marcus

Hi Jay, Sorry I didn't see this post until now. It's really tricky to tell from the photos how the patina was applied? I would say it's possible to make some inroads lessening the damage and cleaning it for sure. If you are correct about the acid treatment/patina then you'll probable not be able to repair it without extreme measures. Marcus

Thanks Stephen. It's been a crazy several years, but I do have some work that I'm finishing up I'll share here when it's done.

Hi Grev, You should be able to see it here

Yes, this email is still good.

Thank you all for your input! I appreciate it greatly 🙏🏼 I have been very busy and haven't had a chance to respond until now. Here's another one that has come up in the search. Thank you again very much!! Best, Marcus

Hi all. I'm looking for further information on this later branch of the Umetada school, who signed the "Ume" character with a carved plum flower. I'm having difficulty finding much on who they were/where there were working. Any other images of examples and help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!! *Image pulled from the MFA website and used here for educational purposes only.

I'm glad to hear you were able to finally get confirmation on the piece. I had very little doubt that it was the real deal. Congratulations! Cheers, Marcus

Thank you Gents! Very much appreciated ???? @ Brian- that's an interesting idea to consider. ???? Just to let you all know this piece is available if anyone is interested please don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks again! Thanks Stephen for posting it here much obliged. Cheers, Marcus

Thanks Markus! Will be getting the hard copy soon. Cheers, Marcus

Grev, Kevin and I have had discussions regarding the possibility of politics getting in the way. I hope that it is not the case but I am prepared for that possibility. I appreciate your comments on the work and hope you are right! Cheers, Marcus

Hello everyone, I'll first comment on the lovely piece Kevin has posted and say well done sir! And good luck my friend! I had a close call this year and almost missed the deadline but was able to just squeak under the wire... I chose to continue studying the work of the iconoclast Murakami Jochiku . This piece is housed in the MFA and I'm sure many will recognize it. I have long wanted to do an utsushi of this piece, and hope my work does it justice. Here is my piece for the competition this year. Cheers, Marcus

Hi David, PM sent

Good day to everyone, As some of you may know, I just spent the last two months in England learning the finer points of antique Japanese metalwork restoration under the tutelage of my friend, teacher and world authority Ford Hallam. I was fortunate enough to have the experience of working on a wide variety of pieces from iron jizai okimono, bronze vases, sword fittings and more. It was the most intense period of study that I have had in my life. I have been single mindedly pursuing classical Japanese metalwork for more than a few years now and was awarded Tokusho-The Sakaki Mayor's award at the NBSK competition this year for my entry. After completing these past two months specifically focused on restoration both Ford and I feel that I am ready to offer my restoration services here in the US. Ford has also graciously made himself available to me through Skype for consultation if something unusual should arise. My reasons for wanting to do this type of work aside from my art is many fold, it affords me an avenue of study that few will ever have, also very important to me, is that these works of art are treated as such and properly brought back to their original glory. If anyone here is interested in discussing the services I offer please feel free to message me here or email me at mcmetalarts@gmail.com Thank you for your interest in advance. Marcus Chambers

Stephen, Please do forward the images on. At some point in the future if you are in a position to have it done I would be happy to oblige. Cheers, Marcus

Stephen, I am terribly sorry that I missed sending the email to Ford. I was in the middle of preparation when I got the news that I needed to to be present in Japan and that sort of took front and center in my radar. I would still be happy to discuss the project and give you the same pricing structure. If you could please email the images as the links I have in the old email are not working. Again, I am sorry for my dropping the ball on this one. Thanks, Marcus

