ICHINOMIYA NAGATSUNE TSUBA?

[Tlognaws]

Hello everyone,

 

I have just got this tsuba recently. It's a very good iron tsuba to me, showing very bold design and composition. Also it present confident technique with a beautiful and quite matching mei of Nagatsune.

 

Could anyone tell me your opinion on this? I have seen many of gimei Nagatsune out there, any chance that this could be a gimei too?

[Tlognaws]

Closer look into the mei

[Tlognaws]

[Brian]

Quality is fantastic. Can't verify the mei, but the work belongs to a really good maker.
@Ford Hallam?

[Franco]

Checking Sesko's Meikan - sword fittings, am not seeing anything that gives confidence to the mei on this tsuba. 

 

Other sources?

 

Regards,

[Tlognaws]

22 minutes ago, Franco D said:

Checking Sesko's Meikan - sword fittings, am not seeing anything that gives confidence to the mei on this tsuba. 

 

Other sources?

 

Regards,

Hi Franco, Markus has a great book which is translated from Wakayama Takeshi researching into Nagatsune life ( published 1985). There are several recorded mei that can use to compare to the mei on this tsuba ( although I find them a little bit different to each other)

 

I have attached them below.

[Brian]

I agree, the mei doesn't match. But still feel the quality is very decent.

[b.hennick]

It has a very new feeling for me.

[Grey Doffin]

The tsuba has an ishime like finish: tiny pebbled or hammer worked. However, the surface doesn't look right for ishime and it appears the finish carries over into the mei, especially into the kao, which wouldn't be the case if the mei were chisled. I'm going to stick my head way out and suggest that this may be a cast copy. Hope I'm wrong and waiting to see what those more knowledgeable have to say.

Grey

[Tlognaws]

6 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

The tsuba has an ishime like finish: tiny pebbled or hammer worked. However, the surface doesn't look right for ishime and it appears the finish carries over into the mei, especially into the kao, which wouldn't be the case if the mei were chisled. I'm going to stick my head way out and suggest that this may be a cast copy. Hope I'm wrong and waiting to see what those more knowledgeable have to say.

Grey

Hi Grey, thanks very much for your opinion. I thought the grainy surface here is quite common traditional Japanese patina finishing on iron, and was proceeded very carefully. I'm not sure about the name of it, but I have seen various of iron tsuba with same looking surfaces.

 

As i observed the process of making iron tsuba, they did engrave the mei before leaving the whole tsuba for rusting, then scrub it with brush, and repeat the task several times to get perfect and even surfaces. The inner line of mei then exposed a little bit grainy.

 

I have a comparison below to another Yanagawa Naoharu iron tsuba from MFA with same surface finishing. 

[Spartancrest]

7 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

I'm going to stick my head way out and suggest that this may be a cast copy.

If I have one 'problem' with it, it looks too good? Except for the paint job? Would an artist make this bad a mistake when applying the gilding?

 

I know another Nagatsune - [Minamotono Nagatsune] a design that has been widely copied and mass produced, it has fooled museum "experts" for years.

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/231724343316551362/

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/Japanese-tsuba-oni-and-priest-large-katana

https://www.eldreds.com/auction-lot/inlaid-iron-nade-gaku-hokei-tsuba-by-sekizan-depi_75E43C99FB  - This Fake sold for $1,300.00

https://www.catawiki.com/sv/l/63441801-tsuba-jarn-Japan-edoperioden-1600-1868 - this one sold for €500

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175279807811 - the basic un-coloured version

For the Italian speakers out there - http://www.intk-token.it/forum/index.php?/topic/7940-unaltra-tsuba-e-un-pò-di-più/  I hope the facts don't upset the owner too much!

 

Anyone interested I can find you twenty or thirty on ebay, Jauce, Buyee - you name it!

 

[Franco]

7 hours ago, Grey Doffin said:

I'm going to stick my head way out and suggest that this may be a cast copy.

 

My first thought was reproduction although, I'm uncertain of method. 

[Tlognaws]

38 minutes ago, Franco D said:

 

My first thought was reproduction although, I'm uncertain of method. 

This tsuba could be an reproduction at my first thought, too. However I'm quite impressive with how the maker present his skill on the piece. 

 

Below is an focusing on super tiny strokes ( may be hammering) outside fingers of the Oni, to lower the tone of the area, make them more textured and highlight shapes next to them. This is done delicately and completely on purpose.

[Franco]

Suggest doing a search on Nagatsune tsuba, then click on images. It is important to train one's eye. 

[Brian]

But it's equally important to disregard a signature and focus on the work itself and how it is done.
If not by the maker represented, imho it still stands as very decent work, and far above the usual mass produced works we often see.
I still don't see this as modern, or mass produced. The patina, the contouring (look at the eyelids) and the flow of the strokes still strikes me as very competent work. Of course I could be completely wrong...and I have no better judgement than anyone here, so it's just my opinion.
Not master work, but not a cheap quickly made tsuba?

[Matsunoki]

Tlognaws

This is going to sound a stupid request, but would you just confirm that a magnet sticks to this tsuba please?