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Brian

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Everything posted by Brian

  1. Yeah, have asked for nakago pics. I'm sure I'll get reasons why he can't remove it. It's not a huge sum...about $1300, but that is far too much for a local sale. I'm guessing it would have a mumei nakago, maybe suriage. Don't see anything there to help date it. Was wondering what model/variant it is, or is it standard Kyu Gunto? More curious than interested in buying. I'd love to have a Kyu Gunto, but would want one with a decent condition earlier blade.
  2. Up for sale locally (asking too much) Wanted to run this past the experts here, as I am not up to date much on the military swords. What can we say from these pics? Condition is poor, completely out of polish. Too much restoration needed. Listed as a "Scarce Imperial Japanese army type 19 kyu-gunto military sword" Thanks!
  3. This is just for interest, and is anonymous. I just was wondering how many people here have purchased items via the NMB? I always wonder how many sales result from listings here, and aside from the obvious ones where someone says "I'll take it" and the seller says sold, I am always curious how much business is done via listing here. This includes items bought from dealers that you may have seen listed here instead of on their websites. I'll add a few options, and allow more than one vote. Don't worry, this isn't an attempt to bring in advertising, fees or anything like that, it is just for interest and for me to know where to focus and to allow for future improvements. Appreciate your responses.
  4. The personal stuff is wearing really thin. Any further comments that are personal and add nothing to the topic at hand will be deleted, and warnings given. Jacques, you don't know when to quit, do you?
  5. Excellent find Dale! If someone can work on a translation of that, I think that's your answer. It is too similar to not be related. I suspect this is the same age and history of the one under discussion.
  6. Unless you see it the same on the other side, I wouldn't worry about it. It seems to follow the hada, hence just part of the forging and not a crack.
  7. As I suspected, which is why I sought confirmation here. Don't suppose he'll believe me, but it is what it is. I wonder the origin considering it is well aged.
  8. Trying to get the additional pics. Let's hope he sends them. This one confuses me.
  9. Asking advice on this one, sent to me by a friend here, asking if it's ok. Some parts look ok, but I'm concerned about a few things too. Hi looks wide. I've asked for pics of the stamps, serial and both sides of the habaki. Can you say anything based on these pics so far?
  10. Much better. Shape of the nakago ana is also a lot better than the previous pics and is closer to what a tsuba should be. Still an odd shape though, would have to be modified to fit a blade. I think we can be certain this wasn't any Shogunate piece. I'm still in the "made for the Dutch trade" camp here. Something flashy with cloissone for the Western market, maybe anywhere from 1600's to 1800's.
  11. Files fit fine. Any of them. Google free image resizers, takes a minute to resize down to a reasonable size
  12. I'd be interested in what magnetic pull means. If you grab a small magnet, does it stick firmly, and to where? Agree, this is an enigma.
  13. The Dutch traded with Japan between early 1600's and around 1859. I don't really see this as a 1600's tsuba. It could be....sure. But there is nothing conclusive showing it is early. Could have been made for export at any time. https://nagasakidejima.jp/english/history/ We've all seen the crude tanto made for the export market in the 1800's....why not hurriedly made tsuba? Could be early, no idea. I doubt it lay around Japan for long. The Japanese simply didn't make stuff for decoration way back. It would have been made for mounting, which seems odd considering the shape. Again, all conjecture. Unless you can find someone to do some technical dating on the iron, going to be hard to decide. Fires were a thing in Japan. If it was in one, more likely it was there, than in Japan. But I think we'd see more scale. Again, no way to really come to a conclusion easily, you picked a difficult one
  14. They care a lot about quality. But museums tend to collect history more than quality. For example if this was a trade item that came from Japan to The Netherlands, or came from a Dutch ship, it would easily go into a museum because of the history involved and not the quality. I am not sure it came from a shipwreck. If it's iron (I assume you checked with a magnet) then I would expect more corrosion. I'm still leaning towards the theory of it having come from a Dutch ship trading with Japan in the 1800's. Having little experience with quality, they may have taken it in a batch, quality being irrelevant. But no way to prove that. Pity the museum number doesn't lead to some notes about it's acquisition in the archives.
  15. It is definitely not for the Shogunate. That is impossible, quality even when not damaged would have been poor. Agree with Okan, those were added when it was in a collection. May have even come from a shipwreck.
  16. I wouldn't have too much faith in this being a high end tsuba. To me, it looks more like Nagasaki trade work, or something made for export for the Dutch. Not Hirata, and I am certain not for the Shogunate. The aoi mon was used on export pieces to create interest. Fire damage is very possible. But the misshapen nakago ana (even if you take the pic flaws into account) don't look to me like it was made for serious use. Maybe it's early cloissone. Maybe just a crudely made one. If he visits here, perhaps @Ford Hallam would have some input. It's an intriguing piece. But with the Dutch connection, then maybe the trade item would explain how it got there.
  17. I think we're looking at a Nagasaki style export/trade item here from the Edo period. But let's see what others have to say.
  18. You may want to search the forum for cloisonne, and read a few threads like this one:
  19. Welcome Hannah, Uploading a few of the pics edited to show clearer, and the correct orientation. Interesting tsuba, that has me puzzled. Has cloisonné on it, and some odd features. The hold for the tang is usually very precise to fit a Japanese sword. This one isn't. The nakago ana is very crude, and wouldn't fit a nakago (tang) very well. But it is undoubtedly a tsuba, so I am unsure. Hopefully some of the members will be able to provide some input into it. Brian
  20. They are not signed. Full machine made, monosteel arsenal blades. You can clean it...there is no hamon/hada etc. Just solid steel.
  21. Thanks guys. It started at about $550...no bids. Went down to start at $450 which I bid, then someone bid $450, I bid $500, other person bid $550...so I left it. No point chasing it way up, and although I liked it, I didn't love it. Next one..
  22. Carved wooden (bronze of course) stick Piers. Thanks Colin, I should have known that. Any idea of market value for a large one like this? Meiji for sure. Details are not terrible.
  23. Sword really isn't so bad. Yes, it's lost the machi. Likely fixing chips. I don't see the blade being tired. Hadori is thick, but what we can see of the hamon, it doesn't run off. Not a masterpiece, but not a write off either. It's genuine, complete and old. A lot better than many of us started off with.
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