kissakai

Hi You may be pleased to know that the seller will give me a full refund He had an unsigned thousand monkey tsuba that looked quite nice but before I buy I will double check with my magnifying glass Any thing I should check excluding a cast line and holes? I will check the internet for genuine examples Grev UK

Hi I bought this at a fair yesterday from what I believe to be an honest seller I will ring him later today and ask for a refund unless anyone on the NMB thinks it may be OK I wasn't until I got home that I had a better look at it and thought it to be a copy. Some of these fairs don't have very good lighting and then there is the problems with crowds so not the best place to make a decision I'll know better next time Thanks for the quick replies Grev UK

Hi Sorry about the images so I proved a full size one (Should be at the correct scale as tsuba is 2.8inches wide) Looking at the preview it has displayed x2 I can be a real duffer but I'm not 100% sure about the mei being cut or cast, or maybe I want it to be cut so it affects my judgement (pride before a fall) I looked at the mei and there looks to be tiny chisel marks at the base of the mei but still has a look of being cast I thought the design and workmanship was OK but again I feel this is trying to be something that it isn't Grev UK

Hi I need a bit of guidance with this mei It looks suspect to me and all I have found is 挑 CHŌ I thought the kanji on the LH side was a single character but found nothing so maybe this was two kanji that were very close to each other I know this is not likely but when clutching at straws I gasp anything! So is this likely to be gimei? If so I don't need to waste my time Any pointers to help but without proving a translation I can show images of the tsuba but it is nothing special This was the best image I could take Grev UK

Hi I wasn't sure where to put this so guessed it would be OK here This tsuba has been on the NMB a few posts ago I have always been drawn the beauty of the mei My image doesn't show it as sinuous as it looks in hand Would anyone like to show their nicest mei I'd love to see a beautiful sosho mei Grev UK

Hi Just to close this post can I come back to two outstanding questions? Bearing in mind the post "What Is Happening To Nihonto Message Board?" I have answered my first request. It was only asked in case there were alternative kanji for Yanagawa Is Yanagawa actually stated on the papers? I do not believe it is and Yanagawa is implied due to the mei If anyone is a member of 'worth a point' I would be interested in the price paid in 2008 Anyone? Grev UK

Hi I'd like to buy 5. Iron sukashi tsuba $160 Please let me know the final price to the UK Grev

Hi Everyone had to start somewhere even the most eminent contributors started knowing nothing. My personal opinion is some of the best had a mentor who would have chastised their student(s) for there naivety but then put them on the right path. I bet some of these experts have great stories of their ignorance! I have posted a few ‘naive questions’ that have taught me a lot. One of my recent posts asked about a tsubas harness. Although some books talk about hardness I didn’t understand the term until the replies I had from the NMB. Show me the book where hardness is explained? I was taken aback in my early NMB days when my items were pilloried but not now. Later on I found that if someone unfairly criticised my item another NMB would offer a counter view – balance is restored Maybe Brian could have a section for ‘really advanced students’ and one for newbie’s? It will not happen as the NMB is a portal to exchange, share and inform its members irrespective of there expertise Normally every post is seeking an response and every member of the NMB has the choice whether they do or don’t reply. Sounds good to me Evolution A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form. Grev UK

Again many thanks for your help I was looking for the term Oborogin on the internet and my tsuba popped up on ‘worth a point’ This is the link followed my the description: http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/b1174-j-p-edo-nbthk-tokubetsu-kicho-signed B1174 Japanese Samurai sword Edo NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Yanagawa School Yamabushi, Buddhist monk Special treasured Signed Tsuba Age: Edo Certificate of Authenticity, authenticated by NBTHK (The Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai) on 12th Sep. in 1980. Ooops I was two years out again! Material: Oborogin (silver-copper alloy) Signature: Naomitsu Kao (Yanagawa Naomitsu) Technique: Oborogin migakiji, Yellow copper fukurin, Kebori Decoration: Yamabushi zu (Ascetic Buddhist monk) This great piece has been authenticated as a special treasured Tsuba of Yanagawa Naomitsu, best Kinko of famous Yanagawa family in Edo era. This is a truly artistic and beautiful Tsuba depicting popular motif, Buddhist monk by kebori with touch of graceful Japanese painting. The Kogaihitsu is gorgeously filled with gold on the very shinny silver-copper alloy surface. If anyone is a member of 'worth a point' I would be interested in the price paid in 2008 Is Yanagawa actually stated on the papers? Grev UK

