Help wanted with small Tsuba.

[Kantaro]

Good afternoon,

 

I obtained my first small Tsuba from Japan. 

 

(58mm L  54mm W  4mm T / inches: 2.28L x 2.12W x 0.16T)

 

(weight 61 gram)

 

Since I am a newbie and want to learn, I would be happy with all possible info!

 

(Is it a fake?/Period?/Design?/Golden birdcase meaning?/School?/Material?/Remarks?/Opignion?)

 

Kind regards and thanks!

[Kantaro]

[Spartancrest]

Authentic, mid to late Edo? Seppa shadow. It has been mounted at least twice and the gold nunome is mostly intact - the hole in the bird cage could even be intentional, it has allowed the birds to escape? 

 

It could do with a little "bone" or "Ivory" work on the upper right hand on both sides, luckily mostly away from the nunome which should be left alone.

This was the only tsuba with "something?" like a basket in a tree - not even close to the design you have though.

 

 

  Coppy cat copper version https://www.jauce.com/auction/j651589542  NO GOLD DETAILING HERE!

Edited August 2 by Spartancrest
Copy of a previous example

[Brian]

Perfectly acceptable genuine tsuba. Quite a charming motif. Nothing spectacular, but a nice honest piece, that was sized for a much smaller sword at some time.
 

[FlorianB]

Hi,

 

it’s a nice Wakizashi-Tsuba for beginners and I agree with the mid-/late-Edo attribution.

 

Concerning the motif I’m not sure if it refers to a buddhistic custom to buy catched birds and set them free.

 

It seems to consist of iron and the technique used is called "nunome", i.e. gold foil is applied to the surface. You can see criss-cross roughenings in the ground so the gold can stick on it. Alas this gold could be abraded by careless handling what would explain the missing parts in the cage.

 

The soft metal inlets in the tang hole are called "sekigane" and are used to hold the Tsuba tight on the tang. The tang hole ("nakago ana") was usually produced in a certain size, but specifications to a particular sword tang has to be done later by hammering the sides to narrow it or filling the gaps with soft metals usually copper. In Your specimen the position of the sekigane hint to a small tang, probably a dagger.

 

Best, Florian

 

[Kantaro]

Wow thank you for sharing, much appreciated!

 

I am very happy my first tsuba is not a fake, liked the simple and functional design.

 

So then it is a wakizashi tsuba modified to become a tanto tsuba?

 

Can I oil it with a soft cloth without being afraid to damage the nunome? My dog likes deer horn to chew, will try to steal one and carefully rub and stay away from the nunome.

 

Can it be related to a school or is it too simple in design? How do you determine the Perid or age?

 

Kind regards from a rainy Belgium.

[ROKUJURO]

28 minutes ago, Kantaro said:

......So then it is a wakizashi tsuba modified to become a tanto tsuba?....

 

Can I oil it with a soft cloth.....My dog likes deer horn to chew, will try to steal one and carefully rub and stay away from the nunome.

 

Can it be related to a school or is it too simple in design? ....

Paris,

your TSUBA was not modified, the SEKIGANE were mounted to fit it to a smaller NAKAGO. The dimensions of your TSUBA suggest that it was probaly meant to fit a WAKIZASHI.

Do not oil it, just keep it dry.

You do not need a complete deer horn () but just a pointed splinter of it!

The simple design and technique lets me believe it is a very late manufacture, i.e. 19th century or later. There are no specific hints to a school or style. 

[Spartancrest]

I did some extrapolation on the nakago-ana file work and conclude that after the original hole was cut, two changes followed. 

The red markers indicate the original, the green a slightly shorter cut - I can't be sure how far down it went as it looks covered by the "new" sekigane but you can see the green arrow following the slope would not meet the base of the nakago-ana and there is an open band above the top sekigane. The yellow is the final shape. Who knows? It could have been mounted four times or more?

[Kantaro]

There is one matter where I am a bit hesitating to ask the question. The price determination... This small Tsuba is mine and I have it in my hand. There is no active auction or selling proces. I will keep this first learning Tsuba and do not have the intention to sell it.

 

This being said what would be a fair price determination for you personal for this small Tsuba?

 

Is there a region (Asia/Europe/US...) where the price of Tsuba is higher or lower or should I consider it as a world market?

 

Kind regards.

[ROKUJURO]

Paris,

you can buy TSUBA like this for around € 120.-- depending on seller (private or commercial) with some range up and down.

[Spartancrest]

26 minutes ago, Kantaro said:

Is there a region (Asia/Europe/US...) where the price of Tsuba is higher or lower or should I consider it as a world market?

I would say world market, just from the diversity of members on this forum alone. Not too sure if China or a couple of other countries are interested? The Japanese themselves have a great interest as do a lot of European countries and Nth America. I suggest you look at auctions where half the world will be asleep at the time - it might help to lower the odds and therefore the prices. [Sometimes works for me ]

[Brian]

Imho, prices are cheapest in the USA, more expensive in the UK and most expensive in Europe. Japan....varies wildly depending on where you buy.

[Iaido dude]

I recently purchased a tsuba intending for it to be fitted on my iaito, but the nakago ana is too short (22 mm). What is puzzling is that the diameter of the tsuba is 75 mm, which seems to be intended for a katana. Were there some narrower tang forged for katana of the mid- to late Edo? It looks to be Shoami. Nice strong design of double tomoe and plants with rectangles for the hitsu-ana (not familiar with this design).

 

[FlorianB]

Hi Steve,

 

indeed there is no strikt rule for the width of a tang.
In general it could be said, that a slender blade has a slender tang, a sturdy blade has a sturdy tang.
So I persume that Tsuba was once fitted for a more elegant blade.

 

I like this Tsuba, exactly my taste!
On the left and right are myoga. The rectangels may be a reminiscence to an ancient design or perhaps are genji chapter mon.

 

Best,
Florian

[Iaido dude]

Thanks, Florian. I wasn't sure that the plants on either side were myoga, but that seems right. An elegant tsuba for an elegant sword. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Agreed. Very nice tsuba. 

Above and below must be tomoe (magatama) comma designs.

[Iaido dude]

Yes, this is a classic double tomorrow design. I got it by auction from Jayce specifically for my iaito, but did not consider that the tang would be substantial.