newbie trying to become familiar with tsuba

[Guy on the couch]

Hello gentlemen and ladies. I am very new to the art of collecting tsuba and am trying to become familiar with the genuine article. After reading some of these posts, I am starting to see fakes everywhere and it has become discouraging. If you guys could take a peak at some of the examples I have found so far, I would appreciate the chance to benefit from your wisdom.

[Ford Hallam]

Hi Chuck,

 

Welcome to the forum. The affliction you may be developing is incurable but your fellow sufferers may be able to offer some advice on how best to manage the condition. :D

 

In my opinion the first tsuba is a perfectly legitimate work, probably later part of the Edo Period (1600 ~ 1876 ...ish ) I see no reason to suggest that it is cast. It's appears to be in quite good condition and a fair example of it's type.

 

The second tsuba is signed Chikuya Masaki. He worked both in Kyoto and Edo (modern day Tokyo) Mid Edo period so circa 1750 ish....

The workmanship is very tidy and the steel beautifully made. It's worth considering exactly what material of this sort of quality represents at the time it was made, from a technological point of view. The design is quite pleasing and not one I've seen before. A very nice tsuba and in great condition.

 

regards,

 

Ford

[Brian]

Hi Mr Couch

Yep..like Ford, I agree that all 3 are perfectly legit examples of genuine tsuba. I like the second one too. The 3rd one (total guess since I haven't tried to translate it yet) may be Bushu or similar?

 

Brian

[Curran]

The third one is an NBTHK Hozon tsuba papered to Norisuke (Owari-Nagoya work).

Not sure why he asked for comment on that one.

 

I like the second tsuba and, being a fan of Norisuke, the third one. However it is sort of middle of the road for his work, and it needs some clean-up.

I think this is reflected in the price a bit, but might seem a tad expensive to some since the USD$ has gotten crushed by the Japanese Yen rate these last few years.

 

Unlikely to get any cheaper though unless the Euro implodes. Even then, not much. Probably long gone are the days of 120 to 130 yen to the USD.

[Ford Hallam]

Chuck,

 

you don't make it clear in your post but do you now own these pieces? Not a bad haul if these are your first purchases.

 

regards,

 

Ford

[Guy on the couch]

Thank you so much for the replies. No I don't currently own any of these being as they are all about a grand a piece. I hope to own at least a few nice tsuba when my finances permit. I look forward to reading more in the books I have already ordered and from the learned people at this site. :D

[ububob]

I am also a sukashi fan who likes tsuba #2. I'd lke to have a closer look at it in hand.

[Curran]

Couchman (please use a proper name),

 

For good tsuba: Aoi Arts can sometimes be okay, but with the Yen becoming so strong you are paying +50% of what you would pay for these tsuba 2 to 3 years ago. I recommend Nihonto.com (california) or Nihonto.us (minnesota). Authentication of NBTHK or NTHK papers is good, but both those sellers are extremely honest and knowledgeable.

Some Japanese resellers dump flashy but not so great or gimei tsuba on eBay. More than a few are modern tsuba antiqued a bit and sold as Edo period. Be careful of ebay.

 

Good luck and welcome to the hobby. I would have purchased that Norisuke on Tokugawa if it were in better condition. Norisuke work is very desirable to some of us, as he and his adoptive father (Norisuke I and Norisuke II) are very well documented artists. I have two books dedicated to their works.

 

Curran

Sarasota, FL

[xxlotus8xx]

Slightly off topic but I thought I would share the link anyways as this Tsuba collection is nice...

http://www.scholarsresource.com/browse/ ... 5?page=852

[raven2]

Couchman (please use a proper name),

 

For good tsuba: Aoi Arts can sometimes be okay, but with the Yen becoming so strong you are paying +50% of what you would pay for these tsuba 2 to 3 years ago. I recommend Nihonto.com (california) or Nihonto.us (minnesota). Authentication of NBTHK or NTHK papers is good, but both those sellers are extremely honest and knowledgeable.

Some Japanese resellers dump flashy but not so great or gimei tsuba on eBay. More than a few are modern tsuba antiqued a bit and sold as Edo period. Be careful of ebay.

 

Good luck and welcome to the hobby. I would have purchased that Norisuke on Tokugawa if it were in better condition. Norisuke work is very desirable to some of us, as he and his adoptive father (Norisuke I and Norisuke II) are very well documented artists. I have two books dedicated to their works.

 

Curran

Sarasota, FL

 

You might also try swordsandtsuba.com. Lots of good ones there also.

[ububob]

Especially if you favor Akasaka, Fred has some very fine items.

[Guy on the couch]

I apologize for the name thing. I haven't been a member of very many message boards in the past as is probably obvious. My name is Chuck and I love Japanese metalwork. (Sounds like something I'm saying to a support group for incurable collectors :lol: )

 

I have three questions about the tsuba now that I think I know a little more about them.

1. Is it rare to see steelwork tsuba? As most of what I have seen have been copper, or iron or a mix thereof.

2. How can you tell that the third tsuba is in poor condition?

3. The first tsuba seems to have a strange color for being iron, why is this so? (is it some kind of allow I'm unfamiliar with)

 

Kind regards for all the interesting replies,

Chuck M

[Curran]

Someone in this thread linked to the Boston Museum collection. That should be a thread unto itself, given the collection is so huge and there are quite a few master works in there. However, the attributions are not necessarily correct on a fair number of them. Also even in just canvasing the collection, the signature of a few is not correct (ie. gimei) in my opinion. The cataloging of this great collection should be greatly appreciated, but not relied upon. ---Seperate thread, I suggest---

 

To answer Chuck's Question #2:

By looking at it and by experience.

 

In the photo of the tsuba, I see all sorts of signs of rust that need cleaned. Knowing Norisuke iron in general, it does not develop rust that easily. However, when it does- it seems hard to aesthetically minimalize. The Norisuke tsuba you showed has rust bloom all over it, and it would require significant work between the flower carvings to clean it up.

 

Chuck's Question #1:

 

Rarer. Carbon content may vary. Read up on ko-tosho / tosho tsuba and on ko-katchushi / katchushi tsuba.

 

Yoshikawa NTHK papered example:

Very Hard. Very thin: About 2.75 mm.

[xxlotus8xx]

Yes I am the guilty party who shared the museum collection link.

I'm sorry but it's just such a great collection that I couldn't resist...