Higo-san

I think that the term you are looking for, Pete, is udenuki-no-ana

Thanks for your kind comments, gentlemen. The nanban tsuba is SOLD! The other tsuba are still available

Dear all I would like to part with three tsuba from my collection. The prices do include a 5%-donation to the NMB (PayPal fees and shipping costs are not included). Here we go: 1) Huge dragon tsuba - EUR 480 A large and cool Edo period tsuba showing a dragon in the clouds. Dimensions are: 9 cm x 8.3 cm x 0.38 cm. 2) Mumei Choshu tsuba - SOLD A nice unsigned piece with the design of two gourds and a wavy pattern. Dimensions are: 7.2 cm x 7.0 cm x 0.46 cm 3) Mumei Nanban tsuba - SOLD A small but nice tanto tsuba with rare cherry blossom shaped tagane marks. Dimensions are: 6.7 cm x 6.0 cm x 0.33 cm Shipping costs are: Germany EUR 5.99 EU EUR 15.99 Worldwide EUR 37.99 Best Chris

Some of these will be gone very soon !

Exactly, Stephen - some additional information about him can be found here: http://sanmei.com/contents/en-us/p1948.html

Hi Stephen, you found a Nobuie utsushi tsuba made by an artisan called Naruki Kazuhiko (smith name: Issei 一成) who was born in 1931 and is a mukansa smith. Therefore, recent . Best, Chris

Would be interesting to see the armor it belongs to as Ian pointed out (if there is one). Would you kindly share some pictures, Simon? That might also be helpful in order to date your piece.

Thanks for the kind comments, gentlemen! Both Fuchi Kashira are SOLD! BTW - the koshirae in Andi`s post is a so called Nobunaga Utsushi Koshirae (one of the very famous Higo koshirae designs like the Kasen Koshirae)

Dear all, time to part with two excellent Fuchi Kashira sets. Again, a 5%-donation to the NMB is included in the prices. Shipping costs and PayPal fees extra. Shipping costs (including insurance and tracking service) are: Germany EUR 7.49 EU EUR 17.99 USA and Canada EUR 37.99 Rest of the World EUR 46.99 1) Museum-grade Fuchi Kashira by one of the great Higo masters (NBTHK Hozon paper to "Higo") - SOLD (might seem expensive, but this is actually a bargain price and way less than what I paid for the set...) This set is a Higo masterpiece that came from the Eckhard Kremers and formerly Ito Mitsuru collection. The fuchi is made of suaka which was wrapped in crane leather and finished with black urushi. This is rare and very typical for Higo tosogu. The kashira shows the famous yamamichi with waves design and is made from dark shibuichi. If you want to put together a high-class Higo koshirae, these are the fittings to go with! In my opinion, this set would go best together with a Hikozo tsuba. The whole set comes in custom-fitted Japanese box together with a NBTHK certificate and is highly collectible. Dimensions of the fuchi: 4 cm x 2.3 cm x 0.85 cm (height) 2) An easy to overlook masterpiece Fuchi Kashira signed 政守 (Masamori) - SOLD The second set shows fishermen at night. A very beautiful scene which was created by Hosono Masamori. I have no certificate but I do believe that the signature is genuine. The hira-zogan with highlights of gold and copper is typical for the work of Hosono Masamori. Dimensions of the fuchi: 3.75 cm x 1.9 cm x 0.77 cm (height) Enjoy! Chris

I have dealt with Krystian before and was very happy with my purchase and the excellent service provided by him! All the best, Christopher

See you there, Michael!

Thank you, Steve and Malcolm! Any chance to decipher the rest of the text? Best, Chris

Dear all, I bought this hanging scroll at a flea market in Kyoto and would much appreciate a little assistance in order to translate it. There was a reference on the box to the Daitoku-ji (大徳寺) temple. Many thanks! Chris

Dear Tony I am not aware of the exact chemical reactions behind it. But let me give it a try (everyone feel free to correct any mistakes made): shakudo is basically made from copper and copper produces a protective surface over the lapse of time or due to patination (which we call patina and which is no longer pure metallic). This patina (and not the metal itself) can be damaged by touching the surface with bare hands (due to the sweat which contains salts and water). You can easily see the results of such chemical reactions between human hands and copper when looking at modern copper coins. The shiny patina gets lost and the copper turns greenish/brownish. Enjoy this piece and I am very glad that there are still collectors willing to pay high-prices for high-quality tsuba! Best, Chris

Tony, congrats! However, I recommend not to touch a shakudo tsuba with bare hands. And you may find this helpful: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-%26-kodogu/t167-dont-transport-tsuba-tsuba-box. I am not sure about the construction of your box, but it looks like one where the center post is held by two nails.

Thank you for bringing it to our attention, Uwe !

Agree with Logan - I have seen similiar menuki in Japan on sale for around 75.000 Yen. Therefore, be careful, Luis (all is not gold that glitters - even though it may be gold in this case).

Thank you very much!!!

Dear all, I would be glad for a little help on this one! Many thanks, Chris

Looks like a very promising Owari - maybe even late Kanayama - tsuba to me. Well done, Dave!!! Best, Chris

I do not want to go into details out of respect for Thierry. But I would not be too sure about that, Steve... Source: https://matcha-jp.com/en/886

Dear Pietro this is a standard practice at many auction houses. It’s intention is to start a battle between bidders. On more than one occasion, I have witnessed items which would have been withdrawn without a single bid at the starting price, but after the auctioneer reduced the asking price, two bidders would jump in at the same time and the race began. It is all about human psychology . But it if the reserve price is not met during the auction, it is up to the owner to decide whether or not he/she wants to sell for the achieved hammer price. Best Chris

Speaking as a tosogu collector, I think that the prices at yesterday’s Bonhams auction were rather moderate and not at all overpriced. Real problem seems to me that the number of high-class tosogu collectors is either decreasing (at least in Central Europe) or that more and more collectors tend to buy directly from Japan (not because of a lack of quality but rather because the amount of high-class pieces offered for sale in Japan is obviously much higher and you are free to choose a subject you are particularly fond of rather than to take what you get). IMHO you could have made some real bargains at that auction.

Dear all for those who have not seen it yet: https://www.hermann-historica.de/en/auctions/detail/id/448 On the second day of the „Antique Arms & Armour, Hunting Antiques and Works of Art, Antiquities“ there are a couple of armor, swords etc offered starting at Lot 1895. Best Chris

Thank you for the additional pictures, Jason - I would place this tsuba (according to Sasano’s classification of sukashi tsuba schools) within the Kyo Shoami group, early Edo. Best, Chris