Help identifiying a tsuka ,tsuba, fushikashira maybe fake

[alaen305]

hi this tsuka maybe is fake or a rare type of gunto bras flower tsuba and bras fushikashira I am new ww2 Japanese sword collector tang loock maching made thanks

alaen.

[Stephen]

Sorry to say all are copies.

[Richmond]

Hey Stephen, as a novice what are the keys points that tell you that the fittings are all fake.

 

Cheers

Steven L

[Bruno]

Agree with Stephen but I dare to add that menuki look guenine.

[Richmond]

Bruno I thought the menuki looked right to me but I have nothing to base this on apart from its look.

 

Cheers

Steven L

[hybridfiat]

Im a novice here but heres my spin on this; the tsukamaki (binding) is very uneven poorly done.

The nakago looks like it was shaped by a blind alcoholic with the DTs.

The fushi is poorly cast and the seppa indescribable.

Thats it for me the sight is making my eyes bleed.

[blades87]

I am a new collector and have spent a lot of time looking at real WW2 fittings, which is the best way to identify what looks real and what looks like a reproduction. I agree that the menuki look real. As for the fuchi, tsuka ito, tsuba and kashira, the patterns simply do not fit the traditional fittings made during the Showa period. If you look at the fuchi, the pattern doesn't look like the traditional WW2 fuchi:

 

http://www.quanonline.com/military/mili ... _lock2.jpg

http://www.quanonline.com/military/mili ... abbard.jpg

 

Another thing to look at is the level of patina (corrosion) on the fittings. Your pieces look polished.

 

The pattern on the tsuba doesn't look right, in comparrison to WW2 tsubas:

 

http://www.quanonline.com/military/mili ... _tsuba.jpg

 

Finally, as noted in the prior posts, the line on the nagako that transitions the shinogiji to the nagako is not straight. If the nagako was heavily corroded, that line may waver. Your nagako looks in tact, so that line should be pretty straight.

 

Another thing to look out for is the Damascus forging pattern. Than pattern shouldn't really extend into the hada or hamon and unless it is a brand new sword, the pattern probably won't appear very crisp. Most of the patterns I have seen on fakes are acid etched.

 

I check with the Japanese WWII military reference (http://www.quanonline.com/military/mili ... anese.html) because it has a lot of images of different styles of WW2 swords. As a general rule of thumb, if the sword looks a bit odd, then more than likely the sword may be a fake.

 

Finally, ask questions here on NMB. The message board has a lot of members with years of experience collecting, so ask a question and learn from their wisdom. Stephen, Grey, John Stuart, Jean and a whole host of members are great points of reference not only for WW2 swords, but for traditional swords as well.

 

Hope the information in this post helps.

 

 

Cheers,

[Tsugio Kawakami]

The menuki are the closest thing on there to real...

 

A posative note: The leather ito is of better quality than what many production companies use these days.