Cast copper Tsuba?

[tomt]

Hello everyone,

 

Im pretty new to collecting so i dont know too much, but i did recently pick up this set of Tsuba for practically nothing from an estate sale.

They appear to be copper or bronze and are obviously cast, but i havent been able to find many other examples of cast copper or bronze tsubas online.

 

Im guessing they are definitely fakes, but they are quite intricate and with a clean up would be pretty nice to look at.

If anyone has some more info on these that would be fantastic, like when or where they might have come from?

 

Also any good tips on cleaning them?

 

Thanks in advance 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Geraint]

Dear Thomas.

 

Welcome to NMB!  You are quite right these are cast tsuba and in this case that makes them 'reproductions'.  The casting seams, or flash, are quite evident.  There are some genuine cast tsuba but none that would be left so raw.  If you want to dip your toe in the water you might enjoy this as a starting point.  http://www.shibuiswords.com/tsuba.htm

 

All the best.

[Spartancrest]

Hi Tomas

The 'Cloud Dragon' guards you have are perhaps the most common examples found, I believe they were made for practice swords or Mozo-to. Because your guards are cast you could first try simply boiling them in water for a while, if they don't 'clean up' you can try boiling in vinegar for five minutes, rinse in water and use a soft cotton cloth to dry. You will lose any patina but that is not really a factor in cast reproductions.

[tomt]

3 hours ago, Geraint said:

Dear Thomas.

 

Welcome to NMB!  You are quite right these are cast tsuba and in this case that makes them 'reproductions'.  The casting seams, or flash, are quite evident.  There are some genuine cast tsuba but none that would be left so raw.  If you want to dip your toe in the water you might enjoy this as a starting point.  http://www.shibuiswords.com/tsuba.htm

 

All the best.

 

Thanks for info, ill definity check it out.

 

1 hour ago, Spartancrest said:

Hi Tomas

The 'Cloud Dragon' guards you have are perhaps the most common examples found, I believe they were made for practice swords or Mozo-to. Because your guards are cast you could first try simply boiling them in water for a while, if they don't 'clean up' you can try boiling in vinegar for five minutes, rinse in water and use a soft cotton cloth to dry. You will lose any patina but that is not really a factor in cast reproductions.

 

Cheers for the info, so that means they were likely made in Japan quite recently?

and yeah, dont really care about the patina

[Spartancrest]

I am sorry I should have said those guards could be up to 70 years old, they started production in the 1950s as far as I can ascertain - 30 more years and you will have some 'genuine' antiques.