Hi Having a bit of spare time I'm trying to get to grips with my 'papers' which I assume this is obvious due to my last two post Can I ask for a translation for the boxed area I made a hash of my last attempt at dating the papers so I wonder if I have it right this time Details School: Yanagawa 柳川 Mei: Naomitsu 直光 + Kao 花押 (H06717) Tokubetsu Kicho - Dated 12th Sept 1982 Grev UK

Not something I would have notice but once pointed out it is clearly longer on the 'papers' Grev UK

Thanks - I didn't think papers would state anything about the saya Grev UK

Wonderful - thanks Just one more request if I may Does it say anything about the saya? I was told that it may be only a few years old and not aogai-chirashi (mother of pearl) Grev

Hi I bought his tanto last year and I've just been checking the 'NBTHK papers' It was described by the seller as Sue Seki, dated around 1550 and especially worthy of preservation I thought the Sue Seki was the part in brackets (ringed) but it doesn't look like the correct kanji Can anyone let me know what the description in brackets is? I would appreciate any other info but this would be a bonus to my prime question With thanks Grev UK

Hi I'd be surprised if no one has done a hardness check but you never know I'm getting a better feel for understanding these hard/soft terms and now think it is a way it may be how the Japanese described the plate that has been mis-interpreted in the West I have seen quite a few books that describe the attributes of, lets say, an Owari tsuba using identical terms used in an earlier book so does this come from knowledge or regurgitation? I originally tried to look for all the main (kantai) points from a school but soon found so much contradiction on overlapping of styles it became impossible My next thought was I should look at techniques, styles, designs etc which were never used by a particular school then once a school was ruled out it could be one of the 'other' schools This may end as abruptly as my first method and time will tell Even with a great library I've come to the see that only seeing as many tsuba in hand and ideally with a good great mentor can any real progress be made I am trying to appreciated a tsuba for what it is, but difficult when I try to put it into a classification as it comes down to an ego thing or plain human nature The ego is happy to have concrete evidence to prove what a great collector he is but the best (in my opinion) just can state 'I like this tsuba because ...' I'd like to read this post in another 20 years to see if I have learnt much! With thanks Grev UK

Hi After a shaky start I'm happy with the replies especially 'hardness' (my ultimate weakness) I've read so many books that refer to hard and soft tsuba it seemed important so I've posed this question before but with no success If I remember about Namban tsuba they are generally referred to as 'hard' and with so many available it wouldn't surprise me is some were tested for harness (we all know some blades have been subjected to various destructive test! Henry's rely 'I interpret it as the type of sheen the iron might have. To me a soft metal reference suggests that the iron has a lustrous sheen similar to what you see on hard candy or freshly mixed pizza dough, if that makes sense. The sheen on the this tea bowl to me is soft.' is a step forward for me and I'll re-look at my tsuba This may be a controversial view but it is one I will investigate Grev

Hi I would like to make a couple of observations In two messages I've stated 'After just reading the post 'tsuba pointers' there may replies here that would help' This was the opening paragraph: So, i'm a complete greenhorn at these things, to be honest i've never even held one in my hands so to make a judgment call from afar is always a tricky thing, especially if you have no experience to rely on. I want to start out small, so i figured Tsuba's are proper. Before i buy anything i thought a forum like this is the best place to be. Since this is my first post, it's a pleasure to be here! Since i suck with nicknames, I've picked this one as an homage to our old VOC trading post in Edo period Nagasaki. With my nationality it seems fitting This topic was never just for my benefit apart (from my lack of a good understanding of the plate) When I see previous comments about the plate such as how hard or soft the plate is and no one can tell me how to test this then I struggle Grev UK

