Tekkotsu?

[Aldwin]

Hello everyone,

 

I found this tsuba on an auction site, and I've been wondering if that is tekkotsu on the mimi (not quite sure on the surface)? Also, what could be the age, style, and school of this tsuba? There appears to be mei, but I'm not sure if its readable.

 

Appreciate any replies.

 

Thanks,

Aldwin

 

 

 

 

[Bungo]

arhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I see a face !!

 

Actually the surface shows the flowing grains of the iron. May be better pic of the mei ( could be a tosho )?

The mimi could be the same thing, showing the layering and grain. Iron Bones ? Not too sure about that, hard to see in pics, easier to feel/see when tsuba is in hands. ( just my opinion )

 

Milt

[Steve Waszak]

Hi Aldwin,

 

Interesting tsuba. Sorry, I can't quite make out the mei from the photos. And without examining the piece in hand, it's difficult to take a stab at identifying period, workshop, etc... However, from this vantage point, I would venture that this is an early-to-mid-19th-century Myochin guard. The iron appears to have been folded (I THINK I see some evidence of this in the sukashi walls), and the mokume treatment of the surfaces (including the mimi---I don't think what we see here is tekkotsu) would also point toward later Myochin. Interestingly, the guard also seems to have been given a yakite shitate finish. In fact, it may have been done post-signature, a la Yamakichibei, thus yielding this less-than-clearly-readable mei... Just a quasi-educated guess here... What are the dimensions of the tsuba, Aldwin?

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Ford Hallam]

Hmmm...I think this is a modern casting. What appear to be ( rather fluid ) folding lines is nothing more than the evidence of molten wax flowing into the mould that was taken from the original tsuba. The real give away is the fact that the inset bit of metal inside the kozuka hitsu is clearly part of the same metal as the rest of the guard, whereas it should be a bit of non-ferrous metal, copper or shakudo typically. I think there appears to be some evidence of the sekigane ( that was on the original ) at the top of the nakago ana too

 

The patina looks a bit too slick too and the lack of clarity of the mei is a consequence of the poor mould imprint.

 

 

 

Sorry...just my opinion.

[Aldwin]

Everyone, thanks. I really appreciate the replies.

 

Dimensions are 7.6cm x 7.7cm

 

Here's the link to the auction:

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r49416849

 

The real give away is the fact that the inset bit of metal inside the kozuka hitsu is clearly part of the same metal as the rest of the guard, whereas it should be a bit of non-ferrous metal, copper or shakudo typically. I think there appears to be some evidence of the sekigane ( that was on the original ) at the top of the nakago ana too

 

Thank you Ford for your observation. That taught me to examine a tsuba more closely, even if they are just pictures.

[Steve Waszak]

Good eye, Ford! ;o) Yep, didn't see that when I first looked...

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Ford Hallam]

Glad to have helped, Chaps. It's not pleasant to be the bearer of bad news but I always feel that knowledge is our best defence in this game.

 

The trouble with this sort of copy is that they are taken from mould of genuine articles and so, are at first glance, very convincing.

 

There have been a few, similar cast items discussed on these pages and I suppose it's just a matter of us all building up, an almost sub-conscious, knowledge base and check list of the possible warning signs.

 

regards, Ford