Did craftsmen make multiple copies of Kazuka handles? is mine fake?

[Antonis]

Hello everyone, 

 

I just found an almost identical Kazuka to one from my collection, on sale on eBay.  The only difference between them is that mine is in far worse condition and has lost all its gilding although some hints remain.

 

I thought that sword fittings were unique works made only once. was I wrong to believe this? 

Does this mean that both kazuka on sale and the one in my collection are fakes?

 

I would be grateful if anyone could help me out and share their knowledge on the matter,

all the best Antonis.

 

The measurement of my kazuka are: 9.5x1.4x0.4 cm

link to the kazuka on sale: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295440264438?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20220705100511%26meid%3Da452f35235e549e182cc6d14686a6028%26pid%3D101524%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D295440264438%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26algv%3DRecentlyViewedItemsV2&_trksid=p2380057.c101524.m146925&_trkparms=pageci%3A0b3c4bec-8ae8-11ed-9cc8-ca82da2975da|parentrq%3A747aaace1850a1b42751b7f3fffb0b8b|iid%3A1

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

The Japanese have a long tradition of "Utsushi" - which at its simplest is to make an 'emulation' [not a copy]. There is usually some little difference between the 'original' and the later model though sometimes it is darn hard to find the difference.  There were also a lot of copies made but these were usually meant to deceive the uninformed [ie. Europeans!]. There are numerous examples with tsuba where the 'original' design was made over and over again by either students or even different schools. I have seen Fuchi/Kashira utsushi so it is not unlikely that many other parts were likewise made with the same designs. 

I don't collect Kozuka  [not Kazuka ] so I can't help from that aspect. 

 

https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/unai-no-tomo

 

 

As for Utsushi - this is just one example of Tiger tsuba - and my book is already 220 pages of other utsushi designs including one example of 'rain dragon' where I have 98 examples each entirely the same design but each one individual in execution. [hoping to make it 100 to round it off this year!]

 

[Shugyosha]

Hi Antonis,

As Dale has illustrated, there were books of designs available to purchase in the Edo period so that craftsmen had something to work from. Whilst they may produce original designs to satisfy a specific commission, lots of items where knocked out to be bought "off the shelf" and the term is shiiremono - thread on this here:

 

 

Also, aluding to what Dale says, designs by top craftsmen were very much in demand but outside the price ranges of many purchasers. So whilst some utsushi might have been made as a respectful study of the orignal item, others were simply copies of designs put out by the best makers to satisfy a demand.

 

All that said, there's nothing wrong with your kozuka and it isn't a modern copy but may be an Edo period one.

[Matsunoki]

Many “kozuka” were made cheaply and non traditionally in the Meiji period for sale to foreigners. They are often found as handles on cutlery sets intended for Western consumption. It is very common to find exactly the same design used more than once within the same boxed set of knives, forks etc.

The method of production is to use a solid substantial back plate with the front plate simply being a pressing stamped from a thinner sheet of various metals. The design can be convincingly mulitpatinated and gilded to give the impression of a traditionally made item. I believe they are called “shiremono”….but I may have spelt it wrongly.

Of course as multiples are pressed from the same mould they are exactly the same.

The “kozuka” in question here does look like such a pressing and a quick glance suggests it is exactly the same as the one for sale looking at the background pattern especially.

Just an opinion …….but hook your fingernail into the blade aperture and see if the front edge of the top plate has a lip on it where it has been rolled over to give the appearance of a thicker plate of metal.

[Rivkin]

I am sorry to say I don't get the point...

Tsuba and kozuka makers made money by selling practical items which were also artistic, not by issuing a guarantee that each kozuka is one of a kind. There are hundreds of near identical kinai or soten tsuba.

Hundreds of near identical dragon or sea shells kozuka. Hundreds of identical ones with scenes from Heike monogatari. Which is why you can't 100% identify the Goto generation even if yours is a very decent match for the one in the book.

If the motif sold well, you made another.

And there are a lot of low grade kozuka - its just a knife.

[Matsunoki]

Antonis

Here are a couple of examples of the “fake” pressed kozuka that I refer to. I am sorry to say I believe yours is one such piece….but I do understand your question….you simply wish to learn and I wish you all the best. 

[Antonis]

Thank you all for your responses!

I shall read them now!

[Antonis]

Thank you all for the information you shared with me!

 

With everything that has been shared on this topic, I believe my kozuka is most likely a Meiji-period souvenir...

I have another kozuka with its blade still in which I feel a lot more confident in being authentic.

 

I would appreciate it if anyone could help with identifying it as an original or an other Meiji reproduction.

 

Thanks again,

Antonis