Soft metal tsuba - opinions?

[Marius]

Hi,

 

I have bought this one on eBay, got it today, I am quite puzzled what to make of it

7.2x7.7x0.25 cm.

 

The colour is dark, blackish brown. The tsuba feels soft, waxy, yet heavy. The punch marks can be easily felt under the fingertips. Very pleasant to handle and hold.

 

On the omote the rim stands out a bit more than on the ura. On the ura I see what seems like traces of kuro urushi, not much, but still. The plate tapers gently towards the rim, in which the seam is identifiable. I think that the rim may be of a slightly different material than the plate. It looks like shakudo, while the plate looks like low grade shakudo or katashirome. The kozuka hitsu ana has remainders of kuro urushi inside, but its walls are of reddish brown colour, like that of younger yamagane.

 

More pics here:

 

http://gallery.me.com/mariuszk#100704

 

Any thoughts?

[Soshin]

Hi Mariusz K,

 

This isn't my area of current study but I like the tsuba. The surface is nicely done. I hope more knowledgable people will reply. The black lacquer may indicate a early production. I have tsuba with this on it that likely dates to the middle to late Muromachi Period.

 

 

 

Your truly,

David Stiles

[christianmalterre]

:D

 

Chris

[kusunokimasahige]

That is one beautiful tsuba !!

 

I like the punch marks very much, seems like a fish scale or feathers depiction, but I might be wrong.

 

May we know the price you paid for it ? Or is that a rude question...

 

KM

[b.hennick]

Looks to be black lacquer over copper. Nice design and execution.

[Marius]

Looks to be black lacquer over copper. Nice design and execution.

 

Thanks Barry, but it is not kuro urushi over yamagane. I wish it were, but there are only traces of lacquer. It might be shakudo with a low gold content... It might be... yamagane with great patina?

[Marius]

This tsuba has been sold to an NMB member

 

@Henk-Jan

You have the answer to your question now, as that was roughly what I paid.