Skull tsuba

[Kai-Gunto]

Hello mates,

Want to share my latest buy.

[Jean]

It is one of the numerous time when I deeply regret Milt (Bungo) being away. As a dentist, he could have done something for this poor guy. :D

[Brian]

The iron looks ok, but the highlights look like paint.

Something is not right with this one.

 

Brian

[Ford Hallam]

Brian,

 

your instinct is correct, I think. It looks like gold electroplating to me. The nakago-ana is a bit high also. :?

[Kai-Gunto]

Seller stats its from meiji. I saw the gold issue ,but when its not edo its okay with me. I just love the theme.

Whats with the nakago-ana? Too high , a wide blade?

Sure He needs a brace.

[Jean]

You have a beginning of Tale tell by the colour of the sekigane

[Grey Doffin]

Chinese fake made yesterday, I think.

Grey

[Thierry BERNARD]

  gunto said:

Seller stats its from meiji. I saw the gold issue ,but when its not edo its okay with me. I just love the theme.

Whats with the nakago-ana? Too high , a wide blade?

Sure He needs a brace.

 

is the seller is yumi3go55 ??

[Kai-Gunto]

  Quote

is the seller is yumi3go55 ??

 

Seller is edoantiques from Japan.

[christianmalterre]

Halleluja!

You do call this an Tsuba?

 

Some would rather tend to call this little orphane item an Manga!

Such,definitely could sort out from Japan,Yes...-"Shinjuku"-i just guess immediately...

Very Delicate! -Indeed!

LOL!

(no further comment from mine part here...)

 

Christian

[Curran]

Ease up guys.

[Toryu2020]

Gunto -

Have to say I love this theme too. I am guessing these are the sellers photos - do you have a shot of the ura. There are some valid points made above, closer examination will prove of interest. Once you've got it in hand do post some more detail photos.

and thank you for sharing,

-t

[Alan Morton]

Hi all,

 

I just recently for a newbie collector removed gold paint from 2 tsuba bought

 

from one of these Japanese dealers mentioned. One with a dragon motif had

 

been painted black all over and then gold high lights added to the tendrils and

 

eyes.Both Tsuba were iron and real.

 

Alan

[Brian]

I think we all agree that the gold is an addition that doesn't belong on this one.

However this style of tsuba is a real one and this skull theme was used, although more subtly. There are a lot of fake, enhanced or sub-par tsuba coming out of Japan nowdays..the flea markets are full of the Chinese fakes we see on eBay. It's not like the old days..if you saw it was from Japan, it had to be ok. Not so anymore. That is a general comment, and not directed at this tsuba.

However it may be that a real late Edo or Meiji tsuba was enhanced here, I am not convinced it is 100% fake. But that is a possibility. You need to have it checked out more. The sekigane are off too, and there appears to be a design issue from what Ford said.

Post clearer pics when you get it, and both sides.

Interesting theme..perhaps someone has a pic of the earlier and higher quality examples for comparisson?

 

Brian

[runagmc]

You could always have some daimonds inlayed in his gold 'grill' :D

[Ford Hallam]

Brian,

 

my feeling is that this wasn't made by an Edo period tsuba-ko. I say that because the position of the nakago-ana would place the tsuka off the seppa-dai area quite noticeably and place the tsuba very low when mounted on a blade.

 

I also find the shaping of the 'nasal passages', in particular, to be a bit similar to the way you can carve/scrape wax but not steel. Overall it just doesn't ring true to me.

[Brian]

It's difficult for us non-artists to picture the ratio between nakago anafuchi/tsuka/seppadai sometimes....

When looking at a tsuba, the ana sometimes seems to be in the right place. Until you take a pic of an average fuchi...size it exactly to match the tsuba nakago-ana, and overlay.

Then I see what Ford is talking about. Placement is way off.

 

Brian

[Kai-Gunto]

Heres a link too more photos.

 

http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/sho ... 0&format=0

[Ford Hallam]

Hi Thomas,

 

the images you've uploaded lead me to an even more certain conclusion that this is a modern cast facsimile. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that my opinion, for what it's worth.

 

What I took for electroplated gilding is, as others have suggested, merely paint. Paint stripper will quickly prove that I suspect.

 

regards,

 

Ford

[Kai-Gunto]

Thanks for Your reply.

Sad ,since I thourght that the seller was okay with the other items he had for sale.

If I understand right ,theres no chance it was made meiji time.

[Thierry BERNARD]

some samples of tsuba with skull theme!

[Ford Hallam]

Hi Thomas,

 

no, these sorts of steel castings are relatively recent. They've only really come to prominence with the advent of the internet and a large marketplace in which to pass off fakes on unsuspecting newcomers to the field of tsuba collecting. I think it fair to say that almost every field of collecting is similarly flooded with fakes intended to fool the novice.

 

Sorry this was such a nasty experience for you.

 

regards,

 

Ford

[Kai-Gunto]

Seller stats no return in the auction ,but if item is not meiji as seller stats ,then I will contact ebay and return it and get refund.