kissakai

Hi During a recent project I came across this tsuba Birds and river? I have no idea of school or age Can anyone help? Grev UK

PS Should the blade tightening notches be on this side? Grev UK

I bought this from the NMB recently and I'm happy with the tsuba - as usual it looks better in hand I've spoken to the seller about the school It was suggested this may be an early Edo Heianjo tsuba I'm not sure Would any members like to add their suggestions to the school and date? This is not detrimental to the seller as I've stated earlier I'm happy with the sale Grev UK

I have bought many items from him over the last 18 months He describes as it is and I'm fully happy with all my deals I bought a Wakizashi from him that had a forging crease under the habaki He offered a reduced price or I could return the item Just bought the cloisonne daisho tsuba from him - I know they were quite new but still look good Grev UK

There is a dedicated Japanse room in the Victoria and Albert Museum It is the Toshiba gallery on level one A search on the web will give you full details Last time I went there were some Japanese National Treasures on special display - some of which had never before left Japan. There are various other Ninoto around the museum Grev UK

Hi and thanks for all your help I know it may have not been the best place to ask for a valuation but how do I know if a dealer would give me a fair price so I’m more comfortable asking the NMB members I can see it to be worth around €2500 or £2000 I have no real idea of price so if a dealer offered me €1500 how could I know if this was correct? Also if I had put it on the HMB for €4000 I’d have looked either like an idiot or money grabber. All I was after was a fair price and I’m sure I have it Initially I will put it on the NMB for €2250 + P&P Then if there are no takers it will go on EBay for around €3000 One more request If it goes on EBay I would state (with the catch all – ‘in my opinion’): Made around 1800 Good polish No flaws (kizu) Pleasant koshirae with some age Would anybody like to have a stab at the school or style as it would help me if it goes on EBay? I’m glad I put it up for discussion and feel much happier now I’ve done it Grev UK

I put this katana on the NMB for the member’s comments Generally the comments were fine, points were made about the kissikai, no suriage, beefy and very little wear or polishes, but I was given no indication of a date or school I mainly collect tsuba so I’m hoping to put this on the ‘for sale section’ As I am not a sword collector I have no idea of it’s value so I’d like the members opinion on what would be a current fair price for this katana I will try and get a better picture of the full hamon but I can say that it is pretty straight all along the edge Dimensions Length with koshirae is 99.5cm (39”) Blade length is 91.3cm (36”) Temper length is 69.9cm (27½“) Sori is 1.2cm (½”) Width is 3.3cm (1¼“) Thickness is 0.7cm (¼“) Grev UK

Hi George These are the descriptions you requested: 1 92x85x5.0mm - Umetada - 16C - 19C Iron, mokko-shaped, pitted surface, chased and inlaid in gold and silver, sage on a rock (Depiction of Chinnen and his dragon, Takkai and his soul, and Gama sennin and his toad). Reverse: Landscape with houses by a river and mountains. Raised rim 2 53x52x6.0mm - Umetada - 16C - 19C Iron, oval, with crenulated edge, chased and inlaid with gold, silver and copper, branch with kingfisher, moon rising behind clouds. Reverse: a spray of bamboo. For a tanto or dagger 3 70x67x3.9mm - Kyōto - 16C - 18C Iron, oval, with flying geese among clouds, water wheels, stream, crest in positive silhouette, rounded rim, slightly pitted surface 4 105x99x3.5mm – Nara - Isshiken Okinari (Horiye) Niguronomè (copper bronze), large quadrilateral, with rounded sides and concave surfaces, in low relief, in silver, copper, bronze and alloys with No dancer. Raised rounded rim. Reverse: tea ceremony utensils, chased and engraved Grev UK

Strangely no value was on the label Grev UK

Thanks for all the info - it has all helped me Dennis I'm glad you like the photography I've taken photo's of 275 tsuba (550 images) mainly iron, just another 250 tsuba to photograph in June I'd like to get these images put into a professionally produced tsuba book The nice thing about these is they have not been on display since 1930 (the date is a clue to the museum) I'm not prepared to say which museum it is as I'm still discussing the details (it is at a good will stage so I'd rather not have any one else contact them if they know which museum it is) with the museum and I would also appreciated it if no one made any guesses I wasn't sure if the images were good enough for publication so I appreciated your kind words Grev

I have just recieved a wakizashi from an Australian NMB member My last katana from Japan was held at customs so this time I asked him to add this label: For a martial arts instructer (I am an approved coach) My insurance number A wakizashi over 100 years old (the description) I was delivered yesterday unopened and amazingly no duty charge :D I though I should share this info as there are some ways to import swords with (apparently) no problems Grev UK

I am photographing some tsuba in a UK museum and found these that I don’t understand I would welcome any comments This one has a very strange nakago ana Huge nakago ana Rectangular nakago ana And for something completely different These look as if they were never intended for mounting on a sword (there are three of this type in the museum) they are all around 100 x 95 x 3mm Are they a tourist souvenir? Grev UK

Many thanks to you all I'm very pleased to have all the information supplied Grev UK

