gauze3539

Hi. As many requested from my previouse thread to share my two tsuba bought from Ebay and to identify what they are, I start this thread. So if someone could identify what these are and possibly the ages, it would be appreciated. By the way, these to tsuba came out together within the two $ digits. The sukashi one looks Heianjo kyo sukashi but I am not sure. This one actually was so funny that the seller from Japan took the photo under so dark shade, I didn't even see any of the inlays at the first sight. Besides, the tsuba looked compeletely cast iron tsuba so I guess it has been on the ebay forerver. But I saw very faint shades of inlays + sekigane, I just push the button to buy and requested some close up photos and I got these photos from seller. I hope it's not a fake anything but a hidden treasure at the price. I see zogan works but don't know what is that straight inlays. Seems like the the surface has been messed up by something as if it was stored hundrededs of years inside of fabiric pocket or gauze so. Do you guys have any idea for it if it's authentic? I haven't received the tsuba yet. The other one is truly amazing. It's really heavy and heaviest tsuba among mine. I thought it was tekkotsu but maybe understood wrong. It is legendary purplelish nlack patina that should be seen until early edo tsuba if I am not wrong. This also has a signature that the seller didn't post on his listing. It also seem to have some brass zogan work left on the surface. When I see this on a specific angle? This looks like a jelly iron ( possibly konyaku -like surface) and very well-y smooth on the surface. Two part of the rim are bent as if it was pushed down gently by fingers. I specifically like this a lot and this is the truly quality iron tsuba that you have to touch in hands to know. It's super heavy and forged like iron that doesn't let it rusted too much. For the motiff, I see a stairs and a pine tree and the back ground must be zogan work of bush or leaves. However, It looks like a psychedelic art that at the same time, I remind a face of alien or the monster of the game: Packman or even a skull. So it's a truly amazing. I have never studied this type of tsuba yet so I basically have 0 idea on this tsuba although I like it maybe the most among what I have currently. So anyone has idea of era and school? Thank you very much for the reading. Jason C

Hi. David. I Just checked your website. Among others. the Owari tsuba really is amazing. My next collection would be a owari tsuba like this one and I'd definately look for your stuffs. I sucessfully made a deal with Fred for this crazy tsuba and he already took it off from the inventory although he was super busy at the show. I am sooo happy for getting this tsuba. I will ask identification about two tsuba I acquired by a great deal and will bring the link down to here soon. Thanks.

Hi. Muriuzsk! I would start the new thread about two tsubas I got from Ebay. They are both togerther within 2 degit price. You and Henry are right that I am more of guy you just explained. I can't be patient reading books without looking any "real" things. In an Asian proverb, it says " 1 seeing is better than 100 times of hearing." I am a strong supporter for this words and this habit actually formed when I collect WW2 stuffs for many past years. When I start this hobby, I start off from the complete 0 experience of this thing. I've never see a real nihonto or tosugu before and never attended for any show. Moreover, to me, I tend to get loose the interest if I don't see the real things. So I had to buy things first. So now I have 2 shintos and many set of fuchi kashiras, menuki and about 4 tsuba. While I buy those, I made 3 big mistakes. The first, I bought full koshiraed Showa monoblade to ( Seki Kanemoto) and fake Chinese blade and this tsuba subsequesntly. But I was able to manage all of it so I didn't get any financial demage from my own lack of knowledge. As Henry mentioned, I needed anything to see and touch and feel. I know this approach might put me into some dangerous situation but I didn't mind to hit some pitfalls. And my personality likes this way a lot. As Murisuzk said, when I get on the level to understand things a lot, I could easily sell the bad things off at any time of the future and the time will also tell me which one I should keep and not. Now, however, It's the time for the books to leap my knowledge. I seeiuosely feel I need book though. I was passionated on Markus Sesko's books initially but I think I need to folow this guidline root. And thank you for the list. I should be at the show if I didn't get a sudden family issue. I soo wanted to visit the show and at leastone have a chance to see tokuho and juyo grade stuffs. . I must go SF show next year.

Thank you very much for everyone! You guys made me return the BS and spanked me to stand right in front of this original tsuba! What a Eureka it is guys!! :)

Actually, the one I just received has amazing quality as it is. I think it's made out of tekkotsu . It has strong purple-lish patina on it. Also has signature that I need to study. As you words, I check it out and I found the carving is very sharp and crispy that does not appeared on the fake one. One thing I learn big is the even if the hunreds of years passed from any quality tsuba born, the time can't wholly crudely dull off the carvings and edges.

Hi. Brian. Yes sir. My heart is beating fast after I saw this.

Hi. Goe. Yes. I think I like that a lot. I don't need to sell anything I got. What I got from the ebay is all amzing things at the price I paid.

Hi Bob. Oh wow! This is the one shot best study resorces! I think I would get it if that's still available.

Yes. But i think it all depends on how the lister list though. I know I don't ignore 5000+ buyers eyes but If the main photo is not taken well, shades etc actually could loose the attention from potential buyer. Guess what happened? I bought a mushazu fuchi ( very resemble to goto's musha zu quality) at $50 that should be above $300. Also, I just received now a very nice edo tsuba at $45 that should be sold at least $250. This is the main reason why I do ebay for the fittings but I agree with you that it's very imppossible to get a real "treasure". To me, ebay is the primary market that can never be ignored because I know ebay's big potential power although the chance of jackpot got already lower and lower. But this time, I would just ran to Gery's website and buy the tsuba from there.

