Is this a Tadahiro mei on tsuba?

[goo]

The mei on this tsuba looks to me as though it could be Tadahiro.   Could someone who knows what it should look like be willing to give an opinion and perhaps the reasons why it is or isn't.  Thanks 

[Shugyosha]

Hi Gustavo,

Yes it says - Tadahiro - 忠廣

It's a fairly common art name in Japan and there a probably a number of tsuba makers signing this way and, as the style of tsuba is not very distinctive and not of any great quality, it will be very hard to tie it down to a particular maker so it being signed this way is probably of little significance in the scheme of things.

 

 

[goo]

9 hours ago, Shugyosha said:

Hi Gustavo,

Yes it says - Tadahiro - 忠廣

It's a fairly common art name in Japan and there a probably a number of tsuba makers signing this way and, as the style of tsuba is not very distinctive and not of any great quality, it will be very hard to tie it down to a particular maker so it being signed this way is probably of little significance in the scheme of things.

 

 

Thanks John,   from what I understand there were a couple of generations of Tadahiro sword smiths.  As you said a number of tsuba makers using Tadahiro.    If it is not a fake signature I maybe there is some value for comparison to other mei?

[Spartancrest]

1 hour ago, goo said:

If it is not a fake signature maybe there is some value for comparison to other mei?

Value even having a fake mei to compare.

Darn it I found a Tadahiro to compare it to - and it is Yours!   [I like the giant one that was in that mixed lot!] 

[Shugyosha]

Hi Gustavo,

Yes, there were a bunch of swordsmiths with the art name Tadahiro:

https://nihontoclub....a=All&school_nid=All

 

The bible as regards sword fittings artists is Haynes and that would give you a list of tsuba makers signing with a two character signature in this way, if they were known (sorry, I don't have the book so I can't check). This one, popped up on a quick google but nothing else, the seller in his description said there were none in Haynes which is pretty comprehensive, unfortunately I can't make out the signature from the photo. http://nihonto.us/HIZEN NAMBAN TADAHIRO TSUBA.htm

 

The style of tsuba is different to yours, but you now know that there was at least one tsuba maker signing with a two character "Tadahiro", though not well known, and though the seller says the signature on that one did not match that of Hizen Tadahiro the swordsmith. Andrew Quirt has a good reputation in the sword world and I'm sure if he thought that if he felt that he could reliably state otherwise, he would have done so.

 

So I think what we can conclude with the information we have is that you have a genuine Japanese tsuba with a signature by a little known artist but which is probably not made by one of the swordsmiths signing in the same way.

 

If you want to pursue this further you could submit the tsuba to shinsa for authentication, there is usually at least one each year in the states,

usually at the San Fransisco sword show, sometimes in Orlando too and there's normally a post-in service so that you don't actually have to attend. It's a bit of a punt though as you might only get a paper saying that it is a tsuba with this signature and no further information so you might spend money and not know more than you do already.

 

Alternatively, this guy is an authority on the Hizen line of swordsmiths and might be able to give you a view on whether your tsuba is signed in the same way as the swordsmith Hizen Tadahiro and you could drop him a line: https://www.hizento....rtshaw-tadayoshi.php

 

He's usually happy to help out with swords, so you might be able to get some information there.

 

Edit: another tsuba here, closer in style to yours attributed to the Shoami school by the seller: https://www.samuraim...Japanese-tsuba-t-95/

[goo]

On 12/10/2024 at 7:34 PM, Spartancrest said:

Value even having a fake mei to compare.

Darn it I found a Tadahiro to compare it to - and it is Yours!   [I like the giant one that was in that mixed lot!] 

Sooo... You think it's not genuine?  Which would be fine.

[Spartancrest]

9 hours ago, goo said:

Sooo... You think it's not genuine?

Well - - it is not a fake. I will say that much, but there were so many tsuba that were later signed that the signatures are often in doubt. I have to say that a signature of a relatively unknown maker [at least as far as Haynes is concerned] makes me lean more towards genuine - Why fake a signature that is "unknown"? Very possible to be a smith from the provinces that was not prolific and not recorded 

[goo]

On 12/12/2024 at 5:54 PM, Spartancrest said:

Well - - it is not a fake. I will say that much, but there were so many tsuba that were later signed that the signatures are often in doubt. I have to say that a signature of a relatively unknown maker [at least as far as Haynes is concerned] makes me lean more towards genuine - Why fake a signature that is "unknown"? Very possible to be a smith from the provinces that was not prolific and not recorded 

Good to know this , looks like a good study piece, thank you!