I have owned this sword since around 1980 and far as I know this is by Munechika with Seiki arsenal stamp and dated 1942 When I bought it a friend said he knew someone who can polish it. On receiving it back I found his friend worked as a polisher in a car factory and had polished it on rotary industrial buffing machine. After a little tear I used it for showing the correct cuts in my martial arts training but due to the insurance requirements I can no longer use it. For the specialist this has no real worth or place in a serious collection but I love it. The balance and feel of it far exceed both my traditionally made blades. After ignoring the advice of my Nihonto mentor I had it polished in the UK for a very reasonable price. I thought the time had come to pass it on but when it came back I was very pleased as I felt I had given it some respect after the terrible way I’d treated it the past. Any way after this rambling I would like someone to confirm the mei as I can no information on this smith. Does anyone know any details of this smith? Grev UK

I've tried various angles etc and this is the best one I quite liked the suggestion of creating a window Was the person you suggested in the UK If not then is there someone in the UK who can be recommended to do this 'window' Grev UK

I have looked at the hamon and I can’t see any nie or any interesting activity in the hamon. The surface may have a burl like structure but as it is so indistinct I can not be sure My previous post stated that this was bought from the son of the officer (80 years old and still going strong) to whom it was surrendered to in Burma. He was told it was a family sword but I know this could mean anything. I do not believe this to be an etched hamon but an honest piece with some dispute over the mei and it will not excite a true collector Many thanks for all the comments and agree about not having it polished Grev UK

I accept that it is not the Nagamitsu but I was really interested a possible date Also the comment about the re-polish is fine by me The tactful comment was nice but all these comments still move me forward and an honest opinion was what I was looking for I will check tomorrow for another character Again all comments are appreciated Grev UK

Thank you Uwe G I really struggle over these katana I've been guided to various themes from members of the NHM (I'm very grateful) but due to inexperience I just don't see it yet Maybe one day :? I didn't even think I was going to grt a reply so I was very pleased to hear your comments Grev UK

I’m not sure if I can do this but I’d like to re-enter my katana from an earlier post but have taken some better photos I received some useful information but I’d like to be a bit more specific and confine my request to a possible style and an approximate date It is signed Nagamitsu I know it will not excite many NMB members but I intend to keep this one, manly for sentimental reasons. I’m considering having it polished but I realise it may not be worth the cost With thanks Grev UK

Hi My friend has bought this mask and would like some help with the signature He would also like additional information about the mask/maker but I may have to move it to another section for this info He is not computer literate so I had to scan the images he sent me hence the poor quality I did ask for an image of the signature but he said as it was inside the mask and it came out too dark If there is not enough info then please let me know and I will take some photo’s but I will not see him until after Easter Mask Mei Grev UK

It is a Seki stamp There is loads of info on the web about the Seki arsenal Grev UK

Hi Veli Thanks for your help I assumed that Masahide was correct and checked in Hawleys as suggested and found: Suishinshi Masahide H 07688 1750 - 1825. It says he was only a tsuba maker but his son Sadahide H 07688 made tsuba and F/K I'm assuming it can only be H 07688 Without the kanji you gave me I doubt if I would have found it as I wasn't convinced it 'Masa' I will do a bit more research on H 07688 Many thanks Franco - thanks for your correction as I'm keen to learn These are not my normal collecting field so if anyone else can give me any more information I would be grateful Grev UK

Can someone help with this mei I normally use Robinsons ‘Arts of the Japanese sword for my translations 1st kanji looked like Sui or Midzu 2nd kanji – Although a simple form I can’t find it! 3rd kanji – I think it is Ko although another reference tsuba shows it as Nyudo 4th kanji – I could only find this in Yumoto’s ‘The Samurai Sword (I never normally use this book) and it is shown as Masa 5th kanji – Hide As you can see I struggling with the mei and assuming it is Masahide then the three previous kanji make no sense to me. Any comments of the Kozuka would be nice (I only have the one). It appears that the small image on the right is the Empress tree. Grev UK

I think this may be the final order but as always subjected 4 Bell Flower Heianjo 1600 6 Iris flower sukashi pseudo Tosho 1750 3 Oxalis_sukashi pseudo Ko Tosho 1760 5 Two oxalis pseudo Tosho 1760 1 Gunbai sukashi pseudo Ko Tosho 1770 2 Fist Shape pseudo Tembo 1780 7 Motifs Aizu Shōami 1800 No 3 is not Oxalis but may be marigold (my 1st choice) or Oak/Ivy I still think the No 2 mei is saku rather than yuki Thanks for al the help and I’m happy to know which is my oldest tsuba Grev UK

Thanks for all your help Sebastien - I thought that with the two horizontal lines on the lower right hand side kanji it would be saku from (Robinsons book) but as you have said it is yuki and no one has disputed this I assume you are correct Junichi - I'm sure you are correct and I will have another look in my book of Mon Henry - I could do with a bit more help. I only have a few tsuba books and they all look at schools and methods of manufacture. One of by books that is just called tsuba has a pull out sheet with about 150 tsuba on the one sheet so it great for a quick comparison. My first thought was the hitsuana was longer and narrower on the earlier tsuba but then I found a wider one in an early period so I'm struggling. I have re-ordered the date list to 6, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 7 but I'd really like to know if anyone can tell me the earlist dated tsuba Many thanks Grev UK