Concave tsuba

[Cello]

Hi,

I have a few questions about this tsuba as to school age ect and the way it is to be mounted?Would it be mounted like an umbrella or up like a flower??I have little knowledge when it comes to tsuba,I'm only recently starting to appreciate them.Also what could the anna be filled with is it brass alloy or gold alloy? Any thoughts on this would be helpful please excuse the pics as I did not take them the patina looks completly different from the side shot vs the front shot...

[rkg]

Marcello,

 

these were usually mounted with the cup facing down towards the blade - think hilt of a European smallsword.

 

the ana plug is probably gold foil over something.

 

Best,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Curran]

Umbrella.

[Ted Tenold]

Marcello,

 

FYI, this shape is called "wan gata" or "bowl shaped". You may find other images and info searching by that term.

[christianmalterre]

Good and rare -i do tend to say...

 

Christian

[Cello]

Thanks everyone for the great responses..!I like the sound of rare Christian lol...well now that I know the name of the style it will make my research alot easier

Thanks again!!

[b.hennick]

At the Chicago show one vendor had about eight of them. I saw two others a well. Rare but not so rare.A couple were probably Chinese. I too know them as wan tsuba.

[Cello]

Can anyone tell me if it is acceptable for the center of the tsuba to be clean? I seems like the gunk/grease that was caked on the blade was soaked into a leather spacer and removed the patina or is it possible there was never one there to begin with??would someone be able to tell me what the Menuki are? They look like bobby pins to me......

[ROKUJURO]

  Cello said:

.....Can anyone tell me if it is acceptable for the center of the tsuba to be clean? I seems like the gunk/grease that was caked on the blade was soaked into a leather spacer and removed the patina or is it possible there was never one there to begin with??Would someone be able to tell me what the Menuki are?.....

As far as I know leather spacers on a blade are not original parts. In this case the grease protected the SEPPA DAI from oxidizing and thus changed the appearance compared to the 'normal' way of mounting. On the other hand TSUBA often show a slightly different patina under the SEPPA when they have been in use on a sword. Just clean it regularly with a piece of dry cotton cloth and leave it alone. In only 100 years from now you will see the patina having improved.

 

A good photo of the MENUKI would help to give a comment on these.

[Cello]

Thanks Jean here's a better picture of the menuki in question...

P.S. I Hope I make it to 138 to see my tsuba turn a dark rich brown , you never know the singularity is coming..!! :lol:

[hybridfiat]

African knobkerry? :lol:

[Cello]

I don't think my Menuki would do much damage.. :lol:

[Curran]

Perhaps drumsticks or a simple Japanese mace.

I like the design and don't remember seeing anything similar.

 

I've been somewhat on a menuki bender recently.

Looking for a pair of high quality Higo menuki in the turtle theme.