christianmalterre

i agree, it "looks" nice-for those who like it-but that´s all unfortunately.... Somehow produced to fitt the demands but no art inside (as Kinko collectors have an look for) Just in the price i would go a bit up-those kind of Tsuba do sell quite better... Christian

Hi Marc, well you do know that i am far from Kinko-but i have these ones found: Edo ju Munenaga:picture 1 Suifu ju Tomoyoshi saku:picture 2 Perhaps same shop?(Sorry your´s picture is to short to see any (eventual) comparence in workmanship.... Perhaps this helps?-This Theme seems to be regularely worked out.... Christian

Hello Peter, Mariusz is right-those are no Kozuka(Kozuka were produced as described) Those objects you posted were/are in fact handles for cutlery-knives(those were very en vogue during the time 1900+ in Western countries like France,Italy,Spain or also but not so much common in the U.S. Ordered and purchased from in those times still existant burguoise households-used for "Tea-time" or "Fruit" dinners ect. Their´s construction and fabrication is not like those of Kozuka even if they resemble near or equal in optic for an lay. Mass produced for the western market and distributed equally on order for cuttlery industry(see for example the history of the Solingen cutlery factory,Germany) Lots are actually to be found on all kind of Antiques-Fairs or Antiques-Stores specialised on Stile-Objects..... (I first thought your´s dragon one may be a Kozuka-but this one,too is not in fact-the relief/carving is set on the handle-not massive and overproportional....also the "picturesques" never appear in such big proportions on Kozuka-even on those produced those times/well naturally there are a view exceptions-but those are rare...) Christian

I just want to add: Do find me a Rai and i will buy it immediately!(No Joke!) This E-Bay blade is old scared Rubbish-far away from any Rai! A pitty for the guy who bought it-he´d better invest in a couple of barrel-beer :lol: Christian

Jock, to answer to your´s question. Well that´s not a secret or mystery at all! There are private "societies" offering an computer program which automatically bits-you do set an max-and up to that level this automatic generated system activates till up to your´s intended level-just short before End of Auction. Not hard-No words-No insight-Cheap and functional. Have an look in www from former Eastern Block countrys-there you´ll find.... Cheers Christian

Ha!Mariusz! thank you for posting this one-i did not know-this in fact is an NICE! Tsuba... Cheers! Christian

Dear Marc, i agree! This Tsuba-as i did mention already-is not what it was bought/sold for-it is most probably Bakamatsu from point of time. An attribution to an specific school is actually hard to tell(mine guess is still one of the later artists under Owari-school domain/influence). The general condition is very "ill". I have some very strong feeling this tsuba was "altered" due acid treatment. Christian

How about the idea to post this Tsuba in the Bakamatsu Period? There are similarities to Norisuke or Sadahiro-school. Christian

Also his connaissances in the english language seem me to be very sophisticated for an Prof. :D I´d like to see that Katana by the way-he may send his pictures directly to mine mail adress please! :lol: Cheers Christian

Well, to be honest-i do not see an big problem in that story at all. Storing is an very common practice and also a must for any organisation involved in artifacts-otherwise we couldn´t work. Look for example-as here i do know from own experience-in the stock of the Waffensammlung Dresden. In the current exhibition of the Zwinger-there may be around 200-250 objects(blanc and/or protective) visible(changing equally) But in sum there may be around 3000 Objects stored.(accessible to perhaps 30 persons in sum) The history with police-investigation is Japanese Law-they(Headquarter)will manage if not yet already done. Christian

Hi Patrick! :D Thank You for this excellent answer-it had not ben explained better! Hope you are fine!(this time it´s me with the flu... ) Cheers Christian

Ian, me i would not call them "arts and crafs"-i would call them-"hopefully there´s an idiot paying mine fees". It is really a shame what "Scheissdreck!" is actually tried to be sold to "be genuine"(same story this Tsuba from this morning) for those interested in an auction-purchase i really just can recomment the new auction-site from Vitaly! Hopefully this site will grow fast and respectfully in future and there will be also protection for newbees and beginners. (i did buy twoo Tsuba from Vitaly in the past years-and i was each time much pleased-even both were not high-end pieces but genuine indeed and an interesting study however) Cheers Christian

Hi Chris, This is Rubbish!-(sorry but no other words) (save you the money and buy you an original and antique one!) Christian

Christian

Dear Chris, this post/question or thematics or whatever you like to call it-is in mine personal view much better and also "usefuller"-as here an thematics of certain seriosity begins. (Paranthese!) There are different-partially contradictionary meanings/politics/interests and religions-me for mine part i do have that one you can see in live-size in the Rüstkammer zu Dresden.(Point I.)(in future the collection will be possible to study in the Residenzschloss)((as there i do mine business in some part)) Point.II-is from point of view of chemistry(which was(still is) naturally part of mine education as an professional Restaurator) essentiallyFe3o4 results further or later to the "Holy" Fe3o4-and that´s no magic at all. Point III and the in those all thematics discussion is any answer very simple: If one person does have not the profound backround-that person should better,to do in field-work and spending his or her time in analytics before waging battle.(THIS IS MEANT NOT PERSONALLY TO ANYONE AND DEFINITELY NOT TO YOU ALSO!) All those objects do have history-it is not our´s part to destroy them-that´s all! Christian

