ROKUJURO

Kurt, at the respective manufacturiung period, the smith and likely also his customers might have considered the NAMBAN TETSU as superior and more valuable.

Mike, while this seems indeed to be quite a unique piece, it is probably not a TANTO but a short WAKIZASHI. Many parts of it give the impression of an array of strange and unusual parts and pieces, put together by someone who had never seen an original Japanese mounting. Nevertheless a look at the NAKAGO may reveal 'a good heart' of this weapon. I wish you luck!

Thank you, Christian! It looks more like rubbings of a YAMAKICHI BEI (left) and a YAGYU TSUBA with a design very similar to David's. I have seen sample pages of the famous YAGYU sketchbook in the past, and there is no doubt that David's TSUBA shows a YAGYU motive. The SHINSA panel will have a close look while we are only able to discuss about photos. The surface may well be more convincing in reality. Concerning the YAKITE KUSARASHI treatment as supposed to have been executed on YAGYU TSUBA: I am doing metallurgical research on techniques like this one and there is no evidence that this process is done as we believe it was. In most cases there are other explanations for surfaces we find to be typical for a school or a maker.

Mark, don't try this at home (or in Japan). It is illegal, and as far as I know you need an official sword specialist (TOGISHI or dealer) with a licence to handle or carry a blade. We have dealt with this subject here on the NMB. Good luck!

David, I had also marked this area (among others) in the previous thread when you presented this TSUBA. How does this copper strip hold in place if not by soldering? Do you have an explanation for the many cut-like grooves on the rim and the surface? Just from the photos I still have a feeling that this TSUBA doesn't look right, but then again I don't have many YAGYU to compare. So I am looking forward curiously to the SHINSA results next year!

Andrew, it is not a KOZUKA, it's a KOGATANA, a blade to fit into a KOZUKA (if it were made from steel). As it is well made, it may have served as a model in a workshop.

James, what is in your opinion chert, and what do you call flint? In Europe it is all the same, it is amorphous (or crypto crystalline) silicon dioxide, but can have a wide range of colours. The French call it silex in regard to the chemical composition.

Andrew, it looks like a SURIAGE blade. If you showed a number of close-ups and put down some complete phrases and not just parts it would be easier to help you.

Good question! If money fell from the sky, I would perhaps buy an OEI BIZEN TACHI with CHOJI HAMON, KOSHI ZORI and a nice BOHI for the sound. The out-of-reach dream blade would be a SOSHU TANTO in the style of the MASAMUNE HOCHO. Both in SASHIKOMI TOGI.

Bernard, both look indeed like KAGA YOSHIRO work, both nice ones! The square TSUBA might be of a later date - my personal guess. The quality can be seen in the fine and careful execution of the SHINCHU ZOGAN, the actual value will always be influenced by the condition and completeness of the inlays. The 'strange motif' on the SEPPA DAI is difficult to see - looks more like a vertical snake or dragon to me than like a KINZOGAN MEI. Perhaps a later addition from an owner? Congratulations again!

You never know, John! In 400 years from now, yours might become KOKUHO as well! We'll talk about it then....

Definitely! I envy you a little for this great opportunity to see the most famous CHAWAN assembled in one place!

Peter, difficult to say without pictures, but as far as a feature like HAMON on a blade is concerned, I can say that to my knowledge this was not done in Europe at the production time you see this knife in. I cannot speak for Japan, but I could imagine that a Japanese swordmith without employment or permission to work could have made it after the war, including a HAMON as he was able and used to produce. If a knife is a collectible item will depend on the provenance, I think. In fact you can collect anything, but in this case you will probably only be able to put this knife into a sword context if you can find out the maker. If he happens to have been a swordsmith, then it might be an interesting item in his personal history, but perhaps not NIHONTO related.