Hi Jean - I didn't use an enlarged image as this was not really part of topic more just for my peace of mind David - If Jean can see the image albeit low resolution and small I see no reason why you can not see it Henry - Thanks for your comments but initially I was hoping for more comments that would help a newcomer to collecting especially reading the post prior to mine Any new collectors learn anything from this post? Grev UK

Hi Bob Haynes and other eminent collectors had said this was a fake (due to the mei so was made to deceive). It was a bit tongue in check that I posted this topic I’ve used the NMB many times to help me and one of the NMB’s strengths is to help new collectors hence this post. Comments such as rubbish etc does not really help anyone further their knowledge. In one of my books it says that initially you examine the plate as if there were no design or ornamentation as a plate base can only provide a poor tsuba. Then the patina, design, workmanship, shape and finally the mei (the object confirms the mei and not the other way around) Going on these guidelines it would help if observations were along the lines of: The plate is poor because …….. I have to admit this my weakest area The patina ……. The hitsu ana… Sekigane … The only observation I can make is the rounded form rather than the triangular shape The close ups show (to me) that the man is well defined The clouds are poorly defined The branch is OK I think this exercise bombed because Shozui is a great tsuba maker and just a quick look at some of this tsuba show this to be 100% fake and no one would go so far are bothering with looking at the mei Without the mei it is not all bad but it was always my intention to put this on Ebay I should have chosen a different tsuba for this post and as it serves no purpose it can be deleted! Just to give me a little credence for my collection this tsuba image is one from my collection Grev UK

Hi Brian This was the link but only one reply I had about 4 PM's from some noted collectors and they all said it was a copy Grev

Hi This tsuba has been on the NMB before and every one said it was a copy Only one none NMB person thought it may be OK Having just bought the Wakayama books I looked into it again Also I've just had access to an optical projector so I can zoom into the tsuba These three images are an overall view The next five images are the zoomed images that show the detail I was surprised at the detail especially the face, foot and rope as these are in minute detail These made me think that this may be more than just a copy! Camera image of the mei Zoomed and stitched image of the mei Finally five images of my reference data Wakayama, Sesko and Haynes I have no problem if the opinion is that it is a copy and I welcome any views good or bad It also serves as demonstration of a tsuba examination After just reading the post 'tsuba pointers' there may replies here that would help With thanks Grev UK

Hi If the monkey was wearing a hat then the reference to 'Hie jinja, would work and as suggested I've done an image search but without success I don't see the tori suggestion There are loads of references to the monkey that are not very complementary so I wonder why someone would wear this design. There is the year of the monkey so could it depict a birth or special event in the year of the monkey Looking again at the monkey it appears to be sitting on a branch, but if it was a branch it is very poorly done especially with an unrealistic branch curving down I've not noticed this type of ‘pointing’ monkey posture So even with all your help it may undecipherable Grev UK

Hi Value for money I really liked Botts 'Swords of Japan' which was recommended on the NMB a few months ago My first book was Yamoto's as already mentioned which I've had for about 40 years but there is so much better books around now Grev UK

Hi This has caused a few scratched heads but it's nice to try to get into the smiths mind Although not common it is a theme that has been used by different makers so I'm assuming that there is a definate meaning but no idea if we can arrive at a definate conclusion So what was clear as day a few hundred years ago is now clear as mud! This is all I've understood from Steves links Link 1: Kyo Tadashi Honami Link 2 鐔 characters and monkey combined openwork of " Ayano " . "乃字 Sarutoru" Link 3 Nothing I can use Link 4 The seller is also confused I think is safe but disappointing to disguard the Hideyoshi link Grev

Hi Tom This is all I've found plus a book extract MASARU Kanji 勝 in Japanese Means "victory" Outside of Japan the monkeys' names are sometimes given as Mizaru, Mikazaru, and Mazaru, the last two names were corrupted from the Japanese originals. The three monkeys are Japanese macaques, a common species in Japan. Hideyoshi 秀吉 Toyotomi 豊臣 In ‘Legend in Japanese Art’ there is this extract As taiko he had a monkey that was taught to jump at every visitor in a threatening manner Looking at the kanji I wondered if the meaning was split and read as: 末 乃 Grev