roger dundas Posted January 18, 2022 Report Posted January 18, 2022 Please excuse my ignorance but just how easy is it to differentiate between an Edo period casting and a post Edo casting ? The damn things are just a nuisance for such as me and why I try to keep clear of tsuba such as these. Roger j Quote
GRC Posted January 18, 2022 Report Posted January 18, 2022 Roger, I wouldn't have the faintest idea... Maybe some have more of a "look of age"? Maybe the Shinsa groups are already aware of certain types that were produced in the Edo era? But I certainly can't pick anything out just by looking at online images of cast tsuba. They just look "cast" to me. And even then, we've seen some examples where you've gotta look pretty damn close to the details because they're really well done. Quote
Tanto54 Posted January 18, 2022 Report Posted January 18, 2022 Dear Roger, the Edo castings are usually sand castings and have surfaces like cast iron (unless significantly worked after casting). The kinko modern castings are often made using vulcanized rubber molds and wax injection to make the models and then spin or vacuum casted. Those techniques leave traces like spurs, mold lines, positive bubbles (like tiny dew drops on the surface - especially in crevices), porosity, etc. that are different from the old ways of casting. However, they can copy details down to the level of fingerprints, so they are often difficult to spot. Those modern molding techniques have only been around for 30-40 years, so the tsuba showing those telltale signs are modern fakes. Other signs are the painted on gold/silver highlights that show up on many of them, cast in place sekigane or plugs, and the identical "damage" on multiple copies. 1 1 Quote
GRC Posted January 18, 2022 Report Posted January 18, 2022 Thanks for digging that gold coated Tengu one up Dale! I had lost track of it. Also, just for comparison, the all-iron Tengu I posted sold for roughly 73000 yen! George: "many of the Japanese experts are not well versed in these cast fakes either (it is a different skill set - more in the realm of gold-smithing than in tsuba kantei), so mistakes can be made (even by the best...)" Very good point. Even experts are not infallible. 1 Quote
Brian Posted January 18, 2022 Report Posted January 18, 2022 Does anyone remember @Ford Hallam's views on "Edo cast tsuba" ? Hmmm 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted January 18, 2022 Author Report Posted January 18, 2022 I am already cringing. 1 Quote
roger dundas Posted January 18, 2022 Report Posted January 18, 2022 Thank you George M- a good explanation. Roger j Quote
Spartancrest Posted February 6, 2022 Author Report Posted February 6, 2022 Can anyone spot the difference between this - - and this- apart from the scratches? Answer is 30,500 yen https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1025366646 + https://www.jauce.com/auction/k1036012236 Ok so what about this one compared to this one Answer is 48,600 yen [the rusty plain one is the more expensive!] https://www.jauce.com/auction/t1035229661 + https://www.jauce.com/auction/w1035433253 Talk about price gouging these two designs are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to modern fakes. I have to give thanks to Roger Dundas who sent me an example of the gilded guard [same as that at the top] to examine. 2 Quote
Spartancrest Posted March 6, 2022 Author Report Posted March 6, 2022 If you are going to sell a fake or a copy - make sure you don't try selling it in the same week as an original [well it may be?] https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1040967621 https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1041114148 https://www.jauce.com/auction/t1040720200 Three copies, and ugly cranes at that! Two are reputed to be by Kano Natsuo [if true he was having a really really bad day!] 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted March 8, 2022 Author Report Posted March 8, 2022 Says it all really! https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1041437745 1 Quote
IanB Posted March 8, 2022 Report Posted March 8, 2022 During the Edo period the Japanese devised a lost-wax technique for producing superb quality castings. The description (in 'Silverwork and jewellery' by H. Wilson) related to castings of bronze, but could probably be used for iron as well. Essentially the method was to enclose the wax model with a thin layer of very fine clay into which paper fibres had been incorporated. This was then reinforced with a thicker layer of clay mixed with straw to support the paper-filled layer. When heated to melt out the wax the paper fibres and straw burnt away leaving a porous surface inside the mould that allowed gasses to escape but not the molten metal. There would inevitably be a sprue where the molten metal was poured in that needed to be cut off and the area cleaned up, but all the rest of the casting would have a smooth surface needing little or no finishing work. Ian Bottomley 2 Quote
Spartancrest Posted March 13, 2022 Author Report Posted March 13, 2022 Very expensive drink coaster - that will likely spill your drink into the bargain ! https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1042220390 50,000 yen - yeah right! 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted March 24, 2022 Author Report Posted March 24, 2022 Colour in your own fake! I can't see a lot of skill in the paint job of this numerous copy. https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1044108364 1 Quote
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