Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/15/2022 in all areas

  1. 5 points
  2. Well, as I just posted my de-rusting of one of these, I thought I would post them both, and ask if anyone has seen this type of tsuba motif before (preferably with images). ...and specifically with the raised Katchushi-style mimi. To me, it looks like a deliberate attempt to be a Guruma wheel, with the back ends of a bunch of arrows arranged as "wheel spokes". I believe the combined arrow-wheel motif is called "Yaguruma". In hand, they seem to have quite a bit of age to them and I really like their simple, rustic look. I have reached the end of what I can search and haven't found any other Katchushi-style versions. As a motif comparison, there's these ones from Mito and Akasaka. But, they have too many or too few arrows to look like "wheel spokes", and they don't have the raised mimi, so I don't see the "wheel" aspect of the motif:
    4 points
  3. Actually, just yesterday, I made a Tsuba-specific summary from the Jūyō Index originally posted by Jussi Eckholm. I'll post it in a new thread...
    4 points
  4. Most likely Japanese maple leaf
    3 points
  5. For this one; 濃州三品義明作之 - Noshu Mishina Yoshiaki made this.
    3 points
  6. Hi Pippo, I think the guard was originally made for a practice sword - sometimes called 'dancing sword' Mozoto 模造刀 The background surface is in a very poor imitation of nanako-ji. The 'sekigane' [if you can call it that] is poorly done and lopsided in the nakago-ana. The rendering of the birds is pretty poor - overall not something collectable unless you are into 'retro reproductions'. I think a lot of swords were stripped of their correct fittings and replaced with sometimes more decorative replacements to catch the eye and sell to the novice. I hope the blade is better, tsuba and fittings were designed to be replaced so it is not a big deal to refit with something better. Good Luck.
    3 points
  7. Lots of swords promptly went back to war in backyard operations.
    3 points
  8. Looks like the same workmanship to me, both nice pieces. Tomonaga's affiliation with the Myochin can not be confirmed though.
    3 points
  9. Enjoy... There were some surprises for me, including a bunch of mumei tsuba, and even 3 Nanban! There was a lot of late Edo kinko smiths that I had never even heard of, but that's not much of a surprise since I've been focused on iron tsuba so far. I tried to bundle specific smiths into a grand total for the specific school they belonged to. It's possible that the grand total for a specific school could be off by 1 or two... but hey, I did what I could, and it'll have to be "close enough" . Also, I may have wrongly left a few smiths as "independents" because I didn't do "extra research" to see if they were part of some larger school or lineage of smiths. Ok, enough caveats... at least it's a start. Tsuba-Specific Juyo Index Sorted by Alpha.pdf
    2 points
  10. From a collector's standpoint, in addition to personal tastes and trends, historical context, as well as rarity definitely play a part in valuing a tsuba. For example, a tsuba that is genuinely from the Muromachi period will sell for significantly more than one that was made later in the Edo period "in the style of" the earlier piece. The fact that there are so many copies makes it hard to tell which ones are genuinely old, which can make the prices of these jump around quite a bit. Also, tsuba from particular schools and individual smiths who were "groundbreaking" innovators add to the value eg.1: Kaneiye was the first to deliberately create carefully hammered, irregular surface textures with irregularly shaped rims, create raised relief patterns to show wildlife and Chinese landscape scenes, as well as to put 3D gold and silver soft metal inlays into his iron plates. ...all pretty mindblowing relative to everything else that was being produced at the time. eg.2: Second generation Yamakichibei is more highly prized than the 1st gen founder for that entire style. The 2nd gen smith really took the designs and execution to a higher level. 1st gen 2nd gen So in that sense, valuing tsuba has some similarity to valuing art paintings. The "first" to create a particular style are more prized than all the followers who came later. Although, every smith is going to have a few of their own "masterworks" at various points in their careers, so you still need to weigh the merits of each individual piece you're looking at before deciding what it's worth to YOU... and just hope that someone else with deeper pockets doesn't want it more Many of the branches of the Higo school enter into this category: very simple and elegant designs that were groundbreaking, innovative and distinct. In my experience, there are many more high end iron tsuba available than there are high end kinko tsuba. And BTW, now that buying direct from Japanese auctions is available, the price to purchase a great iron tsuba is significantly less than ebay or almost any online retailer, but the prices are still very high for a great soft metal Kinko tsuba. In my experience, there are many more high end iron tsuba available than there are high end kinko tsuba. Some really fantastic iron tsuba can be had for $400-$1000 (plus shipping and import fees), that would rival most tsuba in western museums (but that's a whole other topic...), while the truly rare and "most collectable" masterpieces can hit $2000+. High end Kinko is a completely different level of cost... so I'll stick with iron for now A few people mentioned the works of the Tenpo school. They produced a lot of tsuba over the years so there are a lot of them available, which drives the price down relative to the workmanship. These can be surprisingly inexpensive
    2 points
  11. Ha, you wish! AFAIK, in France antiques older than 100 years should be subject to a reduced VAT rate of 5.5% instead of 20%. However, in order to get the proper rate, it is vital that the description for the customs mention explicitly that the item is a >100yo antique, and include the appropriate tariff code 9706.000000 (see this link). And even when the description is correct, the carrier might "pre-process" your customs payment and apply the full VAT rate just to avoid complications. I had this problem in the past with both DHL and EMS/Chronopost. The former eventually reimbursed the difference (as their own invoice for the VAT payment contained the code that they had obviously disregarded) but the latter told me that they would only reimburse the sender, even though it was me who paid the tax to unblock the shipment. Since the sum involved was tiny I just let go, but in your case you want to make sure that you don't pay a 14.5% extra...