Here is an example of an Goto Ichijo from the Tsuba Shusei -Nakamura 1963 with the exact same mon stamp used on the piece in question. I think the craftsmanship actually is spot on for other papered and signed pieces in this particular style of his work. I'm not sure what else you could ask for from a piece in this style. The patina on the shibuichi is worn thin but this could be repaired with little trouble. The rest of the page from the same book to show some other examples he did in this style. Here also is a link to another example without a signature that has been papered. The shape and design is almost identical other than the ground materials and stamps used. Scroll down to see example. http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0805/member_frame_fittings.htm Sometimes I think you must judge a work not on the papers, but the merits and evidence presented by the piece. I have a feeling that many really great bargains are missed out on because of this way thinking. Could be a bargain considering what some of his other works go for and to my eye the signature is direct and very convincing. Cheers, Marcus

Thanks for the sticky Brian! Thanks for the kind words Jamie☺️ Cheers, Marcus

Hello All, I would first like to say how honored I feel having the opportunity to study with Ford in his studio! It has been my goal secretly since I started doing this type of work to do so. We both are greatly excited to start the foundation for this type of traditional studio outside Japan! It will be an exciting time to be sure! I hope some of you will take advantage of this rare opportunity, and give me an equally rare opportunity to study and bring back to their original glory, some of the fine works that I've have been seeing here for years! I plan on leaving for the UK by mid June, so if you want to avoid the customs hiccup as Ford suggested, please allow ample time make arrangements. Here is some pics my study utsushi of the Ebisu Daikoku tsuba by Murakami Jochiku: Again, please contact me by email: mcmetalarts@gmail.com or, Ford as he instructed above. Thank you for your interest in advance! Cheers, Marcus

Pete, Possible, but highly unlikely. You would be left with a pile of metal chips that would be usable again by mean of yet more time and resources. Again, the economy of time and materials was/is paramount in Japanese craft. It would again be far easier, more efficient, and save more material just to proceed as I have described earlier. This, after all, was a business, and they would have gone the most efficient time/money/materials saving way possible. And again, this kind of economy of materials was/is at the heart of Japanese craft. If you were running the business, would you not want to use the most time/money saving process for making your product? I know I would and do! Cheers, Marcus :D

Pete, It makes no sense procedurally, and goes against the Japanese idea of conservation of materials to cast the Mon into the plate. It would be much easier to inlay and the cut through both the inlay and the iron ground. The second image posted shows fairly clearly the distinct layer of brass and the iron underneath. Believe it or not, but it would be easier to cut through iron than brass of that thickness. Plus you are only doing it once. Your method would involve cut out the round hole, casting and then cutting out the brass. Why not just do it in one shot? Again, we are talking about economy of energy as well as materials, which is at the heart of Japanese craft. BTW, the example in your link would have been done by means of a thin strip of brass make into a hoop, and then inserted into the sukashi and worked down on both sides to secure it in place. Cheers, Marcus

Pete, I think you are half right in your description of the process. Logically, the plate would be formed, the design layout done, the inlay completed, the sukashi, the plug for the ana, the design finished with the kebori work, the patina on the iron, and then for the brass. To cut out the sukashi and then inlay on top of it makes no sense, as it would over complicate the process. With brass being very, very difficult to gild in the fist place, it also makes sense that copper would have been used. It is much easier to gild if that was the desired effect. Also, we have been told that shinchu, brass was extremely valuable when it was introduced from China, so again, why not end with the copper? On top of that, gilding would be quite problematic due to possible overheating the other fine inlay. I hope this helps clear, and not muddy the waters further. Cheers, Marcus

Bernard, In regard to the tsuba in the first image of this post, I am would have to politely disagree with those who are calling this anything other than true inlay. If one looks carefully at the image you can see missing pieces of the inlay. Also, the galvanic reaction between iron and a more noble metal such as brass, will cause the shadow of rust on to the brass over time as the iron is sacrificed. Also, the method of mercury gilding is only applicable to soft metals, not iron. Thank you for showing, Marcus

Hi All, To show my support and help fund this great project of Paul's I am offering $500 of the proceeds of the sale of this tsuba to the project if it sells by the end of September! Shoami Denbai utsushi $1100 If interested please contact me via yugenganearts@gmail.com Thanks and good luck to Paul!!!!!