christianmalterre

Dear Gentlemen, this excellent tsuba from my former collection is for sale. I acquired this tsuba many many years ago from a well-known collector in the USA and am offering it for sale here. As it will be extremely difficult to attribute it to a particular lineage or school, individual collector speculations and attributions are extremely difficult. An excellent tsuba in absolutely flawless and wonderful condition! An absolute highlight for any serious tsuba collector! The iron, the texture, and its size correspond to the famous early Owari - Kanayama.... a piece that could correspond to this tradition. Another option is the early Myochin school, which, however, did not leave many early tsuba known to us for comparison. The Myochin are better known to have specialized more in the production of armor parts and helmets so far. The dimensions of the tsuba are: 75 x 75 mm diameter - 6 mm thick on the seppa-dai and 11 mm thick on the mimi. The tsuba has not yet been presented and therefore comes without papers. My asking price is 2800.- Euro Please only serious inquiries Tsuba is in Germany Thank you very much! A Donation to the board will be done if sold here. Cheers! Chris

Second i am seriously thinking....good piece!

price is too high Steve.... considdering the market,,,, Second is much better than the top one.... Greetings!

On Hold

further pictures:

Dear Gentlemen, up for sale is this excellent Tanto in Bizen Lineage by the Contemporary Swordsmith Hiroshi Kojima. Hiroshi Kojima is the 4th Naohiro - last smith in the direct line of Naotane school. This Tanto is in perfect condition and comes like seen here in the pictures. Nagasa 24 cm Further info on request.....just PM me. Asking price is On Hold ( plus shipping ) Thanks and Cheers! Chris

Rich, for me there is nothing special interpreted....of course you can always want to interpret somehow and something....but I think that is pure stylism and taste. Possibly the Mimi was damaged at one point and the whole magic was organized afterwards ? Who knows..... Owari no, this is more typical of Shoami....( also the Geometry of the Hitsu-Ana .....) And this wild goose motif has been designed in such a way and on a such massive scale ( also in other schools or traditions ....lool Kyo...or Akasaka...)...I would also not stick to this at all.... Funny piece....that´s all.... Christian

Thank you very much!

I thought I'd play along with you guys for once. Who is that ? I say immediately, that is not a man in the individual who has made this piece! At least in the idea and in the conception of stylism. There is more behind it. It is not necessarily very old, but has had a very certain ulterior motive in its time! Well, some may call it old already, but if you love really old pieces, as I do, then it is rather rather modern.... I am very proud and happy to have such an exquisite piece....So I say with certainty. Very nice! Very good! A Tsubashi who signed under his name...but was very dependent on the inventiveness of his wife and life partner. Something new for a change! And not again those Yagyu.....Stil. - (ism).... again.....please! Old school.....

This whole topic is highly interesting! And I would like to thank first and foremost Glen for picking up and "make sensitive" very much! Because it is finally time to talk seriously about this topic. A story from my own many years of collecting experience. I acquired a tsuba in the early 90's directly from the lineage and family collection of a well known sword master from an old established samurai family near Kyoto. This Tsuba was never in the Japanese trade and was, since its former owner in the 18th century died, always in direct family possession on the part of the wife and widow. This piece was then presented by a friend through the local German NBTHK (where I was also a collector member at that time) and certified with Hozon papers the following year. So there are 2 types of authentications. 1. the original papers of the family 2. the collector / trade - certification of a company which is applying for authenticity in collections and trade with antique pieces. This tsuba is cast! I will try in the coming days to make some good pictures and present here in detail. Unfortunately, my photographic skills are not to be considered good. So please forgive me for that. I will get back to you......

Dear Jean, the Text Glen does state John L. is in his publication about " The Namban Group of Tsuba" ( which i did try to find the last days...it but seems it is out of print and since long not more available ??? ) John did also publish some essayes and texts about these thematics in various Journals of the British Sword Societies he was active in and Roald K. did republish some of the more Kenjutsu or "fighting" relevant points in his Kendo issues..... I do not know if those are still available ? I do have my copies here.....those are but least 20 - 30 Years old..... Do browse the web.... Christian

To clear up the "legend" that has been repeated time and again. Cast iron can definitely be just as durable and malleable as forged iron. It is a pure nonsense to claim that cast iron is brittle and rough to break. It only depends purely on the material used (composition) and the degree of temperature during processing. So if the "blacksmith" " swordsmith", "gunsmith", " tsubashi" , or kettle caster knows exactly his material and also the appropriate temperature so to treat his material properly, nothing speaks against in the way of a professional elaboration. The degree of subsequent hardening and resulting decarbonization of the finnished metal is maybe the most essential keypoint! Otherwise (to name just a few...) the rifled gun barrels of Sauer & Son ( Hunting guns ) in the German area of Suhl, or the gun barrels of the Paris Frenchman Lefauchex ( Hunting guns) would not have been created and further developed in beginning early 19th century. Christian

and yes, to come back to the former question... There were casting moulds definitely! The Kagami ( Mirror makers ) were specialised also in producing Tsuba and other Tosogu. Which they unquestionable did.

A very good example Richard! Thank you for sharing it. I would even like to claim that very many tsuba ( whether they have been worked from iron or from a soft metal like Copper or Shakudo or else) are cast pieces! We had this discussion already for very many years. The forum here is full of more information about it. Only just finally, this discussion came up again in another thread where a collector wrote ( which is Correct! ) that for example the NBTHK even certifies cast pieces! Cast tsuba are not necessarily always modern fakes! This is to ben considered when collecting or owning Tsuba absolutely! A good cast and genuine antique piece can therefore and was already certified in the past and recognized as a genuine! Much discussion topic! And I am very aware that very many collectors now get scared. Christian

most probably they do all sort out from the same former collection..... their´s "taste" least would fitt so.... I personally do not understand what should be so special with these Kunitomo, but well.