    2 points
  12. Gwyn, interesting questions! We don't know the prices that were asked by their respective makers, so we have to look at today's market and taste, but we can assume that TSUBA like YAGYU or TENPO were much esteemed in their time although they sometimes do not appear very refined. I don't think that these were cheap TSUBA back then. Generally, if you have a look at a TSUBA maker's work, I have a suspicion that many TSUBA nowadays are sold very cheaply. Most of them could not be made today at their actual sales price! So to answer your question, today's taste and fashion go their own way and do not necessarily correspond with the ideas of the old TSUBAKO. That is the way I see it, but that may well be wrong.
    2 points
  13. The style of the mei isn’t Myochin at all. Some Echizen smiths signed on a similar way
    2 points
  14. Pippo, all appear to be Seki Mino swords. TOP: Seki ju Goto Kanehiro saku ( has a stamp been filed off at top). He is in Slough p. 43. In 1941 exhibition was 4th seat of 5. In 1942 list he was 6th level of 7. MIDDLE: Ido Hidetoshi real name Ido Toshimi, born June 14 1915. Died Sept 18 1985. In Slough p, 33. In 1942 list as 6 level of 7. He worked in Amahide forge (see the NMB Downloads for AMAHIDE article). LOWER: NoshoMihara Kane (rusted) saku kore. (is the rusted Toki or Aki?)
    2 points
  15. The owner states in his 3rd paragraph, that the tsuka looks to be in poor shape, but did not take photo's before restitching the leather wrap back on. here's a better pic of the pommel/sarute. The tsuba is very rough in my opinion too. This sword should be an Iijima product (not Kobe), with more likely a round steel tsuba. I know F&G mention 'emergency' field cast tsukas being provided for 'field repairs'.... perhaps this is one of them, but i would like to see more before making any call like that. The fact that the menuki screw is missing bothers me, and casts doubts in my mind of any field repair. Looking at the studs used on the leather scabbard cover also makes me think that something is not quite right there also.
    2 points
  16. I've seen a case where one child had the blade and the other the nicely lacquered saya and they had been 'going at it'. Pretty sad to see. BaZZa.
    2 points
  17. For IRON tsuba, I'm having some nice success with antler. Don't go anywhere near soft metal inlays with an antler! Here's about three hours of antler work (before, during, after): Procedure I used: 1-Did 2 hours of scraping with antler *There was a lot of "bubbly" looking surface rust and crud to deal with 2-Soaked in mineral oil for about 5min 3-Scrubbed tsuba with an old toothbrush to get as much rust-dust off of it as possible *Oil "disguises" the rust, so don't fool yourself after the oil & scrub steps, by thinking everything is perfect 4-Wiped/dabbed as much oil away with paper towel so I could see if it needed more work... and yes it did. 5-REPEATED STEPS 1-4 [One more hour with the antler tip to hit target areas, followed by oil soak, toothbrush scrub, wipe with paper towel] Pretty happy with the results so far... Now one of my other tsuba has a "big brother".
    2 points
  18. There are no numbers on the tsuba or seppa. On second look the bottom of the tang has these lines on both sides
    2 points
  19. Another example of that smith's work...
    2 points
  20. "Nanban tsuba" literally "Southern barbarian sword-guards" is a catch-all for tsuba that show foreign influence. I would assume they're much rarer at Juyo level as they're much less likely to be culturally significant to Japan. As with Nihonto; history, traditions, schools, makers, development, etc are all important factors. For a nanban tsuba to present all of these factors to such a level that the NBTHK determined the preservation of the tsuba to be of historical importance (for Japan) is quite unexpected and unusual. That's not to say that they aren't exceptional pieces of work, along with many other nanban tsuba, just that other tsuba would seem to have an advantage when it comes to receiving Juyo papers. Clearly the examples here are truly exceptional, given that they were awarded Juyo papers.
