tsuba original?

[brummbär]

hello my friends,
i get this tsuba. but i´m not sure if it is original or not. length is 6,51 cm, width is 5,0 cm, the weigth is 79,2 gramm. the thickness is 4mm
can you help me? how old is this?
best regards

[brummbär]

another pics

[brummbär]

and the last one

[Bob Coleman]

It is a genuine Japanese tsuba. It appears that the original shakudo finish(a dark deep purple color)has been polished off at some point by some nit wit who wanted to make it shiny.

[brummbär]

ok thanks. can you tell me what is the worth of this thing.
best regards

[Bob Coleman]

ok thanks. can you tell me what is the worth of this thing.
best regards

Very difficult to say as the damge highly effects value. If buying it, pay a small amount. The original finish can never be replicated.

[GHP]

I cannot find some of the kanji. However the first two are "Sesshū."

right side: 雪船叟画
left side: く柳 0 跂随

Right side. 雪船 Sesshū. 叟 [Sō] means "self deprecating first person pronoun used by the elderly" so perhaps this tsuba is made by by Sesshū??? Or, was it copied after a painting by Sesshū??? Or none of the above??
The last kanji is patently different than what I'm showing, but 画 MIGHT be an archaic form of "painting/sketch", but I'm just guessing -- which is why I highlighted it in pink.

Left side.
The く is probably a "repeat phrase" mark instead of the katakana く -- they look similar. The second kanji looks similar to willow/yanagi, so I've put that in pink as well. I cannot find the third kanji at all. The two fluid strokes to the immediate right of that kanji are reminiscent of three strokes to the right of 形 Kata/form. The fourth kanji ... I cannot decide if the radical is 足 or 正 ... but I cannot find a kanji starting with 正 and ending with 夂 [正夂]; nor a kanji comprising 足 and 夂 [足夂]. Needless to say, I'm flummoxed! I ended up using a "filler" kanji that might be close, but probably not.


--Guy

[brummbär]

ok thanks for the detailed explanation of the letters. so you are not sure that all the letters are true kanjis?

[GHP]

ok thanks for the detailed explanation of the letters. so you are not sure that all the letters are true kanjis?

I am certain the letters all are true kanji. I just cannot find them in the online dictionary.

--Guy

[brummbär]

ahhh ok thank you for your effort

[Bob Coleman]

Kanji used by kodogu artists can be very unique to the art and that is why Guy is having a problem with them.

[Brian Robinson]

Yes, original. Like Bob said, the patina is gone, but a professional like Ford Hallam could redo it for a price.
Nice little late Edo/Meiji tanto/hamidashi tsuba that needs a little tlc.
Value is probably around $250 upwards as is.
The mei on these are more artistically done than on swords. The Seshu part refers to the area I suspect. You will get a quick translation on the NMB as there are some native Japanese experts who read these difficult mei fluently. Not often that one stumps Guy

Brian

[brummbär]

thank you brian for your opinion

[Brian Robinson]

Thanks to John Stuart, the mei is Masayuki/Shozui.
Awaiting a translation of the rest, but in this case it is likely they were going for the Shozui - ( 1695-1769) - Was a noted student of Toshinaga and the founder of the Hamano School. Famous for Tsuba reflecting Historical figures and folklore. Most signatures found are fakes.
Likely it is gimei.

Brian

[GHP]

Thanks to John Stuart, the mei is Masayuki/Shozui.
Awaiting a translation of the rest, but in this case it is likely they were going for the Shozui - ( 1695-1769) - Was a noted student of Toshinaga and the founder of the Hamano School. Famous for Tsuba reflecting Historical figures and folklore. Most signatures found are fakes.
Likely it is gimei.

Brian

Thanks Brian!!!! I'd love to see Mr. Stuart's full translation -- this one stumped the heck out of me!!! Based on that hint [Masa] one of the kanji I had difficulty with was with the next to last on the left side: 政

--Guy