Brian

Milt, From what I am gathering here, no..the colour of the shakudo doesn't have a lot to do with the quality. The work has to confirm the attribution. However good works by their nature will have a good patina if in good condition. I don't think the shakudo patination is very deep at all, so surface wear will make the patina look dull and aged. Good patina leads you to look further at the piece, but I don't think it is conclusive of anything at all. Brian

Don't worry Guido, I don't think I know either While writing that, I took 3 phonecalls and by the time I was finished, I think I forgot where i was going :lol: Agreed on all those points. I think I was also re-itterating what you all already said that that use of shakudo was more aesthetic than prestigious, and was carefully thought out and not just by chance. Phew...anyone seen any marbles lying around?..I think I am losing a few :D Brian

Guido, Why not just use copper then? This would be easier than a copper/gold alloy I agree that shakudo wasn't as "precious" as sometimes though, but I was thinking that when making plugs, lead (as sometimes seen) or plain copper would be the easy way out. Mind you, that doesn't apply in this case where the plugs are more decorative than just fillers and I assume shakudo was used to achieve a certain look after patination, but in the case of tsuba that do have shakudo plugs only for the kozuka and kogai bitsu I would think that they were going for slightly more than the easy way out. I guess this is in keeping with the Japanese aesthetic where the easy way out was seldom used though, and the art was more important Brian

Actual value aside, how was shakudo regarded in those days? I mean compared to gold, silver, shibuichi, shinchu etc etc. Was it regarded as a better alloy, or just another one in the workshop that you could grab to use? For them to go to the trouble of veneering/sleeving habaki and tsuba etc occasionally, I would guess that it was fairly well respected as a working medium? To do simple plugs, I am assuming that there are easier metals to work with and they weren't taking the easier way out in this case? They obviously liked the patina that they could bring out, and did it for aesthetic reasons? Just wondering on this slow Tuesday.. Brian

I'm nowhere near 6', unless you turn me on my side :lol: I could be wrong, was just going by the pics but it could easily be a katana. Perhaps with the shorter nakago it is closer to a uchigatana...will have to wait and see. Brian

Bill sent me this pic (hopefully to post) He notes that the damage was from a move, and is being repaired. To be honest, I know nothing at all about sai, and would have no idea on value. A lot would depend on the attached name, and whether they are forged or how they are manufactured. If these are not for sale, let me know so that I can move it to another section. Regards, Brian

Hi All, I have been told that my hosts are going to be moving the server to a new and slightly higher end server betwen now and the next 2 days. The site should load ok, but while they update nameservers and do some maintenance, there may be sporadic downtime. If you find the site doesn't load for you at any stage, or the site is not found, please try it again in an hour or 2. Not sure exactly when this will happen, but hopefully afterwards we will be on a slightly more reliable server. Sorry for any inconvenience, but please note that we aren't going away anywhere for very long Regards, Brian

I knew the issue of nie/nioi on tsuba was a contentious subject, but who knew plates would fly around the kitchen because of it? :lol: Ok..calm folks. Interesting debate (can we keep it a debate?) and an interesting read. I am of the shared opinion that nie/nioi does not exist on tsuba, and if it was ever there, would not be visible due to the patina that tsuba have in any case. Anyone want to send their tosho tsuba to a togishi for polishing? :D If it was a valid factor in tsuba, it would have been written about multiple times in old Japanese references, and would be a kantei point. Now there might be effects that might look like shining nie/nioi, but to call them that I think is misleading faced with the overwhelming facts presented. However a discussion of what they could be is interesting and educational. Perhaps Rich could ask Gordon Robson or one of the Japanese tsuba experts their views on this phenomenon, and whether it is even a factor in anything? I think a bit of asking around at the DTI might also be enlightening. How about everyone subjects themselves to a bit of tempering and quenching, guys....your nie is showing. Brian

What puts me off a Goto call is the quality of the nanako. It is well done, but not perfect. Lines aren't perfectly straight and on close examination it just doesn't ooze perfection. Still nice work, but I would be more inclined to say Goto style, or waki Goto? Brian

That entire post....just to state "I disagree on the age, i think it's either early Edo or Mid." No more of this please. It is getting very tiring and unneccessary. Take the private jokes to pm. Brian

Piers, I would need to know the blade length before I could be sure about any age at all. If a wakizashi, then it is unlikely it is a WW2 blade, and doesn't look shinshinto either from the nakago age and patina. That would leave a Shinto or Koto..both a few hundred years old. It doesn't appear to have the typical shin-gunto style nakago either, so even if a katana I would be betting on Koto..maybe shinto. Just a gut feel, and not based on much concrete proof. Brian

Hi Nick, Work looks good, but not sure if gimei or not. There is quite a bit on the forum on Shozui. Do a search and you should pull up a few pages. Try this one for Curran's papered ones: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2856&p=20342 Also here and here Big name..good luck, however unless mindblowing these are seldom shoshin. However yours does have an interesting construction indeed. Brian

