christianmalterre

David-just an question as i can not follow here... You do say something about an eventual reversability here... In which sense do you mean this? Just an next question,as i actually just can speculate about what you did write here-do you get influenced in mentioning an eventual/possible(OR NOT POSSIBLE?) reversability due the fact of an Ana-execution here in your´s Tsuba? (or let me say it such way...-in the execution of such Ana in general on Tsuba)? (May those ben either Kozuka or Kogai-Ana..is not that relevant actually...this question is out of topic here) Christian

Yes Brian-this is the only possible way it(functionality)would work. John is right in this observation of course-so they had to ben altered equally. As i did write already-i did made mine mind about this couriosity already-and found some remark written down on one letter left by Oeder. Here he states(in German) "Möchte wohl Ähnlich in Funktionalität und Ausführung-zu den Modernen Kaiserreich-Ausführungen sein" "Habe Solches schon gesehen-Die Klinge wird durch Daumendruck gelöst" (in mine english connaissances(pardon)vaguely translated: "May,most probably similar in functionality and execution like those to ben found in the modern Imperial Army" "Have seen such once,the blade gets drawn out by simply pressure with the thumb" So-here an(maybe) sophisticated explanation for those...(Dr.Pete´s above answer in fact)... Question to those familiar with the swords of the early Army here... Is such known regularely already?(Oeder was after those sources i do have staying in Japan 1904) Otherwise asked-when did this Thumb-system did ben regular?-I am quite shure-this topic is mentioned somewhere in the relevant literature...? ?? Christian

Hi Marc :D this is a nice Tsuba! It´s somehow funny for me due it does remind me somehow on the "Brothers Grimm"... Of course-rather not the sujet here... May you give us an hint where to have an look? Joly? Are those Mushrooms on the rainy tree-bark and the muddy ground(the personage does wear his rain-sandals(an theme rarely to ben seen in Japanese art)in fact-just saw such on prints only till yet... A Fairy Tale perhaps? Christian

Henry :| speaking honestly here-this threat did not fall anyways "off course" here... It´s in sight-rather an matter of "Chivalry"-here.... You-as an common(rather new to ben seen)collector;do have plenty of excellent literature...so to do an sufficient learning,study,examination in that specific field... We(short group)-as(perhaps the old nostalgic party)-did have(in addition)some further insights-rather not,to say this very honest to you...(?)..(!) So(?) I will certainly not comment on this! As-(it´s our´s money here we did invest in plenty of literature and plenty of Tsuba-and it´s very certainly NOT the Your´s! interestst so to accumulate our´s past mistakes we did...) Enough? Christian

out of topc guys ....myself i do know..-it´s (maybe) "hard" sometimes what is/may be comming there(as an possibly(?).. thought)... In Sum-it would,(but!)-be(!!)-more constructive(?),so if to reflect(eventually)(good old Odin?)-What does he(the old Master) want to express here??)-before posting some nonsense..(Tricky Hint)... THIS "TOPIC QUESTION" IS FAR TO BEN EASY!-Not? (at least mineself did headake about-seemingly Dr.Pete in an Ditto way...) Just DO! tell me better-and shure!-i will certainly be one of the very first( maybe Nostalgic Guys) catching in "That" Line",equally... O.K? Christian

I have to agree to Dr.Pete´s post here... Reading what Mr.Gilbert did say/parallel to what is left on the private writings from Georg Oeder-i have actually to agree here/despite the fact that i did not found any constructive "idea" else... Sorry you did get in Crossfire Pete! in mine eyes-and from actual datas-you are most possible right here. Christian

start with those both ones here: (here´s the direct link so to orter you an copy/do hardly recomment this site/very kind and smooth sellers) http://www.toriilinks-editions.com/en/ afterwards you´ll most probably have an better "general" idea and will focus more spcific.... Christian

Hi Rich :D thank´s for this kind link! Chris

Dear David, thank you much-it´s known to me already-either way,thank you. I do look for pictures in close up/at least higher resolution,of menuki,which had ben attributed to this Generation/Maker. Need closer view of this very working-style,handwork... ! Christian

Dear Gents, looking for reference examples of Menuki(pictures of) made by Yujo Masaoku(1440-1512)(Ko-Goto) According to Sasano(Tosogu No Kigen,page 203) Anybody here who could provide me with such? Christian

HA! here we are! Phantastic!-Georgeous!-JbW.Exactly where we are heading to..... Mark-This is an georgeous "way" you do show here! Thank you a very lot! Chris

i saw arriving that! Didn´t i warn you? LOL!