....but at least it is 'folded steal'! :D

Gentlemen, if a crack occurred while using a bowl, you would very probably see a KINTSUGI repair around a shard which broke off. In this case it looks like a fissure which opened up in the rapid cooling process - RAKU ware is taken out of the kiln while still red hot and immediately quenched in water. Cracks like the one shown are frequently seen, and a CHAWAN which was made by a well-known potter was perhaps not discarded because of this defect. Henk-Jan is correct as far as stoneware pottery is concerned. Pots with cracks were/are considered as failed and were/are thrown away. This applies also to pots with artistically unsatifying results. ARAKAWA TOYOZO was known to destroy up to 85% of his pottery coming out of his kiln in the presence of a lawyer (!) and only the very top quality items survived. Of course this had also to do with the prices of his ceramics - if you can sell a CHAWAN for USD 2,500.-- you don't need so many to survive. . His prestige also required that there was no 'second choice' ceramics on sale. The CHADO people found their pleasure in possessing 'old' ceramics and their used look, so in some cases KINTSUGI repairs were even done on an intact pot or an intentionally broken one to make it look more 'interesting'.

Yes, AKA-RAKU, and doesn't look like a recent piece. A close look with a magnifying glass down in the bottom of the bowl and on the foot should show signs of use (scratches), so you can find out yourself about the probable age. Of course there are new scientific methods to determine the exact age (e.g. Thermoluminescence Technique). By the way, a modern RAKU CHAWAN would not be considered a fake, unless someone applied a famous signature. It is difficult to find out about the value. Famous well-known pieces in Japan have their own CURRICULUM VITAE, in some cases they have proper names, and they are incredibly expensive (when and if they are at all for sale). A 'nameless', but authentic old CHAWAN with a certified age will mostly have a price tag related to the market.

Bonjour Bernard If your CHAWAN is a hard fired item it is probably an E-SHINO bowl. It is signed as far as I can see, and specialized collectors may be able to relate it to a potter. A very renowned contemporary artist working in this style was ARAKAWA TOYOZO. I attach a photo of a CHAWAN of one of his pupils. As to the age of your CHAWAN, it looks like a more recent piece. The shape with it's very uneven rim and the footring display an intentional roughness which was part of the aims of the potter to produce the famous WABI-SABI appearence. A very nice item and another proof of the qualified taste of your late father! Congratulations!

Ford, thank you! These were exactly my thoughts, but I could not express it properly! Wilfred Owen: ....My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. These lines will do. Sorry for the OT.

Sad!

Chris, thank you! I have read elsewhere that swords of this early period had been imported from mainland China. Sword making in Japan seems to have started earlier indeed. Great information!

Gentlemen, I have seen much worse than this one. At least it seems to have been made from ivory, the sculptural work is fancy but rather good quality (if one likes stuff like this). I can't say anything about the blade, but as far as I can see it isn't the usual 'rusty nail'. See it from the funny side, as the best thing about it is the text: ....Lame fine en acier. Signé 3 fois. Garde démontable. Fin 19 ème siècle. Long : 64cm Lame signée WAKIZASKI. Assemblage NAGAZA. Sculptures d'Unokubi SUZUKI (selon la tradition familiale, offert par l'Empereur du Japon à Monsieur Léon ROCHES, consul général de France à Tokyo de 1863 au 1867..... meaning: fine steel blade....signed three times (!).....mounting NAGAZA. The ivory carving was done by the famous artist UNOKUBI SUZUKI (you should know him as he is famous). As emperor HIROHITO was born 1901, the sword was probably bestowed upon M. Roches by the last TOKUGAWA SHOGUN.

John, is there a photo I cannot see? Which KAO?

....I know that these namban tsuba(s) are fairly common and not highly regarded. I tried to find a similar one on the Internet, but I did not succeed. My question is on the inscriptions inside the circles. What are they (family crests, chinese characters,...)?..... Bernard, NAMBAN TSUBA are certainly a special subject but in terms of quality yours is a very good one in my eyes! I am sure the ten Chinese KAISHO characters will tell a story to the experts, maybe a poem! The unique TAGANE marks may lead to identify a school or even a maker.

Denis, I understand what you mean. But I think there is a difference between those times of living tradition when swords were still being made in large numbers, and times like ours when these items cannot be replaced because history has made a step in another direction. Today, when you cut down an old blade (I don't speak about damaged swords) it is not just recycling metal but it is a loss. But that is only the way I see it.

C. Lewis, yes, why would someone do that? Perhaps to make knives out of it. Today, swords are less useful and seem more dangerous to some people (governments included) than knives. In addition to that, many people are not very educated and don't know about/don't respect other cultures or their history. This results in a lack of sensitivity. It is sad but it underlines the importance of institutions like NMB.