I think Milt, in an effort to be increasingly obtuse and incomprehensible, is saying that after a bit of alcohol, this could start to look like a Higo Hayashi school tsuba. It's not though. See an example here Brian

Hi Piers, All I can really tell from the pics is that it is a wakizashi (assumed from the size of the nakago, but could be a katana) and it has a surrender tag. Looks to be at least a few hundred years old. Polish is bad, so would need a window before you could tell much more. Brian

Thanks Henry, I doubt I will be able to get everything listed before the Japan trip, so I think we have until I get back (end of Nov) to get pics and items sorted out. Will also be looking in Japan to see what I can buy to offer for the raffle. Careful what tsuba you bring to any gatherings in Japan to show...you might not make it back home with them :lol: :D Brian

Hi guys, Here is the shop and a little info on the papers by Moriyama san: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2406 Would love to hear more opinions on the tsuba...what it is as well as what it isn't? I am sure the papers aren't way off, but worth discussing to know what to look for. Brian

Merged these 2 topics so that we can keep this one blade in one topic. Still looks to me like a naginata naoshi..or other wise a wakizashi that was made in the style of a slender naginata blade. Maybe the latter, without the hi. Don't think it is all that unusual. Maybe properly called a nagamaki-naoshi (or style) without the naginata hi. Brian

Shan, We aren't trying to discourange the posting of lesser pieces at all, although we would certainly love to see more good stuff posted. There is always the chance some novice doesn't recognise a good Akasaka or Kanayama tsuba, so it is important for us to give advice on any tsuba posted. At the same time, it is valuable to constantly remind people of what to look for in tsuba, so that they can learn and recognise these themselves. In this case, yours was just the right timing and item for another general lesson. Glad to see you didn't take it badly, as that wasn't the intention. It is just a good (and often worth repeating) lesson so that everyone benefits when they see tsuba for sale. Hope everyone sees it for what it was, and doesn't take it as a lesson not to post anything they are unsure of. Gotta have a thick skin in this field, and judging by the way you took it, looks like you are doing ok Would love to see more honesty, less "subtle hints" and people not taking offense. That would be the best combination for decent educational discussion. Feel free to post anything you are unsure of, and of course we do hope to see some good stuff discussed often too. Reagrds, Brian

Thanks again John. Looked it up, and it really is a great book. We have a nice library of books for the raffle and it will be first drawn, first choice again on the books, so a chance to really improve the library. Raffle page will probably go up at the end of November when I get back, but leaving in a week and a half..so if anyone has any pics or items to submit, please send them asap. Thanks, Brian

Original post: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3998 What country are you in? Might help so that we can direct you to someone who can assist in looking at it and advising further. Looks to me like it might be a naginata noashi, based on the shape. Depending on what you paid for it (dirt cheap?) it might pay you to invest in a polish. Also depends on what you want out of it at the end. There were many Kiyomitsu's and narrowing it down to one or 2 will depend on state of polish. Looks like it has had some acid or etching treatment, ad only a polisher will be able to really tell you more. If it were me, and I was in one of the larger countries, I might be convinced to look after it and keep it in good condition until a shinsa came around, and then see what they have to say about it. or send it to a polisher and maybe have a window polished to see what turns up. The main thing is not to rush into anything. Brian

Milt, There's a new despot in town, and he ain't as harmless as the old one. Brian

Doug, It is unlikely that all the fittings stayed together through the years. They were so commonly swapped and changed that by the time they get to us, most have been altered. Themes often did match, but we do see papers going to koshirae without a solid theme. However in this case, the parts are probably from different time periods and themes, and are later additions to the set. I think the f/k, menuki and kozuka do look like they go together. Maybe the saya was made later as it is more fragile than the other parts, and the tsuba looks like it was added later. Brian

Shan, Just after a quick and tired glance... Check inside the sukashi walls for any signs of a joint line. I am probably wrong, but it loos cast to me? Brian

For sure. This time I am actually taking a camera with, unlike last time :? I'll be sure to flood the board with pics..and won't miss any swords or fittings at the markets. Mind you...I have a feeling they know exactly what they have, and there are few bargains to be found. Some of the markets are more expensive than the shops. They see prices on the shops and think everything is worth that. Just my experience from last time. Brian

Hope you told all the Ako stallholders to make sure they bring ALL their Nihonto stuff for the November trip Looks good. That stall at Saidaiji with the swords (koshirae?) also looks interesting. Maybe they will start doing the Ako market. Love these antiques markets. At least you can haggle and have fun. The shops are the best place to buy, but not as much of an experience. Hmm..then again the Rand dropped another 10% against the Yen last nite. Down about 30% since I booked my trip. is begging in the streets of Tokyo illegal? :lol: Brian