kissakai

Hi Stephen Nice find, can you give me the link or description of the design I searched on the internet for 'Owazamono' and got to a sword site but couldn't find any details of this tsuba I don't know Eric M's site so no joy there Grev

Hi Jean I heard this advise many times before and it is till good advice which I was happy to follow I searched the NMB and read every post (which is two pages long) armed with my images put I still could find the three kanji in question - maybe it's just me I then checked every Soten mei in Sesko's book followed by an internet search for Soten which took me to various sites and auction houses If fact I did all I could before I posted this request This is one of fullest Soten set of kanji but I just can't see the unknown kanji Soheishi 藻柄子 Nyudo 入道 Sōten 宗典 kore 之 Goshu 江劦 Hikone 彦根 ju 住 Also I have one set of kanji for Soten smith Kaneishi 干英子 Nomura 野村 Kanenori 包教 Maybe someone can direct me to the NMB post that has these kanji or provide the translation and kanji and I'd be happy eat humble pie Grev UK

I hope this helps Grev UK

Hi Any help will be appreciated. I've looked at Sesko's Genealgies but without any success The images are both sides of the same tsuba Goshu 江州 LH: I can not find the first two kanji + ju 住 Soten 宗典. I can not find the last kanji Full tsuba Chrysanthemoid sukashi design Is this the correct description? Grev UK

I thought it would be gibberish It's to long to ask someone to translate just for my use I'll see if I can get a Japanese person to read it to me Grev UK

Hi I bought the book Tsuba Kanshoki by Torigoye, 1975 with English descriptions from Mike via the NMB Great to have such a nice book especially as it is a limited edition The tsuba images all come with an English translation and this was another reason for buying it Unfortunately the leading introduction which consist of quite a number of pages is only in Japanese Does any one have or know of an English translation for this book? If not do you think there is any chance of scanning the pages and putting it though a translator although it would be time consuming and it will be full of errors Grev UK

One out the blue No 52 sold Grev UK

Hi I've looked into this wakizashi using Morita san's translation and my previous notes I've worked out that (one)-shaku, 7-sun, 7-bu = 54cms but the actual length is 55cms Saruta San said it was Kanbun period which is right for Tadihiro Hizen 2nd master The hamon is chu sugaha and has kiri yasurime on the nakago I've added a couple more images but do I take it any further? This was an almost accidental acquisition and completely out of my field of collecting and maybe just accept this as a nice example in good condition? The expectation of it being Tadahiro are 1000's to one although I do think this has been well looked after Grev UK

Hi Is this post finished? Nice to get: Hizen (no) Kuni Tadayoshi 肥前国忠吉 Second line looks like its length: 長さ二尺七寸八分 The only info I had was that is was dated around 1660 Also the hole in the shira saya is only half the size of the one in tang so maybe the saya doesn't match the katana! Grev UK

Hi Robert I've scanned the point and you can just make out a bit more of the hamon Grev

Hi Robert As I said it is very difficult to read as it's worn and my photographic skills are not the best so thanks for your comments The blade is 55 cm long and the saya is 59 cm long I suppose is there anything to suggest the saya gaki is related to the katana! Grev

This has been on the NMB before Believed to be dated around 1660 with suguha hamon and fine nie but school unknown Can any one translate the saya?. Also any comments about the katata would be welcome The saya has some kanji but I can not make them out so I've taken a series of images and put them together in two sets Set 1 at the top of the saya Set 2 at the bottom of the saya Grev UK

After viewing these tsuba since Kevin started this post I decided to buy one tsuba Kevin has produced some outstanding work and I particularly liked the tadpole and the snail tsuba I then remember reading many posts about buying Fords tsuba while they could still afford them and I look on Kevin's work as an opportunity to buy one of his tsuba while I can still af(Ford) to - pun intended I wonder if anyone else will regret not buying one at such a good price while they had the chance Grev UK

PM sent for the four seasons

It's not my area of collecting but are you sure it's a fake? Just a quick look shows the first kanji as Yama and the last as shu (province) File marks look OK but hole look too clean! Can you add more pictures? But what do I know! Grev UK

Hi I was outsniped but my bid was only around half of the final price so it doesn't bother me but I'll have to get my 'blingest' tsuba on ebay Looks like some frenzied last second action Grev UK

Hi Brandon It was suggested that it looks like a sanmai (3 plate), Awase style tsuba This shows the rivets although these are not always used and may be held in place just by the rim This shows the three layers. The top and bottom layers are about 1/2 to 1mm thick So you should be able to see the construction (if any) on your tsuba I hope this helps Grev UK

Thanks Grey I'll order a copy as I have very little info in the Higo school. Also now I see that the Jingo refers to Shizu Jingo one of the big Higo names Grev UK

Hi Ooops should have made a few checks rather than show my ignorance Higo is no were near Edo so I see Edo is the era A translation of kodai = old & Jingo = best but I know from the past these translators have no real meaning relevant to Nihonto terms Grev UK

Hi As we are talking about Higo tsuba would someone give me a brief outline of the Higo school terms? All Higo tsuba were produced in the Edo era – 1615 – 1868 apart from very late copies So does the term Higo Edo refers to the area rather than the date? Then there are other terms such as Higo Jingo and Kodai Jingo that I don’t understand Bemused Grev UK

Hi I went to the Birmingham Arms & Armour sale on Sunday It was great to see Ian Bottomley and have a chat over the wakizashi I'd just bought Ian initially said unless I joined the Northern Token Society he would tell me anything but he was joking Also on the same stand was Bob (sorry I forgot your surname) who I first met at Ford get together Bill Tag, the Jones brothers and Peter York had stands and there were some nice items for sale I bought a tsuba from Peter, a sakura Yamakichibei at a very reasonable price. The label is so browned it appears to be from an old collection I've compared the mei with the one on Robert Haynes web site it looks a good match to me All in all a good day Grev UK

Hi James It was very nice to see you and some of your collection at the Ford get together. You gave me some great pointers re Kinai tsuba I showed Ford a ko kinko tsuba dated around 1450 and he said he could do exactly what you have produced Thanks to your post it makes a lot more sense when he said to me if it looks old doesn't mean it is old and now I see exactly what he means We chatted about non destructive metal analysis and carbon dating methods that are just being used and tested Very interesting and potentially worrying times for collectors and experts I find it an exciting time and looking forward to some very interesting results Grev UK

Hi Robert The reverse is pretty well the same that's why I only posted one side If there is enough interest I'll post the reverse of this tsuba Grev UK

Hi Ian I'll look forward to seeing you I'm amazed that there are no other replies! I suppose that Peter York and the Jones brothers will be there Grev

Hi I've put both these in the translation section rather than two posts This one was described as Kaneyasu or Kanesada + kao Tanaka school around 1850 Although there is not much doubt about the kanji for Kane I'm unsure if the second kanji is correct Any help will be appreciated This is described as lacquer covered and I'm sure this is correct it almost looks like a leather covering which I suppose is impossible I'd also appreciated any comments on its date school? Grev UK