TheGermanBastard

Does anybody have any thoughts on these two Tsuba?

Hello Ed, you have got a point there. The full story is that one has to see from what source a sword comes. If it comes from a dealer without papers or green papers, then you have a very good chance of it being Gimei imho - unless it is for a minor guy. Regards

Koto for sure. I am hopimg for Nambokucho

Hello Dwain, so I guess my offer to buy the Tanto is void then. If I were you I would take out these Menuki and check on them - or sell as possibkel gold without gurantess. However I would be too nosy and hence take them out. Good luck whatever raod you take.

Hello Dwain, you said 2500 or best offer. My best offer is 2000 USD. If the Menuki are solid gold I will do a 200 USD donation to the Nihonto message board. If they are not solid gold you will take the sword back for a refund. Postage for sending it back to you is on me. The to be fixed wrap is on you. You will make about 600 USD profit on the Tanto if it is as you claim - considering the 150.000 Yen that you have paid. That's my offer, Up to you to take it or leave it.

Hello Dwain, you wrote: > Like I said, I've been dealing in precious metals for many years and have tested both plated and non plated . I'm not being "hopeful" that these are gold, I've tested and viewed under a high magnification and they are definitely high purity gold. So you gurantee that they are solid gold? If yes I am probably in for your 2k asking price. However I unwrap the Tsuka to find them to be none solid gold you will take the sword back at a full refund. Right? Looking forward to hearing from you

Aoi Art says he recommends this Tanto for me. Now to be serious: I think 150.000 Yen was cheap. The topic sarter said he is looking for 2 - 4k US. Can the price be doubled or even triplled? Sure if he finds a buyer wanting to pay that amount of money. You "just" need to find that someone. He might be somewhere. He just was not joining the AOI Art auction for whatever reason. I think the Koshirae is nice. I like it. Do I think those Menuki are Gold? No I do not think so. If AOI Art had really thought them to be Gold they would have been removed. I would have removed them and I do not believe AOI to be anywhere close to being as stupid as I am. have a physical gold tester that cost a fortune and I think that is the only way to check on anything to be sure. Applying chemicals will only check on the surface but you can't tell what is on the back. There could be heavyy gold foil and a copper base on tzhe back. No matter wheter the Menuki are solid gold or not I think they look nice. Aoi Art says the Menuki MIGHT be solid Gold and that they think the signature looks good. Well, sometimes I look in the mirror and think I look good. Sometimes I don't. In the end AOI Art makes no gurantees. Good luck with your potential sale.

Do you have a link to the original AOI listing?

Some of the swords were overpiced pieces that had not sold in a previous auction where prices had been even higher. So they cut prices but still too high on most parts. One blade had nice Soten mounts and sold. The Tadahiro was nice but not cheap considering ist condition and lacking Kanteisho not to forget the premium that applies. So overpriced. Some swords were decent and offered at fair prices but no steals / above average quality. Infact some of the swords had quite some Kizu uppon requesting more detailed images. I do not understand why the auction houses will sometimes only provide ONE (!) image of a sword from whch nothing can be seen and judged. The books however were a real steal in the end and would make for an excellent library. Just coonsidering how much the individual postage for those books is, a lot of money oculd have been saved by a European buyer. Some of the Tsuba lots had pretty decent Tsuba. Lot 332 was also very nice, with two Kanteishos and accordingly fetched the most money. I had liked Lot 327, 331 and 332 best. Grev may I ask for your oppinion on these Tsuba in Lot 327? I don't know where to put them ... what Tsubas had been of interest to you in this Lot and which one in teh other lots if I may ask? Regards

Yes I did Prices were overall very low. I was to mean on the books. They went overall very cheap. However I have allready had quite a few of them and was not to eager having to resell those. Still those books went very cheap. I underbid. I don't recall if they sold to the floor or an online bidder? Does anybody remember? Grev what Tsuba lot did you miss?

It has allready been polished bit I do not have good images yet. All I can tell so far is that the damage was resolved and the Hamon is continius. Also looks like no Shintetsu or Kizu.

Some more thoughts please?

Well, I did not expect it to be a master piece but a pretty nice - none massproduced - Tsuba. Obviously some do not agree and have a different oppinion. I think it is a late Edo or even Meiji piece. The potential maker would help. I was watching it when it had a start price of 500 USD. I did not expect it to sell for so much money though. While 2500 USD is not the price tag of a master piece, it is a price tag attached to a wel above average Tsuba. Really well above average ... so I wondered what others thought about it.

@ Steven: Do you think it is a mass produced piece in the 250 USD Range?

Did you look at the images I posted? What makes you think this is a mass pruced 200 bucks Tsuba? I see no hint of this being a mass produced tsuba but think it is infact very well made and probably worth what the high bidder paid.

No, I am unforzunately not the lucky owner but would appreciate some oppinions on it in order to learn. I thought this to be a very nicely made later Edo Periode Tsuba. It just sold for close to 2.500 USD (including premium) on a floor auction.

Thank you all for your help!

I would appreciate a translation of this signature. Thank you

Here are more images. Mino.

This one is almost as good. Almost https://www.ebay.com/itm/EARLY-UNIQUE-Japanese-TACHI-KATANA-SWORD-BO-HI-FUTASUJI-HI-HOSHO-SCHOOL-14TH-C/233170564366

John, you are either unable or unwilling to understand what I say. Any which way all the best to you.

