Anyone who can make/copy a tsuba

[Yves]

Hi,

 

Are there smiths that can make a tsuba (smaller) size and copy it on a slightly larger size? 

[Geraint]

Dear Yves.

 

Are you asking about historical tsuba or are you looking for a contemporary maker?  If the first then yes, of course, just look up daisho tsuba.  If the later then I am sure there are several people who could do that for you.

Interesting to see how this works out for you.

 

All the best.

[Yves]

Hi, the intent is to have a recent purchase copied. The tsuba is 7,0x6,9 cm and needs to be around 8,0 cm to fit a katana. I think everything needs to be adapted with the same basic design and finish.

[Spartancrest]

Yves if you can supply an image of your tsuba we might be able to turn up a copy - 

[Stephen]

Maybe the one you posted on or am I mixed up 

 

 

[Yves]

Correct, that one

 

here more pictures : https://www.touken-m...uct/shousai/TSU-2417

[ROKUJURO]

Yves,

this is a fine TSUBA which would require a good hand of a master TSUBA maker.

I could supply a TSUBS blank in the desired size, made of old wrought iron, but I have to confess that I would not be able to make a good replica of yours.

You should ask Ford Hallam as the first address. 

[Ford Hallam]

Thanks for the recommendation Jean  but I'm I'm afraid I'm no longer available to do any commission work for anyone anymore. Besides, even if I was able to accept commission work I'd be faaaar too expensive for the Japanese tosogu collector market , the sad reality of economics vs the investment required to attain the ability to do the basic work. It looks like a simple enough piece but I'd be very impressed indeed to see a passable copy made by hand in iron today. 

[GRC]

Yves, it would likely cost you far less to be patient and wait for a larger period piece to turn up, rather than to have someone make you a new one.

I know these were made in fair quantity (I've seen a fair number come and go), but I'm not sure how often one pops up that that is appropriately sized for a katana. I've never really kept track of the sizes of these tsuba...

 

As has been stated many times throughout the existence of this forum, it is amazing how grossly underpriced these period pieces are.

You certainly couldn't have one made today for the price that a period original sells for (...unless we're talking about a masterpiece from a handful of top level smiths of course... then a modern repro would be cheaper).

 

Ah... I see Ford beat me to it while I was still typing  

 

It is unfortunate to see that Ford isn't doing commission work anymore though.

[OceanoNox]

Indeed, if made-to-order prices (or some that I have seen) are anything to go buy, the new tsuba could end up at least half the price of a gendaito.

The only place where you might have a chance at ordering a tsuba now remains Japan, but I have no idea about the price (as far as I know Paul Martin might be able to contact craftsmen for such an order).

 

On the topic of price, Kawami Norihisa has cited Alessandro Valignano who wrote that lord Otomo Sourin bought an iron tsuba for the equivalent of 4500 ducats. Swords would be bought for the equivalent of 3000~6000 ducats. Some conversions give the value of a 16th century ducat to about 148 USD. So the price of the tsuba was about 666,000 USD and the price of swords was in the range of 444,000~888,000 USD (due to how money was handled in the caste system, this may be a useless conversion).

[Yves]

Thanks all for the response. I think the tsuba is fairly intricate and although simple it has some features that are not easy to make. I will probably need to resort to buying a similar thickness tsuba and having it fit to the sword while I wait for another relative of this one in larger format to turn up. If anyone finds a larger copy of this one, let me know. 
I have similar thing going on with fittings. 

The thing here is, you only get one change to get a traditionally made sword correct and I don't really like the modern fittings. I like subtle but intricate design. I also think that ancient pieces are relatively cheap in comparison, but even those are not all created equal.