Mark, just have an look to Japan-it is online since several months already-Seiyudo Cheers Christian

Paul, thank you!this is an excellent post-to be very honest-i think you will not get an appropriate answer ever. Reson is how and why you look and what you personally do have for importance in an object. You may be an just interested,an specialised collector on one single school,an dealer,an curator or restaurator with special focus/so each one of those has got and will have other partially parallel,partially contrary interests. What do you think? Christian

Well, Eric is for certain right in his personal attribution and evaluation in an "Masterwork" in fact. Umetada works are actually disneglected for quite unappropriate reason-Point 1 Umetada works are in construction of forge and metallurgical characteristics in many cases quite equal to the early Owari-Point 2 (Reson? (known-so no need to reintroduce) The sole problem with Umetada is the politics-that is all. Me,too i would attribute this very Tsuba to the better if not much better ones and do fully agree with Eric. (Just by the way- Ford:-it seems me they do not really understand your´s little remarks quite well,Not? Keith:-do not worry please-just Keep Going!-nothing to neglect till yet.) Christian

Lou-i think i understand from which direction wind blows in your´s question. Yes,there are tell signs naturally. For evaluating you do need the knowledge of the iron which was used by the school or the smith,plus the knowledge of the normally occured patination on those specific schools and the way and material they used for patination of their´s work. Equally with rust-there are several signs of rust and its different appearences. Each school is different-each iron is different-so each patina is in sum different. There are several methods to clear if the Tsuba was repatinateded,also. This all question is very politic,too and of course there is the fact of money and interests involved-so i think it would be better not to ask too much You have to study several aspects and several schools and smiths and evaluate on first hand sight. Dangerous question those days! Christian

Dear Peter, Chris is correct-the Mei is Yoshi-Haru. Henry did give you an excellent Link so to see a bit the "meaning or intention" behind. Yoshiharu was active in late Edo-Period. Bushu/Country work-no negative interpretation here-did come from Shoami ancestors. Very nice workmanship and excellently preserved-Do not worry about the "Rust"-it is just on Surface. What is much more interesting is the still excellent preserved Tsuka-Ana walls in your´s piece. This Tsuba was a kind of especially intended in older days due naturally today unknown reasons on fact the former person who did wear it may had an specific interest it was fitted. This Tsuba was most likely well kept/preserved due unknown reason before it was finally fitted on the sword you mention. Do you have an intact Koshirae,too????? Perhaps here you will find an suitable answer. Concerning cleaning i disagree completely! This is amateurish and will destroy more than you intend to preserve! Please ask for specialised cleaning-as far as i am active on this board-why not asking Ford Hallam(equally active) if he would be ready and interested to clean and preserve it professionally for you? (Also he could fix you the plug correctly again,too) Reason i say this is that this Tsuba is despite the visible rust spots(which by the way are no intriguing)is in an very excellent state of preservation-and if cleaned professionally would come out in nearly same estate as Yoshiharu did pass it out of it´s hands! Such preserved Tsuba are extremely seldom! Good Luck! Christian

P.M. sent Christian

Hello Mark and others, i wonder: 1.-why a blade made by "a" Sa Yukihide would ben offered in public for sale-2.-why a blade attributed to "a" Sa Yukihide would not have NBTHK certification at minimum(and not those junky attribution paper depicted)3.-as far as i do remember of seen a real Sa Yukihide there the prices-at least 15 Years ago begun at 70.000.-Euro minimum. The Hada is not that,the Yasurime is not that,the Boshi is not that,the Horimono is executed extremely bad! So what is the problem? Christian

Well, what do you wonder about 600.-? That´s nothing in comparence to the price you will achieve offering it to the right collectors. It is an massive one-not those nowtimes ofthen seen plated ones.... The little cosmetical errors could be restored quite very pretty. I think the buyer knew this,plus a bit more... christian

Hell, this is the Kuden-Densho of zatobeerichi-the drunken ninjamaster! Funny thing-i never saw such before! Keep that Christian

Dear Henry, i fully do agree with Stevens former post-fantastic iron and Hitsu-ana execution! Congratulations! Actually can not definite any symbolism in this one-so at least to give you an answer on your´s question. I do think there is no symbolism or archaic/religious meaning mentioned by the Tsubashi who worked it out. (could with much fantasy express the wings of an dragonfly-what i do not like in this theory is why the worker did show just one-single wing on the Up and Top each time-so only one upper and under-wing pairs- from those insects.(The under pair is the more round-shaped one) (did also think about the theory of an other(us) very known Tsuba-Lover who mentioned symbolism of Pommel and Cantle Plate of an Kura but also here i am very uncertain) If you like playing think on an tortoise with it´s tail.... in two dimensional expression(but also here me i personally have mine doupts)-So? Either way-very interesting and an nice and seldom find! Christian