itself looks nicely made

 

Edit: I mean the distance of the nakago ana to the mimi up and down, not the discentered blossom.

[FlorianB]

Here’s another example of Ko-Katchushi, this one with Juyo attribution. Note that the ornaments are close to the nakago-ana and would be hidden partially by the tsuka, too.

 

@ Chris: Isn’t an offset axis typical for elder tsuba following the idea of imperfection?

Florian

[vajo]

I dont know Florian. But when you compare with your Juyo tsuba you see the difference between the up and down distance of the tsuba.

Imperfection in design and motif - yes, but imperfection in funktion, no - i think.

[FlorianB]

Chris,

 

sorry, I misunderstood Your coloured lines, now I see Your point and of course You’re right. My idea referred to the design.

Florian

[Surfson]

Having had a look and thought about it, when do you think it was made guys?  

[vajo]

Robert you have much more experience. I don't think that it has much value when i said it looks (early / mid) Muromachi for me. When i compare this tsuba to others from this time i would say it looks like from that period. The Surface looks nice in my eyes. The plate is hammered thin and the mimi is broad. The motif is very common to ko-kachushi. But I'm really not an expert.

 

What does the price say? I think if someone have a ko-katchushi in his collection he should no what he have. And if it comes from yahoo.jp he sit in the heart of tosogu