My first Tsuba!

[thewarning]

I'm very happy with my very first tsuba I just received! This opens a whole new world of collecting for me (my poor wallet 😭). As soon as I saw it I knew I needed it. I know it's Edo period and in the sukashibori style. What do you guys think and does anybody possibly have any additional information on it?

[Curran]

Very good first purchase.

Is the red from light fresh rust (you can probably halt or fix with a brush at this point), or did someone paint or lacquer it red?

 

My memory says the school is from Kyushu, but I would have to find it again either in the Nihonto Koza or Torigoye.

I still owe another member here some Goto references...., so I am hoping someone else can nail it first. One of our Italian members has a great database of NBTHK school attributions.

 

It is definitely better than my first tsuba purchase back in 1992.

 

 

 

[thewarning]

1 hour ago, Curran said:

Is the red from light fresh rust (you can probably halt or fix with a brush at this point), or did someone paint or lacquer it red?

It's more lighting than anything else. In person it's more brown with only a faint reddish hue.

[Curran]

25 minutes ago, thewarning said:

It's more lighting than anything else. In person it's more brown with only a faint reddish hue.

 

Perhaps best to give it a rub-down, now and then, with some undyed flannel.

Over time, you'd be surprised how much that can help a tsuba. These little art objects don't get handled as much as they once did when in use and resting against someone's kimono.

[Jesta]

Looks very nice. Great start to your collection. 

[Spartancrest]

5 hours ago, thewarning said:

As soon as I saw it I knew I needed it.

Hi Mike, you know you can never just have one - I hope your wallet can take it. 

  Was it an ebay sale? I found this older [very grainy] image, I am pretty sure it is the same guard. The image might give people a better view of the colour.

 

A better choice than my first tsuba buy. 

[thewarning]

15 minutes ago, Spartancrest said:

Hi Mike, you know you can never just have one - I hope your wallet can take it. 

  Was it an ebay sale? I found this older [very grainy] image, I am pretty sure it is the same guard. The image might give people a better view of the colour.

 

A better choice than my first tsuba buy. 

Yes, got it on ebay from a recommended seller. And the price was very good IMO.

[Spartancrest]

I found it. Jauce/ Yahoo  https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1124708518   or   https://page.auction.../auction/e1124708518

 

I bet ebay put a higher price on it than you could have had it from Japan though?

    70.9 mm x 66.3 mm x 6.5 mm  WT. 92 g.

[thewarning]

No, that's definitely not the same one. Size, color, condition, etc are all different.

[Spartancrest]

I am not trying to argue but please don't rely too heavily on Digital calipers [they have a tendency to vary every time they are used and certainly between each machine] 

Just from the visual signs it is unmistakable to me that both are the same tsuba. In particular the sekigane/ategane infill in the left side of the seppa-dai and the tagane-ato marks top of the nakago-ana. If this is not the same tsuba then the only other conclusion  is the 'two' are cast [which I don't believe - and I hope I am correct] A nice piece, seen under two different lighting conditions. 

All the best.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Having looked at both of these these repeatedly, I now think Dale has it right. There are other pointers which support this, like on the seppa-dai, the two vertically aligned dots on the right inner rim, and the square hollow diagonally further up towards the beak.

[thewarning]

Dale, good eye! I have to agree that is the same one. I was still looking at the grainy image pic and comparing size and weight. What a difference lighting makes too. Thanks for looking into it! I guess this was sold a few months ago to another Japanese seller and he put in on ebay. I'm still just as happy with it.

[vajo]

Maybe Mazu Kaze have different ways to sell or he bought over jauce? Mazu Kaze is a trust worthy buyer and seller in my eyes. 

[Steves87]

Chris is correct, I do know that Matsukaze sources at least some of their stock from Jauce... they do have a mark-up, but they are otherwise very trustworthy. 

[Spartancrest]

2 hours ago, vajo said:

Mazu-Kaze is a trust worthy buyer and seller in my eyes. 

I think so too. I have bought some nice pieces from him at very good prices. 

[Kurikata]

+1

[MauroP]

Hi Mike, nice catch as first tsuba. Curran prompted me to give my not-so-educated contribution.
So here we have a piece we may describe as:
mitsu tsuru no zu tsuba - 三つ鶴図鐔
maru-gata tetsu-ji nikubori ji-sukashi kin-tsuyu-zōgan - 丸形 鉄地 肉彫地透 金露象嵌
ryō-hitsu-shitate (kata-ategane) - 両櫃仕立 (片当金).
I assume this is a wakizashi-sized tsuba from the middle/late Edo period, not easy to assign to a defined school/tradition. I would suggest 3 hypotheses: Echizen (越前), Bushū (武州) or Shōami (正阿弥). Here just one example for each call:

 

[thewarning]

Thank you, Mauro. Much appreciated.

[Spartancrest]

  but I could not help but notice Mauro's "Waves & Maple" guard, I have it on my image records along with many of the same design.

So you can view the ura of that piece here along with a large one of mine and another with a very thin rim. Sorry, but as I said .