My first Tsuba

[Baryonyx]

My dad has very kindly bought me a set. He knew I was looking to start collecting, so imagine my surprise when I vidcalled him yesterday and he showed a set he had. He sent me some photo, too. They are apparently Edo period.

 

Now--I wonder if someone would be kind enough to give a quick glance and tell if they are real antique edo period, or reproductions? I would hate for them to be repros. 

 

Also, number six has lettering on it--that would be the makers name?

 

Thanks very much--I hope these are all real.

 

 

 

 

[PietroParis]

Sadly, they look like cast (as opposed to forged & chiseled) reproductions to me. Let's see what the others think.

[DoTanuki yokai]

It also looks for me they are all cast except the signed one that’s just in bad condition I think. 

[ROKUJURO]

Jack,

certainly your father bought these in good faith, but he was not well informed about the quality. In simple words, they do not look collectible.

[Baryonyx]

So, cast means that they are all modern reproductions?

 

My dad got them from an antiques site, I guess trusting they were good--I should see if he can get a refund? And maybe give him a pointer of where he can get one that is legit if he wants to get me one as a gift.

 

Thanks for the help

[Grey Doffin]

I think it is possible that more than just the one signed tsuba are real; maybe one or the other Namban also. However, all are low quality at best and nothing you should want to collect. Check sellers here on NMB, both on the For Sale forum and the dealers. You'll have no trouble finding much better.

Grey

[Brian]

Agree with Grey...good chance that more than one are genuine, but not the best. You can do better. Check his website for the real thing...LOTS of them, and decent prices.

[Baryonyx]

14 minutes ago, Grey Doffin said:

I think it is possible that more than just the one signed tsuba are real; maybe one or the other Namban also

 

Nanban is a new term for me--so a search tells me it is Japanese guards with foreign influence on the design?

 

So, the one with the person and the flower/plant design are Japanese designs--according to the Samurai Museum's website guide. And the signed one too.

 

So the Nanban ones would be pics 3 and 7?

 

 

Thanks for the help

[Baryonyx]

23 minutes ago, Brian said:

Check his website for the real thing...LOTS of them, and decent prices.

 

Thanks--I have a look through and many are in my budget for when I start buying myself.

 

I've budgeted a  portion of my youtube channel revenue each month to buy a few ($800 a month). So many on Grey's website fall within that budget--and some really nice ones too. It will likely be my go-to place to buy from. Some really nice ones too! Thanks for letting me know.

 

Are any of the ebay sellers and, the Samurai Museum store trustworthy sources? Browing ebay there are a few designs I like from Japanese sellers--I'm not sure if people here would consider them collectable, but I like the nice patterns. But after this post, I am worried that ebay too will be full of fakes marketed as real.

 

That is the case for the dinosaur fossils I also collect--for every good fossil, there's five dodgy wons. 

[Grey Doffin]

Thanks for the kind words folks. And Jack, 3 & 7 are the Namban. I would recommend you stay away from ebay until you know a lot more about this; buying what you like without knowledge is an easy way to buy a modern fake. I, and many of the other dealers on NMB, will never lie to you just to make a sale.

You could give some thought also to investing in a few books. The more you know about tsuba before you buy any, the happier you will be with what you get. There is no need to be in a hurry; there will always be good tsuba to collect.

Grey

[PietroParis]

59 minutes ago, Grey Doffin said:

You could give some thought also to investing in a few books. The more you know about tsuba before you buy any, the happier you will be with what you get. There is no need to be in a hurry; there will always be good tsuba to collect.

 

Wise words.

 

My suggestion (as a near-beginner myself) would be to start with Joe Earle's "Lethal Elegance" and Masayuki Sasano's "Early Japanese Sword Guards: Sukashi Tsuba"

[Bugyotsuji]

PS Your Dad bought these for you out of love and in good faith. You (and he) have to start somewhere, and that is just about where I started.

Just look at it as a first foot on the ladder, generally in the right ball park, and you’re learning from the folks here already. 

[Toryu2020]

Piers is right! Your dad has started you out on a terrific journey, and you are in the right place to find help along the way.

-t

[Baryonyx]

8 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

You could give some thought also to investing in a few books.

 

Thanks--I am going to a store today to hopefully get a few books. 

7 hours ago, PietroParis said:

My suggestion (as a near-beginner myself) would be to start with Joe Earle's "Lethal Elegance" and Masayuki Sasano's "Early Japanese Sword Guards: Sukashi Tsuba"

Thanks--I will add them to the list of books I should get.

 

7 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

PS Your Dad bought these for you out of love and in good faith. You (and he) have to start somewhere, and that is just about where I started.

 

Yes--I am very grateful and it is very good of him. 

 

 

My conundrum is, to tell him some of them are fakes--which will disappoint him. But then, if I don't--there's always the chance he'll buy from the same seller and I'd hate to see him waste his money.

 

I guess I won't tell him as I'd hate to disappoint him. But I will nudge him towards Grey's website closer to Christmas (his Christmas present is always some sort of collectible---either a dinosaur tooth or a rare coin which I also collect, but since he knows I am interested in collecting Tsuba too--I expect he will be on the look out) so if he does decide to buy a tsuba as a present, he will get it from a trusted source.

 

He is a collector too--autographs and Old West antiques. So I always get him an Old West-related item. Collecting is something we both enjoy.

 

Thanks for the help everyone.