Brian

True. Frankly, any guesses are going to be just that. Perhaps at the next shinsa the panel will be kind enough to offer their ideas. School and period are also difficult, and at best are just guesses. Nothing like seeing it in hand. Brian

Ric, Compare your sword, activity and shape to this one: http://www.sanmei.com/shop_e/media/T277 ... _PUP_E.htm That should give you the basics on the smith that signed that way. This should be the guy who made your sword, however bear in mind that gimei is very common and there is always the risk of a false signature. However even if this is the case (and I haven't compared the mei yet) it still looks like a nice blade that is worth caring for and finding out more about. Perhaps Moriyama san can help with the translation of Aizu junin Toshiro as I am unsure of that one. If it is at the right price, it looks like a nice blade to acquire and possibly restore. Ubu, and in fair to good shape from what i can see. When buying, always assume gimei, and anything better is a bonus. Pricing is impossible to guess. If it was around $1500 or $2000..it may be worth the gamble. Brian

Remy, In this case, I believe the topic of your tsuba has run its course, and nothing further can possibly be deduced from it. In that case, I don't mind if the subject veers off in this direction. A stand alone thread on art and appreciation seldom works anyways, without a starting off point. To everyone else... I do believe that this subject can be debated politely and reasonably without resorting to insults or bickering. And so please bear in mind that I will come down like a ton of bricks on anyone who takes this thread that way. I'd like to hear more, and the only way this can happen is if we maintain a civil discussion. Advance warning if you like... Brian

http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Japan.htm I don't think there are any English (human) guides available at all, but iirc from my first visit there, language was not really a problem, and there is plenty to look at. I can't remember how many labels were in English, but it is a brilliant place to see swords and fittings, and I think there is enough English to make do. I can't remember thinking that I don't understand much (probably from shock anyways) and I think you will be fine. One of the must-do's in Tokyo. Just have a good map handy, as it isn't the easiest place to find. Brian

Reinhard is of course entirely correct. Just to elaborate..In this case I wasn't looking at the hadori finish, but at the hamon itself. While nioi can't be seen there, I would expect that with a loss of clay while doing yakiire and a subsequent gap in the nioi-giri, would also come a gap in the hamon itself. By looking at the hamon itself under the hadori, there is no appearance of an incomplete temperline, and therefore I was assuming no nioi-giri. Of course this isn't strictly correct, but for the purposes above where a fatal flaw was questioned, I can't see any gap in the hamon to suggest this. However Reinhard's summary of nioi-giri is 100% correct and the correct useage. Brian

Adam, I can't verify if this is earlier than a Shinshinto or not, but I can say that if it is post 1750 or so, that certainly doesn't pose a problem for the sword in my eyes. Lots of nice shinshinto out there, and unless you are one that only wants early blades, there is nothing about it that would make me consider it a problem. Lots of shinshinto out there that are far better than mass produced Koto. If you like it, then enjoy it. Don't get too fixated on the age Brian

Andrew, I think this might assist a bit. http://www.una.edu/faculty/takeuchi/DrT ... cement.htm In the case of bare ken etc, just my guess...but I would think that the point of the blade might serve as the head of an animal. Anyone offer a better suggestion? Brian

Thanks Franco for the tip. That does look like a great book, and I will have to make a plan to add that to my library. Guido, sounds like Aoi's price is more than fair. Milt...I can be bought. Send me this book and you can have your title you so long for :lol: Otherwise I'll consider myself not salt-worthy. I think I can live with that Silly season is upon us. G-d help us all! :x Brian

John, I think you would. However by the dimensions it is obviously intended as a miniature, and isn't the front end of anything larger. By name a shinogi zukuri tanto, but by scale and look, I would agree it is intended to depict a scaled down waki. I would have called it a boy's sword on first glance, but if an expert says not... Brian

Care to guess? Nanako quality is the give-away. Late edo, good for mounting? Brian

I like that! Makes me feel better about a lot of art I don't always get. Do I question his workmanship...no. But I do question his taste. I think I might use that often. :lol: A lot of truth in that imho. Brian

Adam, I don't see a break in the hamon anywhere? Could you perhaps photoshop an arrow or something to point out the area you are concerned about? Nioi-giri would be an area where the hamon stops abruptly and then continues further along. I don't see that here anywhere? Brian