    1 point
  21. As Stephen indicated, Kuni refers to the province at the beginning of the mei.
    1 point
  22. That's where taste comes in. Old iron guards for example can seem basic compared to their kinko counterparts due to a lack of visual flashiness, but this difference in aesthetic is why they were made and it was/is just as valuable to someone who prefers that vibe.
    1 point
  23. LOVING IT SO FAR Guys.. PLEASE carry on. I want to learn. Can anyone post example photos side by side so we can compare and contrast? i.e. an elaborate work that is quite inexpensive with a simple one that is costly. (Must point out that I am not bitching about prices in this thread, I realise that they cannot be made today without breaking the bank, and that they are all superb value considering age and craftsmanship I am just interested in how prices compared way back then for different types and why prices vary so much today even one tsuba is so elaborate and another seems basic.)
    1 point
  24. Can't help much Bruce...I also think the month is GO (5). First I've seen of this star stamped arsenal signed tang. Sorry, G.
    1 point
  25. Just crashing here. Will post some photos tomorrow starting with the reg card, then. Hope your popcorn stays fresh Stephen.
    1 point
  26. Annnnnd another black-painted tsuba! Convinced these were done by the original owners during the war, maybe even by the outfitting shops. Matt, those are normally seen as Roman numerals, so "46" or "64". Trystan was right in seeking numbers on the other fittings, as that is often the case. Yours might have been re-fitted after the marks were put there. It is also possible they are put there by the smith for his own purposes and the fittings shops simply piggy-backed on the number already present and used it on their fittings.
    1 point
  27. Hello, looks to be a good healthy blade.
    1 point
  28. Good question. Never considered that before. Will keep my eyes open and report back! (Just on my way to our NBTHK local meeting)
    1 point
  29. By-and-by I might actually do so, BaZZa!
    1 point
  30. The handachi went back into the maelstrom. It failed to give me my full money back, but clawed back enough cash to have made the little experiment worthwhile. Not dead, only lightly wounded. On the other hand I have sinned, and this time it is a cardinal sin. Never in my life have I bought a 軍刀 Gunto, and never have I had any desire to do so. Unfortunately when bored recently, I have been flicking through the Gunto threads here on NMB, muttering "No, no no!" ... but they must have affected my brain. Who says that violent movies do not affect ordinary impressionable folk? To cut a long story short, I watched myself buying a Gunto today at an antiques fair, as if in slow-motion, and placing it gently into the back of the car. "Who, me?" I said to anyone in the parking lot (car park) within earshot. "You must have the wrong person!" Actually I had a bad night last night with rising acid, and spent some time upright in bed in freezing temperatures wondering why I was being punished like this. Enough with the excuses, I can take this one on the chin, like a male or female warrior. So here it is in a brown leather saya and tsuka cover set. I know so little about them I am afraid to undo the popper and take off the tsuka cover, and I hate to ask for help. End of saga.
    1 point
  31. The '95' is Chinese crap. Read the Fake NCO Thread and you will see many examples of this poor reproduction.
    1 point
  32. Good (well… bad) pictures and discussion of use/misuse of uchiko here: https://blog.yuhindo.com/uchiko-considered-harmful/
    1 point
  33. Knowing the maker is always good and important, and in this case the maker seems to be a smith of some skill, so I wouldn't say this is insignificant. Also, the unique design on the tang, and even the "good luck" inscription on the reverse side, will all be interesting to collectors. For sure get a new mekugi. Many of us here on the board just whittle down a piece of bamboo chopstick when a new one is needed. (Nobody is a purist regarding the menuki...any piece of bamboo will do as long as it stays in place and holds the sword in). Regarding restoration, for now I wouldn't be in a rush. Just keep it oiled very slightly (so that a film covers the sword, but not enough to allow the oil to collect and pool and potentially drip inside the saya). With Shōwa blades, restoration is always a dicey proposition because the cost of restoration may not be recovered when reselling. I know you are not considering reselling, but it is a data point that someone will eventually consider. I don't know too much about Kanemitsu, but the inscription is unusual enough, that the sword may well be worth spending the couple of thousands of dollars on restoration. Think about this for a while, get some more opinions, show to some collectors or dealers in your area.
