Tsuba for your consideration

[Brian]

Been a looooooong time since I bought anything. Recently 3 tsuba appeared on a local online auction site. I advised for what I thought was the best on (the Bushu tsuba recently posted) to a local collector acquaintance, and I think he got a bargain. The other 2 were just so-so.
However another popped up a few days ago, and I really liked the look.
Since it was under $100 shipped, I took a chance and received it today. Must say, I really like it. Nice dark iron with delicate sukashi. I think the colour is good too. I haven't given it light tlc yet, but will do so.
Anyways, I thought the punch marks to be fairly distinct and wondered if they are any kantei point, or are they just random. Maybe @Curran has an idea or anyone else?
Geese over grasses. I am suspecting this to be a plains of Musashi theme possibly. Size is 70 x 73mm.
Anyways, comments welcome. Thanks as always

[ChrisW]

Delicate sukashi with a heavy rim! Does it have tekkotsu?

Looks like a nice one, good catch!

[ROKUJURO]

Probably you won't find TEKKOTSU on a MIGAKI surface. It has a strong AKASAKA touch for me, so look into the SUKASHI openings top see if it is a SAN-MAI construction TSUBA (not soft metal SAN-MAI of course!

 

Rubbing it with a dry cotton rag for a while will clean the surface. The TAGANE marks are a bit rough (or even brutal) in my opinion.

 

A nice one for me too!

[ChrisW]

Thanks for the information Jean! I know so very little about tosugu so I have no idea which schools/eras of tsuba have tekkotsu.

[John A Stuart]

Not a kantei point I would say, just what is seen fairly often for fitting tightly. Nothing irritates as much as that jingling sound of iron tsuba. John

[Shugyosha]

Looks like Akasaka but the sukashi is more robust and the rim thicker so I’d guess Tosa Myochin. 

[FZ1]

2 hours ago, Brian said:

Been a looooooong time since I bought anything.

 

You spend too much time baby-sitting us lot Brian and not enough time buying! 

 

Jon

 

[Spartancrest]

Well Brian for $100 - you got a great piece! Anything really worth while these days are much more expensive - I keep saying even Chinese fakes are more expensive than that. 

I see it had been fitted at one time with sekigane, now gone, so to my mind it says it has been mounted at least twice - might help explain the heavy tagane both sides.

[Brian]

Thanks guys. Will try to take another pic or 2 over the weekend. I like this one a lot. It has a great feel in hand, light, delicate but a great design.
I do possibly see signs of a fold inside the ana.

[kissakai]

Now you have had some 'proper' reply's I'd like to add an observation.
On in the first image instead of calling it 'plains of Musashi' it should be 'planes of Musashi'
Shame I can't make this anonymous reply!

 

[Curran]

@Brian     A good Akasaka, in one of the mid generations.

This is a design they did in several versions, and I owned one long ago.

 

How thick is it?

Not able to see 3 layer construction inside the sukashi?

 

[Brian]

Thanks Curran, I was hoping for Akasaka. I'll post more dimensions tonight. Can't really see 3 layer construction, but there is some evidence of a fold or something. Will try picture it, maybe imagining it.
Love the feel in hand.
 

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes, I’d be happy to give that one a home. Akasaka I can see but the Tosa idea is interesting.

[Brian]

Pics from the original auction. Can see "something" inside the nakago ana, not sure if layering or otherwise. Tsuba is around 5.25mm thick, so about 0.20"
 

[Winchester]

I think it is really cool or nice. Thank you for sharing

[Marco]

@Curran @Brian I didn’t know about this “3 layers”  “kantei point”. Are the 3 layers a distinctive sign of all the Akasaka tsuba? Certain generations only?

 

Thanks in advance

[Curran]

Just now, Marco said:

@Curran @Brian I didn’t know about this “3 layers”  “kantei point”. Are the 3 layers a distinctive sign of all the Akasaka tsuba? Certain generations only?

 

Thanks in advance

 

A fair number of the middle generations. Not some of the earliest guys, and not some of the later guys.

[Marco]

Thanks @Curran for the answer. By searching for the “3 layers on akasaka tsuba”, I found this post in which they’re well visible (if this can help with this tsuba)