Please tell me what I got?

[KungFooey]

No medical conditions in the answers please! 😉

 

I buy what I like just because I like it - but it sure does help when I get lucky in auction and pay peanuts.

And I did just that yesterday!

 

A nice big, square, iron tsuba - 

7.5cm × 7.4cm × 0.6cm thick. 

Cause for concern, maybe:

Rough iron surface or plain ol' corrosion?

No sign of ever being mounted (punch marks).

Iron bones on one side or a casting seam? 😳

 

So, please tell me what you think I've bought this time folks (and feel free to let me have it straight - I'm a big girl).

 

Thanks again!

 

Dee

[Spartancrest]

Would you say the image colour is accurate? As you point out it doesn't look to have been fitted to a blade  [unless it was not necessary to "tighten the fit" with tagane.]

Well to my eyes it looks sandblasted clean, which would contribute to the rounded edges of the nakago-ana and the general pitted look. But possibly cast - though there is little direct evidence, just a few questionable spots.

  You could do the "drop test" but that is rather drastic. 

 

If you didn't spend too much it is always worth a gamble - alloy fakes are selling for stupid high prices, so an iron guard that may have been "over cleaned" and appeals to you is a no brainer. I presume you don't have it in hand just yet? There is usually "something" that speaks to you when you hold one and can really see it in good light.

Good luck

[KungFooey]

8 minutes ago, Spartancrest said:

Would you say the image colour is accurate? As you point out it doesn't look to have been fitted to a blade  [unless it was not necessary to "tighten the fit" with tagane.]

Well to my eyes it looks sandblasted clean, which would contribute to the rounded edges of the nakago-ana and the general pitted look. But possibly cast - though there is little direct evidence, just a few questionable spots.

  You could do the "drop test" but that is rather drastic. 

 

If you didn't spend too much it is always worth a gamble - alloy fakes are selling for stupid high prices, so an iron guard that may have been "over cleaned" and appeals to you is a no brainer. I presume you don't have it in hand just yet? There is usually "something" that speaks to you when you hold one and can really see it in good light.

Good luck

Hi there Dale!

 

Not in hand yet. I took a chance on it because I tagged on the very end of a bidding war between two guys who had been upping each other by 100 yen all day. Boy, they must have been pi$$ed when I made one bid 5 mins from the close and got it for ¥3,300! 😁

 

I agree with your assessment about the overcleaning but I'm pretty optimistic it's not cast. 🙏

At the very least I'll end up with one helluva cool paperweight! 🤣

 

Many thanks!

Dee

[Dan tsuba]

Hi Dee!

 

I think I have found a few more areas that may indicate that your tsuba is cast.

[KungFooey]

Just now, Dan tsuba said:

Hi Dee!

 

I think I have found a few more areas that may indicate that your tsuba is cast.

Hi Dan!

 

Oh well, then as I just said to Dale it'll make a real conversation piece as a paperweight! 😂

[ROKUJURO]

Clearly cast for me. Not EDO. 

[KungFooey]

7 minutes ago, ROKUJURO said:

Clearly cast for me. Not EDO. 

Thanks Jean!

 

Another vote for the paperweight! 😁

[Jake6500]

Honestly, I know you were hoping for something that isn't cast but at 3300 yen you're not really losing much even if it's modern.

[KungFooey]

4 minutes ago, Jake6500 said:

Honestly, I know you were hoping for something that isn't cast but at 3300 yen you're not really losing much even if it's modern.

Very true Jake, that's why I'm not worried either way. I should've spent that 3300 yen on a book about tsuba though!

 

Thanks!

Dee

[KungFooey]

Well, my brother just got the guard in hand and it's cast all right!

Now I have to decide on a paperweight or a wind chime! 😂

 

Many, many thanks to everyone who gave their opinion!

Dee

[Spartancrest]

Wind Chimes are nice - This monster was part of a wind chime, but I use it indoors as a decoration now! [It really was so heavy it would have to be a hurricane to get it to work as a chime anyway ]