    1 point
  34. sorry i didn't mean to hijack the thread so will give my best guess (answer) to your question: From looking at the other thread my explanation for the kanji would be that the blade has always been viewed as a "utilitarian" blade. It may have been part of a castle or arsenal's "stock" of weapons, something stored and issued to someone when needed. The markings may be something used to organize, inventory, track etc the blade. You see kanji like that on blades used in the Satsuma rebellion in later 1800's
    1 point
  35. Yes indeed Thomas If we have the mon - which family name goes with it? If we have the name - which mon goes with it?
    1 point
  36. The dimple at the bottom of the seppa-dai would suggest that at the very least three are copies [more likely all four]. Why would you make a 'mistake' four times? Other details are not the same, such as the part of the signature immediately above - would this suggest the signatures were added after the casting or just the die wearing out? Bob, it is nearly impossible to tell authentic pieces in isolation, some copies are just so good. It is only when they start to multiply that they start to stand out - a good visual search of similar pieces will often lead you in the right direction but finding them can take a long time.
    1 point
  37. Detective Trystan, AKA @BANGBANGSAN, pointed this sword out to me and I was a bit surprised to see it. In answer to your question, the date appears to be either February or March 1945 but I am leaning more toward March 1945 昭和二十年三月. The swords made prior to this were inscribed with 小倉陸軍造兵廠 [Kokura Army Arsenal]. However, this sword is marked with the factory name as indicated by SteveM, instead of the arsenal's name. Below is a summary of these Kokura Army Arsenal made star-stamped blades. 小倉陸軍造兵廠: used on swords dated May 1944 to February 1945. 春日製造所: used on swords dated March 1945 to May 1945. For those that maintain records, below is a link to one dated May 1945. gunto mei help please As in the way of background, I will quote a March 1946 American intelligence report in regards to Kasuga Factory.
    1 point
  38. Mid-January update. On Thursday I’ll probably let go of the latest handachi Koshiraé without creating a new tsunagi for it. Someone else can make that commitment. Bought on impulse. Straight back into the pot. The gold Kiri Mon on Nanako Shakudo Fuchi/Kashira are good quality, so I am sure it will find a new owner. The Kagami-Shi Tsuba is par for the course. The cheering news is that having recently bought a mumei Muromachi/Momoyama(?) Jumyō Tantō in Yamanouchi Mon, (see a few posts above), I’ve coincidentally found a Tosa Yamanouchi gun to go with it. Sitting in traffic today, I was thinking that now I have at least one object from the Hosokawa family of Kumamoto, the Daté families of Uwajima and Sendai, the Ikeda of Tottori and Okayama, Hachisuka of Awa/Tokushima, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa, and the Yamanouchi of Tosa, inter alia. Each is an express elevator back in time. Close your eyes and you’re there.
    1 point
  39. Thought I would kick off a thread on Horimono on Gunto swords in WW2 mounts. These are all by Kanetoki/Kanemichi (the same sword smith). So I would love to see others, whether Gendai or old blades remounted for war.
    1 point
  40. I have been using food grade mineral oil and the outer layer of bamboo, the inner core of the bamboo is too soft. I have found it takes me too long to hone a antler tine down fine enough to get into the tiny areas. David
    1 point
  41. Thought I would post my Field rank sword
    1 point
  42. I certainly agree with this notion of a 'tuition fee'. Over the decades here in Australia where I lived it was uncommon to find a good sword amongst the also-rans - at least to my eye. My early strategy was to buy anything in reasonable condition that 'looked good' and to learn from it. My collecting philosophy has never been one of an 'investment' profit/loss mindset, but really to have the view that 'the journey is priceless', as Piers' tussle with a Sukenaga amply illustrates. Over my 55+ years of collecting this outlook has given me insights that reading all the books in the world simply does not give. Even if one is of moderate means you gotta dip your toe in the water!! BaZZa.
    1 point
  43. Evening everyone, 2019 has been a very busy year for me both personally and professionally. I've acquired (and subsequently released) the odd piece here and there, but sadly I haven't had much time to devote to write-ups. In that spirit, I'd like to share two new chawan in a simple manner - the presentation side of each, what you'd see as a host of the gathering, and some whipped tea... The full and warm aka-Raku is by Hon'ami Sokyu, and the robust, overpowering Iga is courtesy of Kojima Kenji. I'd love to see some other bowls in action so please post 'em if you got 'em, and no worries if not... "In my little hut, Whether people come or not It is all the same. In my heart there is no stir Of attraction or disgust."
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...