Ko Tosho Tsuba?

[Andi B.]

Hello,

 

here are pictures of one of my tsuba and I would like to find out more about this piece (age, style, school etc. if possible).

 

 

Some data:

- 8 x 8 x 0,3 cm

- a filled kozuka ana

- blossom sukashi (lost inner parts?)

- uneven surface (tsuchime ji?)

 

Is this a Ko Tosho style tsuba?

Which time - early, mid, late Muromachi or later and only badly rusted?

 

Thanks for your feedback!

[Marius]

Hello,

 

Which time - early, mid, late Muromachi or later and only badly rusted?

 

I am not exactly posting a revelation here - you certainly know this much; the size would indicate at least early Edo, later pieces tend to be smaller and thicker. Sukashi is plum and cherry blossoms, and it seems that on some of the ume the inside has indeed been lost. The tsuba is badly rusted, I think I see a battle scar below the nakago ana... The eBay seller of this tsuba posts high resolution pics which allow to see what you will eventually get, but his items are usually low-grade or/and in poor shape . I would not expect this to be anything other than a heavily rusted and pitted tsuba. Just an opinion.

[Martin]

Hi Andi,

 

I second Mariusz´s thoughts here.

This Tsuba has suffered from severe rust which has changed the whole surface of the piece.

Tsuchime cannot be seen here I´m afraid.

 

As for the Ko-Tosho call - I would expect less Sukashi elements (Ko-Sukashi) in early Tosho guards and would therefore go for Edo Tosho.

Here is a similar example at AOI art: http://www.aoi-art.com/fittings/tsuba/F09406.html

 

Also the shape of the Hitsu-Ana don´t corrspond with the ones found on early Tosho guards (IF it is original to the piece that is and has not been cut out later).

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Andi B.]

...it seems, that some ebay sellers have rich sources of supply for blades and fittings which are apparently "finds from fields or backyards"...

 

Hey - I should bury the following pieces made by myself from simple steel plates (for my first "daisho" = Paul Chen Katana & tired but real wakizashi years ago) for a few weeks and put them on ebay...

 

 

Joking aside - how big is the risk, that these internet purchases are later man-made aged real pieces or actually newly made fakes?

[Pete Klein]

Andi -- I would say this is Katchushi, not Tosho due to the number of sukashi. A raised rim is not the only criteria to determine between the two. The size of the hitsuana leads me to think Momo or early Edo. Also if it were later the thickness of the plate would most likely be greater than 3mm.

[Henry Wilson]

I would have thought Katchushi too because of the amount of sukashi.

[Marius]

Joking aside - how big is the risk, that these internet purchases are later man-made aged real pieces or actually newly made fakes?

 

For most low-grade tsuba I think the risk is huge. Apart from the abundant Chinese fakes, I regulary see dubious items on eBay. Just an exaple - I don't say they are fake, but can you really tell the age of this tsuba? :

http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/sho ... 0&format=0

or this one? :

http://cgi.ebay.com/E441-REAL-Japanese- ... 35a5318e5d

 

IMHO, genuine pieces are relatively easy to identify - you cannot easily or cheaply fake good workmanship, tekkotsu and patina, present in this one, sold by an NMB member:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWNX:IT

 

Just my two cents worth...