I have to add something to make my point clear on dealing / dealers: I believe that in the end you ought to get what you buy / paid for and you buy according to your budget and knowledge. If I buy a blade from Darcy I would expect to get 99,9% of the time a great sword as he deals only in the very best swords. If I buy something from AOI Art I may find a very good sword going up to TB Juyo - like some of the swords he sold did ... or I may end up finding a less decent sword. If I buy a cheap sword at Komonjo my expectations should be less sophisticated. Buying to ones budget. Then I think I may be smart, smarter then the dealer and picking up an unpapered sword at Gimei price getting a Shoshin. Could be. Could also be someone sells me 10 bucks at a cheap 5 bucks. If it is too good to be true tehn it is not. It is me making the deicison and buying according to my budget and knowledge. If I loose out on a sword it is hence me to bl,de and not the dealer. One has to understand that most dealers conseign items. Their job is to sell and turn the items around for what they are - the collectors task is to make up his mind on what he likes and to form an evaluation on what he is looking at. There are good sworsd and less good swords availanle everywhere. It is not the sword to be blamed for being bad but onself for buying it / making a bad purchase unless the item has been misrepresented. If you came to the conclusion it is a bad sword stay away. That is why one has to study. Expirience is an euphemism for failure

Okay John ... for the record: You keep on accusing me of being a bribed liar without any proof. Thank you. Furthermore You give me 23 swords meant to prove that Komonjo is a bad seller - some of these swords have TBH papers. Uppong repeated asking you to point out the problems you fail to provide your comments on a single piece of them but keep up your accusations. So selling a Gimei sword is a misdeed? Interesting. I am to be guilty then as most other collectors are. What is your suggestion? Melt the sword into an iron bar for being Gimei? Remove a Gimei at approx USD 500 on a blade that gets sold at a fraction of this? You mention clear Gimeis of Masamune to be sold by Komonjo. Can't a blade be any clearer and obvious be Gimei than a Masamune? The question is wheter Komonjo claimed this Masamune, Norishige or whatever to be Shoshin? If yes provide the link. I am dying to see it. If he did that he is a bad guy. Otherwise while you point the finger at him, don't forget that four fingers of your hand will point at yourself. Why I defend him being a long time collector? You just gave the answer to your question yourself. Because I am a longterm collector. I have gotten some of the best deals from him buying good swords at very low cost. Sometimes below cost of restoration. So if I was bad guy I would put him down like others do in order to drive potential buyers / bidders away. But I try to remain balanced without bias. Komonjo offers some of the worst junk to be found - and describe it himself as JUNK. He will sometimes sell very fine blade and not exagerrate at all but just limit himself to describing the condition. I always got what I paid for and in most cases it was like expected or better. If someones buys a blade signed Masamune from him at a low cost and are disappointed that you didn't hit the big one ... well ... hmmm ...

Here are the links to the swords: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA422-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Mumei-Katana-in-Shirasaya-74-6-CM/132986998630 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MW09-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Large-Naginata-in-Shirasaya/143165496979 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA424-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Mumei-Wakizashi-in-Shirasaya/1635943 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA425-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Mumei-Wakizashi-in-Shirasaya/143169839160 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA310-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Mumei-Katana-in-Koshirae-62-3-CM/163594350739 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA421-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-IJA-Army-Gunto-Masajiro-64-1-CM/163594374863 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA321-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Mumei-Wakizashi-in-Koshirae/132986973128 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA423-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Ujiyoshi-Wakizashi-in-Koshirae/163594390757 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA448-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Kaneharu-Kaigunto-IJN-in-Koshirae-64-1-CM/163586860762 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MW11-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Kagenaga-Wakizashi-in-Shirasaya/143169274536 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA446-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Kanemoto-Wakizashi-Shirasaya-Kanzan-Sayagaki/132981285107 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MW10-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Naginata-Naoshi-Wakizashi-in-Koshirae/143169244582 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/K206-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Tadahiro-Gendai-Katana-in-Koshirae-72-3-CM/163588922177 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/K204-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Kiyohira-Gendai-Katana-in-Koshirae-82-0-CM/132982891352 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA447-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Koto-Kanesada-Katana-in-Shirasaya-75-6-CM/163586688102 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA320-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Signed-Wakizashi-w-Bohi-in-Koshirae/163594350100 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Sa-Yukihide-Wakizash-in-Shirasaya-w-Kunzan-Sayagaki/143158914657 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Sukesada-Wakizashi-in-Koshirae/132976286484 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-NBTHK-Tokubetsu-Hozon-Kunimasa-in-Shirasaya-70-9-CM/163573421273 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Kanetaka-Sankaku-Yari-Spear-in-Koshirae/132979274522 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-NBTHK-Takada-Hitatsura-yaki-Wakizashi-in-Koshirae/132979271050 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SA-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-NBTHK-Shiga-Seki-Kanenobu-Tachi-69-3-CM/143162301789 Please go ahead and point out which one of the swords is misrepresented or fraudulent. I am listening ,eager to learn from you. Furthermore John please provide proof that komonjo is paying me for my posts - or if you can not then shout me an appology.

There are 23 Swords total in the link which you pointed me to. 23 of which 3 do have recent papers. This equals 13% ... so you may want to look into your calculation again . You said it is 1 - 2%. Where did I say he is a saint? Also what sword did you buy from him that you can comment on? If it is that you never bought anything from him then what expirience are you refering to? As of know I can tell two people in this topic who have actually bought swords from this seller. One being me and the other one being Chris. Also the others do not seem to have any skin in this game. Out of the 23 blades you used as an argument / example please kindly be a bit more precise as to which one is misrepresented by komonjo and what way? Maybe I am just missing something in these blades and their description. So please kindly enlighten me, I am always eager to learn.