Kantaro Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 Hello, I obtained my third learning Tsuba from Japan. A large one. (86mm L x 84mm W x 4mm T / inches = 3.39 L x 3.30 W x 0.16 T) (weight 162 gram) Since I am a newbie and want to learn, I would be happy with all possible info! (Is it a fake?/Period?/Age?/Design?/School?/Remarks?/Opignion?/value?) This large Tsuba has much ware/damage, when the ware becomes a problem for a collector? Has this tsuba too much ware for your collection or is it an interesting piece? How does this reflects on a fair price estimation? How would you value this piece? (The Tsuba is mine and there is no sale or auction going on) Kind regards and thanks for sharing! 1 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 Paris, You might get your answers on this forum, but all the tsuba guys hang on on this forum: Tosogu - Nihonto Message Board (militaria.co.za) You'll find the answers to the "2 hole" question here: 1 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Ok thanks Bruce, (suppose you put my question in Tosogu forum?) Deleted the hole question. Quote
Alan Morton Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 I think some of the damage to your tsuba points to it having been in a fire it has fire scale over it Alan 1 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Thanks Alan, I thought the "ware" was because this Tsuba was burried in the ground for a long time. I do wonder how old it is. I have no experience with fire damage. Do elaborate me. Kind regards. Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 Could be water damage, and possibly two sukashi 'coins' could have come loose or been knocked out...(?) The word 'ware' generally means crack or split. I am not sure how to describe the damage to yours except 腐食 'fushoku' corrosion from deep pits of 錆 'sabi'? 1 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Hi Piers, The 2 holes seem to have a practical purpose. See Bruce message a bit higher where you seem to be the source in 2014? Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 I do have the impression the holes were made after the Tsuba was made... Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 Yes, but they do not seem to follow the remit for Udenuki-no-ana, too large, and in a strange orientation. I feel sure they had some other purpose. Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Correct that is why I asked the question in my original message. Bruce told me this question was already answered in the past and I deleted it. But indeed I agree it is strangely orientated and large. I was thinking, because it is a large Tsuba, the sword could have been very long, cavalery type. Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Period?/Age?/Design?/School?/Remarks?/Opignion?/value? Are also important... Quote
ROKUJURO Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 1 hour ago, Kantaro said: I do have the impression the holes were made after the Tsuba was made... No, Paris, they made the holes before the TSUBA was made. 5 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 4 hours ago, Kantaro said: Period?/Age?/Design?/School?/Remarks?/Opinion?/value? Paris, this is a seriously damaged TSUBA, and it will not have much value to collectors. If the remaining material in the circular grooves is brass, then it might have been made as HEIANJO TSUBA ( https://varshavskyco...tion.com/onin-tsuba/ ). This is not a school but a style. The heavy corrosion is not helpful to determine the age, but in case I am correct with the above, it could have been made in the 16th century. Unfortunately that does not help the value. 1 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Piers, water damage... hmmm You mean like being fished up from the sea after a century or 2 in salt water? 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 In a real battle, however, it would be 100x better than nothing at all! It could save your life!!! ((Even after 400 years!) 2 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 5 Author Report Posted August 5 Hmm true, I will mount it with a few spacers on a training sword...it does not look bad. I paid it low range but it seemed to me an interesting learning Tsuba with the holes and the ware/damage/patina/age and the style and being 86 mm... Quote
ROKUJURO Posted August 5 Report Posted August 5 Paris, by the way, TSUBA are always presented with the cutting edge upwards just as they are mounted. An exception are TACHI TSUBA. 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted August 6 Report Posted August 6 (edited) I think the two holes are where two Yoshiro 'Mon' may have fallen out - even melted out if indeed the tsuba was in a fire but then the ategane would have been gone too? The size is consistent - these examples are Outer diameter 1.7cm Thickness 0.4cm but could vary slightly. The design on the guard looks to be a string of old coins not 'mon' [I believe we have seen another tsuba very much like Paris' example but I can't put my hands on it yet.] It could have looked like this [I think very attractive?] Check this Marcus Sesko thread https://markussesko....invincibility-tsuba/ Edited August 6 by Spartancrest MORE LINKS 4 1 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 6 Author Report Posted August 6 Wow, thanks Dale, much appreciated! Kind regards. 1 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 6 Author Report Posted August 6 Sorry Jean, I can not edit this anymore but will keep this in mind for the next one. Why is the TACHI TSUBA downwards (I suppose)? Kind regards. Quote
ROKUJURO Posted August 6 Report Posted August 6 35 minutes ago, Kantaro said: Why is the TACHI TSUBA downwards (I suppose)? Because TACHI are carried edge downwards. 2 Quote
Kantaro Posted August 6 Author Report Posted August 6 A good story makes the Tsuba much more interesting. 1 Quote
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