Mariusz LOL!-This would certainly result into an funny thing...(finally blocked threat..LOL Brian ) :D Lee well?-why not?-why should Dr.Hoopes have ben "struggeled" by "incorrect material"? ...but as i wrote(comment) already...the reader may judge for himself...Please! Christian

Here´s an quite interesting part of an article/Published in JSS/US Volume 25 No.1 (1993)-by the late Dr.Tom Hoopes,who wrote an very enjoyable article(as far as i do know,part of his doctorial Dissertation)named: „A Study of Japanese Sword Blades“... I just cite: The(Iron/Steel) of the Japanese sword is not in fact made of well-tempered steel,for it is not really tempered at all!The word „temper“is widely misunderstood and misused.Popular writers frequently use it as thought it meant „hardened“.On the contrary,it actually means „softened“,“lightened“or „reduced“as in:“God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb“;“Temper Justice with Mercy“.In the occidental metallurgy of steel,the word is quite properly used in just this sense.When a smith forges a piece,he hammers it to shape,heats it to a bright cherry red,then plunges it into water or oil.This brings the whole object to a state of near-glassy hardness.Next he cleans and polishes the item and again heats it,slowly and carefully.As he does so,colours begin to appear on the polished surface,first yellow,then brown,then purple,and finally blue.When he judges from the colour that the right temperature has been reached,he again plunges it into a cold liquid.This „sets the temper“,that is,it reduces the extreme hardness caused by the first quenching to a proper combination of hardness and toughness for whatever use the item is intended. With the Japanese sword it is not so;it is never tempered.After being shaped the blade is covered with an insulating mud,which is removed all along the cutting edge.It is then heated,once and for all,to the correct hardening temperature,and quenched.The edge becomes permanently hardened to a degree akin to that of a razor,the rest of the blade protected by it´s insulating encasement,cools much more slowly,and ends in an almost annealed condition. If we do examine this-and put this theory to equally the production of Iron Tsuba here-there seem to be plenty of further possibilities how and in which degree an Tsuba may have ben produced/individual to the time,school and artist. Additionally-please do not forget-that still you do have the possibilities of latter application of polish,acids and abrasive work.... The reader may judge for himself here... Christian

Henry, me here-i wouldn´t go such fast in attributing it to young in fact... Just the reason the iron looks "fresh" (does not seem such old)does not allow you this conclusion here at all in fact. We both-certainly -do know of very excellent Owari and equally Ono Tsuba-which look like " comming quite fresh ot of the form"-date but Momoyama if not earlier. I think-it´s rather an question of preservation and importance-the former holders did have for such Tsuba-especially those very rare to find ones like Ono! Keep care on it-it´s quite not that impressive-worth to study it-but of course! (Sorry-i can not help you with that design here.-Do not understand it) Christian

LOL! :D but an lovely one for shure! wish i could have an cub of "it" one day in future... Christian

Dear David, good eyes! i just do not correspond with early Edo here...in mine eyes,it´s rather mid,to(most probably for me here)late Edo. The whole composition lacks(grace/finesse,as you did already mention...)and it looks rather bolt in comparence to the earlier Owari school(s). (Here the seller was certainly right in mine eyes(like he did already write on his web-side...),just with that attribution to Shoami,me here-i do not really agree here.) What is still struggeling me on this very Tsuba-is but the execution of the Hitsu-Ana,which does not give me an very good feeling/either way... So,an late Owari tradition Tsuba which but-shows an very nice and prominent,typical theme,from the good old Momoyama to the early Edo tradition... Christian

This one somehow reminds me to an Tempo one which was formerly decorated with an kind of Hokori-Yoshiro stylism.. This may be equally the reason why it bears this colouration/abrasive here. Christian

Good decision! Owari! Christian

Dear John, may i ask you so to provide me with more info relating to this Tsuba? Where does it sort out?/(is it your´s or an friend´s one?) What do you know(or do not know?)concerning it´s history here in modern days?(again-the "sort it out" question but in regard of former proviniance...) Could you tell me,if this is,in your´s feeling here,an old lacquer? Can you provide better resolution pictures?(those here are just "rough")(Sorry,but i can not really see much here...) Indeed-an very interesting Tsuba! Christian

for your´s friend,in case of interest? http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRADITIONAL-EDO ... 672wt_1396 Chris

with your´s agreement-i will link me out of this threat- it´s obviously not only boaring(due obvious to be seen lack of competence)-it´s additionally getting stupid! Sorry! (either way-Adam,thank you -at least one here who does use his brain) No further comment-do play further... Christian

PLEASE DO READ ABOUT TSUBA IN TSUBA BOOKS! Sorry? (Chris,Keith-you both gentlemen would do better in an Budo Forum if still dreaming from "Schnick-Schnack Samurai Nostalgic"...Not?-as far as i remember,this here is an collectors forum...NOT?) Sorry!(may be mine old age...?) Christian

OK.Mariusz...O.K.! LOL! (you do get me each time.... ) Christian

Dear Ford Fault logic,well-perhaps?/perhaps not...? This whole field does get the more and more complicated the more you have learned and the more you have seen-but whom i tell this-LOL! Principally said,but-of course you are right. Let´s see how this Tsuba will go further... (one addition just so to clearify: please next time do read exactly what i wrote.-i did not write Gimei in sense of Gimei! I did but write: most probably Not THIS Soshin) Christian