Several questions about a tsuba

[andreYes]

Dear specialists,

Let me ask about a tsuba.

 

I don't think that it is of a great value, but I like it, and some points arouse questions.

 

1. First of all I'd like to hear general opinion about this tsuba: style, time, authenticity, etc. (the mei is translated, thanks to Bugyotsuji, as "O-tsuki Mitsuhiro").

 

 

 

 

 

2. The hitsu ana are sawed very inaccurate, especially if comparing to nakago ana. Could it signify, that they are made later?

 

 

 

 

3. There are a lot of scratches on the surface. Some of them goes under the rim. Why? Maybe the rim has been made later too?

 

 

 

 

4. What is it made of? It looks like some copper alloy (shakudo?): the surface is very dark, there is some green spots, like copper oxide. But under several scratches there is bright yellow color, that looks not like copper (in my unprofessional opinion).

 

 

 

 

Thanks for any opinions...

[remzy]

ahAH! i cannot tell you what the metal is or the date of creation but what i CAN tell you is that these on the tsuba are Ginkgo "almonds"! they are not really a seed as the ginkgo has eggs, but the Japanese and chinese hate the harder part of the eggs as delicaty in merry occasions such as marriage and the like. These "almonds" are still eaten today and still are a delicaty, but eating too much can cause tummy hache so.. dont gulp down too much!

Heres a picture from one of my book about ginkgo.

 

I dont recall ever seeing such a design before, the craftmanship is passable but i like the theme.

Theres always a chance that i might be wrong but i think im right this time.

[Nobody]

At the first glance, I thought the motif was walnuts.

[remzy]

Maybe im going nuts!

 

[Gabriel L]

Argh, I *know* I have seen a nice rendition of this exact theme before, but I cannot for the life of me track it down. I will post again if I find it.

 

[update]: Haha! Now I know why I had so much trouble finding it, I didn't see a tsuba with this theme before - rather, the fittings of a daisho koshirae on page 55 of the Japanese-language book "Edo no Token Koshirae" by Ide. A scan is attached for your translating pleasure.

 

PS - I never realized what those things were - I think I might have been assuming they were horseshoes. In my defense, they are tiny on the actual page! :lol:

[andreYes]

Thank you, Gabriel! The ornament looks identical with the one on tsuba. It's interesting to translate the text now.

 

About the motif, I think it's most probably the Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica).

[docliss]

Andrey’s tsuba does indeed bear the inscription OTSUKI MITSUHIRO with kao. This is the name of an artist (H 05188.0) who became the fifth master of the Otsuki school. Born in 1795 and dying, at the age of 47, in 1841, he was the first son of O. Mitsutoki. However …

 

I very much doubt if this is a genuine work by the master, rated as Jōkō, whose work, mainly consisting of katakiri-bori but also comprising incrustation and inlay, was of an extremely high standard.

 

His mei is illustrated on p. 405a-d of Kinkō Meikan, and there are several differences between these and that on Andrey’s tsuba, both in the ‘tsuki’ and ‘hiro’ kanji and especially in the kao. Do the other board members agree with me that this is gimei work?

 

Incidentally, is there some inlay missing at 12 o’clock on the ura surface of Andrey’s tsuba - it has certainly had a hard life?

 

Regards, John L.

[Brian]

John,

 

Agreed there is no way this is of the Otsuki school, and definitely by the master himself. One of the top kinko makers and quality should be of the highest level. Obviously gimei. The nanako is not done very well, and the kozuka/kogai ana do look like they might have been cut quite amateurishly.

I don't think the walnuts have been done too badly, and I am sure they looked quite good when new, but it has suffered quite a bit over time. Not sure of the material. Shakudo maybe?

 

Brian

[Guido]

Not sure of the material. Shakudo maybe?

If Shakudô could be cast, maybe yes ...

[andreYes]

If Shakudô could be cast, maybe yes ...

 

Why do you think it's cast?

[Guido]

If Shakudô could be cast, maybe yes ...

Why do you think it's cast?

My great-uncle used to own a foundry, and occasionally I worked there during summer breaks. This Tsuba shows, IMO, all the marks (pun intedended) of a cast piece (including the little air bubbles that develop if not done properly). Either that, or someone went crazy on it with a wire brush and kind of re-patinated it afterwards. However, in that case the copper color of unpatinated Shakudô should show, not the silverish material it does now.

[andreYes]

If Shakudô could be cast, maybe yes ...

Why do you think it's cast?

My great-uncle used to own a foundry, and occasionally I worked there during summer breaks. This Tsuba shows, IMO, all the marks (pun intedended) of a cast piece (including the little air bubbles that develop if not done properly). Either that, or someone went crazy on it with a wire brush and kind of re-patinated it afterwards. However, in that case the copper color of unpatinated Shakudô should show, not the silverish material it does now.

I think you are not quite right: the dots which looks like air bubbles - it seems to me that it's scratches and corrosion traces - all the surface is very shabby.

If you mean the silverish material on the rim - it's a separate part, made of another material than the main plate, which is very dark brown, with yellow and red (like copper) spots on some scratches.