You're right. I know the ebay is not good place but I still believe one day I would get a treasure from ebay at the cheap price from unknown sellers who don't know what they have. But I think I still need to go much further to be that level. Thanks

Ok. Thank you very much guys. It hasn't been shipped so I think I can cancel it. Ah..... So hard to find the perfect fittings I like.

Wow. Really? Did Chinese fake tsuba came up to this level? Can I ask you which point of it makes it look like a cast tsuba? Rust? It's true that the patina banormally dark and rust is suspicisous. I am looking at the weight as 91grams for the size of tsuba 74x64. This might indicate it's a cast iron tsuba. At this moment, I just reciieved a real purplish iron tsuba and this is super heavy. It's sad if it's cast iron because I like the looking a lot. Is everything on this tsuba shows cast iron tsuba characteristics? Thanks

Hi. Samurais! I have a questions on a very exciting newly acquired tsuba from a Japanese Ebay seller. By study so far, I still cannot distinguished what I am buying. This was the one I was looking for the many years. To my personaly taste, this looks simply crazy nice so decided to put it on new koshirae for my shinto regardless what it is where it came from. This tsuba reminds me the extremely strong samurai confidence and spritualism. I basically like Kiku gata tauba very much but have never seen a powerful kiku gata tsuba like this. Could anyone figure out which school and circa and possibly motivation for this? I feel it's early edo and one of those school; Owari, kyo sukashi, but it's still hard to know with my knowledge. Also the motivation seems somehow related to Buddhism or spiritualism if I am not wrong. Can anyone have any idea for this? I love this tsuba soo much and I've never seen this crazy looking tsuba so far except few crazy looking higo tsuba. Thank you very much. Jason C

Hi. I read this from other website earlier. Now, any buyer should request a magnetic test for all iron parts when he buys a high proced real gatchu. Thanks. Jason

Thanks Alex for the good book. I got the book on the Ebay and it's coming. Very interested to know this system.

Ok thank you very much guys. I found some several infor Kam.

Hi. Jason I am Jason Too and I have Shodai Tadayuki blade of Tadatsuna. I was momentarily thought if I did post this. lol but of course it's you. I am sorry I am rookie on tsuba so has no idea. I guess that type of tsuba is called Sukashi. Please correct me if I am wrong. If It's not too much, may I ask you to put some photos of blade in the future? Since you and I have both Tadayuki 1 blade, I'd like to compare it and see how it is when you get some free time. I would post some of mine when I get a chance. Jason. Jason

so the Wazamono grade system doesn't affect the value of the sword at all? One of my Hozon mumei belongs to Shodai Osaka Tadayuki, the younger brother of Shodai Tadatsuna at Settsu Tadatsuna school, seems falling off on on Ryo Wazamono on both KK KKB lists. That's why I am still curious about it. I need study more of this thing. lol Thank you. Jason

Hi. I was wondering if other things being held constant, does Ryowazamono hozonto in both KK and KKB smith sword worth more than the lesser level hozonto? Thanks. Jason C

Do you live in Ca? I saw a nice sanbosugi on the sky but badly couldn't take a pic. Nice!

In fact Joe, I didn't know Komonjo sell something like you said. I thought Komonjo sells genuine ones but in very bad conditions but after I heard your words and check him out, OMG he has full of blades almost identical to what I got. In my eyes, the nakago of it and his bare blade listings have pretty much the same defect nakago style. I am glad I got mine for $600, but I see now many of his listings' price soar up to 1.5k or so....... Jason

Hi. Kam How are you doing? I believe I've got fooled by the complete sellers intention that why he refund me without a question for 200$ when I asked it by saying it's from China. It had those suspiciouse characteristics of the listing such as quite blurred photos, not showing jihada well etc but I didn't check it well for some reasons because of the cheap price and believed it as such an educational study piece for togi, smith or sort of such that has some flaws here and there but entirely not so bad. Again , I deserve the bad result not checking it well proactively before the purchase , but at about 600$ now it's all cool like I mention before. I like it as it is. I have 2 shinto hozontos and both have suriage nakagos and have been deeply polished down so those wouldn't give me this nice thick healthy strong blade feeling. Moreover, if I buy a Japanese shinsakuto and make full koshirae, I know my self eventually I would not use it ( how could you ruin a shiny nice pricy Japanese shinsakuto polishing and blade?) so I needed a blade such as this for tameshigiri. I am going to PM you something about Kam. Thank you very much for your insights. Jason

Oh. I am very sorry for saying wrong about your statement. But thank you Dr. Joe. Appreciated all the answers. Now I can clearly use it for the tameshigiri w/o any worry.

No. I do not demand to be on the marathone at all. I just came here and ask my curiosity. That's all. I know nakago is off but i believe it cannot be dictated as non Japanese just by the fact of nakago. I remember Dr. Joe earlier told me there are worse-looking nakagos than this on some famouse nihontos. I see many other traditional points while I am looking at the non traditional stuffs at the same time on this blade. It's strange but it doesn't mean it was 100% non Japanese by just looking at the nakago. Moreover, I do not have every single example of all nakagos have been produced ever in the Japanese history so I cannot prove you about the photo that is not made in the way in general but at the same time, I also absolutely do not think every single nihonto produced before by Japanese hands has a pefect nakago in because it is just impossible as human nature. Jason

Thank you. I didn't expected anything of course but it suprises me whoever did the gimei really tried to make it look like the Horii's "Nobuhide" . I can totally tell obviousely.