Remy. As Ford said, the posts are not directed at your tsuba specifically. Sometimes someone is going to have to be the starter of a point that needs to be made, and in this case yours was the one Fair to medium iron tsuba were selling in Japan for $600 to $1000. Since no-one here with an eBay item has paid that for theirs, I really think it is silly to be offended if it doesn't turn out to be a masterpiece. I also think it is silly to get offended when some item is not thought to be masterful work by some mainline artist. That doesn't make things junk. Poeple are paying $300-400 on eBay for stuff, and getting just that. The fact that it might not be a $2000 set is supposed to be a tragedy? I would be very surprised if there wasn't 1000 people looking at the better looking stuff online. Chances of them going for a song are minimal. Yes..it happens, but when I find an item that looks good to me, and turns out to be gimei, then I still enjoy it as a good piece, just not by the artist. And of course our opinions are just that...opinions. We would all love to be wrong and for something really good to be discovered. I see too many people buying names and not enjoying what they have. It's all a bit beyond me. Brian

Is 25cm the cutting edge, or the whole blade from kissaki to nakago jiri? I can only think it must have been some sort of presentation piece or dedication or maybe just a sample of work in miniature? Brian

No..not easily. But a heck of a lot easier than faking very good work itself. $150 for the f/k is a good deal. Not everything has to be a masterpiece. $150 doesn't buy a lot in Japan, and these would be great mounted with a horse themed tsuba. Why must it always be masterpieces or junk? There is a nice middle ground of perfectly respectable work that is like 80% of the stuff out there and was used for good working swords. We have to stop looking for masterpieces constantly and expecting everything to either be fantastic or junk. Brian

I have no idea of the school, but I like it. Very attractive blade, and I love the way the hamon changes at the yokote. I don't think there were very many smiths making osoraku tanto, so pinning it down to a few should be too hard. Did this one skip the shinsa? Brian

- B -

I'm with the Doc on this one. Too much deep analysis of mediocre pieces is one thing...but when something good comes along it is relatively ignored. Some good info given here, but i don't think you can go further than that without wild speculation. Fire scale...hmmm. Maybe just many years of hard wear and rust. Some of the theories here lately seem to be sucked out of thin air, and then used to validate views on other items. I would suggest proving the theory first before using it on other cases. I'm with Rich, Grey, Martin etc. Just an old tsuba with lots of wear. If I had to give an opinion, I would go with Katchushi, but I wouldn't like to "box" it in a certain school too firmly. Doesn't look worth the while to fake an older piece in this case..I would stick with "it is what it looks like" If we are going to run with wild theories, then how about submerged for a while instead of fire? :? Brian

Absolutely. Sorry mark, but there are a number of give-aways. Not Japanese, not even close I'm afraid. Brian

Shan, Pardon me for saying this, but that is a very long way of saying absolutely nothing. The workmanship of a good artist will be clear no matter what subject matter they choose, or how they portray it. They are not going to reduce their skill on a certain piece purely for artistic license. They might choose to depict a scene a totally different way, or use a different rendering of the tagane, but what will always come through is the care and skill in which they wield their tools. If I don't get it (as I don't on many artworks such as paintings) that is not a fault with the artwork, but my own appreciation level in most cases. We look at the workmanship, and then see if the mei matches it. The other way round just gives the benefit of the doubt to the expert faker of signatures. And trust me...a signature is far easier to fake than quality workmanship. Brian

Shan, How about a link to the auction? If it "cost $200 of which $60 was shipping" then the koshirae went for $140, which makes me think that a whole lot of viewers didn't see it as being very good in the first place? I don't think they are too out of line offering a refund less their expenses. You could always make a counter offer that you pay shipping one way, and they cover it the other way. EMS for the rest of the world is the most reliable method, and is trackable. I am sure if you have another secure postage method that can be insured and tracked, they would accept that. Not saying they are right in this, but not conning you I think. I just think they have little knowledge themselves of what they are selling. Brian

There is a clickable pic below the main one. Looks like a WW2 soldier's knife to me possibly, or a late Meiji tanto. I don't think it is wonderful, but I do think it is genuine. Worth a $75 bucks risk anyways. Question is going to be if it has a hamon or not. Mei looks added later. Brian

Thanks Henry, looks like a wealth of resources there. Brian

His website seems to be http://www.togishistudio.com/ and it was updated a few days ago, so looks like he is around. I do notice this on his contact page: I am sure all is ok, just experiencing problems. Email appears to be teru@togishistudio.com Regards, Brian

Thanks very much Moriyama san, He had guessed at Iyetsugu..so that confirms it for him. Hirokuni looks correct according to the kanji you posted, but I can't find any smith signing Hiorokuni or Hirosato. Odd He says it is in gunto mounts, so possibly it is an unrecorded Showato smith. Just read Jacques post. I had also considered Sada. Is there any agreement on which one is the most likely? Brian Edit to add: Iyetsugu is looking like the correct mei. The only Hirokuni I can find is the shinsakuto smith Hiroki Hirokuni, but with different kanji, so not him. Another unrecorded smith?