Copper Tsuba - Please share Yours or any feedback

[Winchester]

Hope all is well wherever this note finds you. 
 

I feel very lucky to have purchased this a year or so ago from Stephen. I really like it and the design and would like to get a little push in the right direction on how to properly study copper tsuba, et cetera.

 

May you briefly share the history? Are there books I can order online that are specific to copper? 
 

What differentiates good to great in the carving? Are there makers that mastered this media?

 

Just some general questions to maybe give an idea —and hopefully it helps others too with similar questions.

 

i got side tracked on other tosugu stuff and forgot to circle back to learn more about copper fittings. Thanks for any feedback and please share yours!!!!

 

Respectfully,

 

Brian

 

[Matsunoki]

Brian, have a scroll through this link. You might need to do it more than once!

https://www.bonhams....t&query=Copper+tsuba

[Andi B.]

Copper Shishi & Tiger:

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Just a quick word of warning to anyone out there who might not be aware. Recently I was admiring some 'copper' tsuba in the magnificent tsuba exhibition at Osafune Sword Museum. "Those are shinchu" (a kind of brass), the guide said. "Over the centuries they turn to a reddish copper colo(u)r, but that is the resultant patina, irreplaceable."

[Spartancrest]

To be honest I find it very difficult to tell a copper guard from other kinko metals that are patinated. Some I have are almost black while others are brassy, what defines copper with impurities from one that has had other metals added deliberately? Is there a cut off point between the different alloys and more important are the guidelines set in stone or somewhat 'fluid'?

 

 

 

 

Brian is that a Darren Harvey tsuba stand you have your guard displayed on? - Nice!

[Winchester]

Hi Dale,

 

Thanks for your post, appreciate it and good ideas to consider. 
 

Yes, I have quite a few of his stands; highly recommend them.

[Spartancrest]

I thought there might have been more response to this thread - perhaps Easter and everyone was away?

Anyway I will add these two that I have - but I am unsure if they are copper or yamagane, as I say patina can hide what is underneath.

 

PS I do like your katakiri-bori dragon with the fukurin.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Copper, and katakiribori.

 

 

 

[Matsunoki]

To comment on Dale’s question re alloys….I think the alloy “formulas” were very variable and I’d bet a lot of experimentation went on especially in late Edo onwards. Add to that patination techniques (natural and artificial) and looks can deceive. There is another alloy that looks almost exactly like Shakudo but isn’t.  I know we are talking copper here but when shibuichi can vary from olive green to pale grey I’m sure other alloys were “played with”.

This large (and very late) katana tsuba landed here a few months ago and I was certain it was copper but after what Piers says about shinchu I’m not so sure. In Meiji metalwork when copper is used it patinates to a very dark red (difficult to describe). 
 

[DoTanuki yokai]

What color does a copper Tsuba have ? I have expertimented with the patination of copper with heat or Niage (Rokusho) technique and the possibilities are endless. I cannot say anymore from wich alloy a Tsuba is made 

[Franco D]

39 minutes ago, DoTanuki yokai said:

What color does a copper Tsuba have ? I have expertimented with the patination of copper with heat or Niage (Rokusho) technique and the possibilities are endless. I cannot say anymore from wich alloy a Tsuba is made 

 

 

Now you can begin to appreciate what a professional fittings restorer has to go through. 

 

Regards

 

[Toryu2020]

Ikeda Kazutsugu - one of few soft metal tsuba in my collection. 

[rematron]

my two

 

 

 

 

[Rodenbacher]

Nice little Tanto Tsuba, late Edo. 

[Winchester]

On 4/4/2024 at 4:43 PM, Toryu2020 said:

Ikeda Kazutsugu - one of few soft metal tsuba in my collection. 

Thank you for sharing; this is an absolute pleasure.

 

 

[Rodenbacher]

Copper Tsuba, late Edo, showing Shoki the Demon Queller. En suite Koshirae with copper Fuchi Kashira with the same topic and copper Menuki depicting a Hannya mask. 

[ROKUJURO]

A very simple KO KINKO TSUBA with KUCHINASHI flower design. In reality, the colour is dark brown, so it is probably YAMAGANE.

[vajo]

simple copper koshirae housing a shinto tsuguhira blade

 

[Winchester]

I found Stephen's original pictures from when he sold it to me--hopefully, it is OK if I post these photos, buddy? If not, please let me know.

 

I just cant take photos at all; it looks like I took them with a cheeseburger...... so let's try it again!

[Jesta]

This is one of my recent acquisitions. The papers describe it as Ishimeji copper. An bird of prey on one side is hunting a monkey on the other. The signature is "Hiromoto".

 

[Kurikata]

One of mine.....

[ROKUJURO]

Très joli! Art nouveau!

[Jesta]

7 hours ago, Kurikata said:

One of mine.....

 

 

This is lovely. Such a beautiful piece of design. Very elegant.

[Spartancrest]

11 hours ago, Kurikata said:

One of mine.....

Thank goodness for the drool emoji!  

[Grevedk]

Cool tread…and idea Brian 👍
 

This one resides in Denmark and was acquired from Japan. Nice Mei - which probably and unfortunately also is Gemei 🤓

 

/Soren

[Winchester]

^^^.  Regardless if the mei is correct, it is still a nice piece and can be appreciated on its' own merits. Thank you for sharing--very cool.

[Lee Bray]

A couple of my favourites.
Both made by Ford Hallam 15 years ago, they were studies in the copper alloy he used to create the Umetada utsushi as shown in Bob Morrison's thread - A series of fittings(or how not to build a collection).

 

[peterd]

[Jesta]

These just arrived yesterday... My first shakudo-nanako pieces, and I am totally in love. The nanako is incredibly fine-grained, it is almost impossible to see each one individually. It's a daisho set signed "Fujimoto Nobushige".

Does anyone have any thoughts on why the turtle on the shoto tsuba is red, while those on the daito are black?

 

[Winchester]

Just speculation, but one is depicting male; whereas, the other one is female. 
 

Thank you for sharing.