zanilu

Thanks Steven you I will try those i the order you suggested. Regards Luca

Thank you all for your observations. I will try to clean them by brushing. If this does not work I will try a specific silver cleaner. Any advice about removing the gunk on the back? I will try to probe it to see how hard it is. Best regards. Luca

Dear all NMB members Menuki are not exactly my cup of tea (meaning that I do not know nothing about tosogu, and or menuki even less) but nonetheless I bid for these menuki on yahoo Japan out of a impulse. I was not really expecting to win the auction though they look nice to mount on a project of mine. They seems to be made of silver whose black patina in the recesses highlight nicely the recessed regions of the peonies. Looking at the mei it seems to read as Katsura Eiju (桂永寿) but I think they are gimei, given that I win the action with a relatively low bid. I would like to hear some comment from the collector more experienced in menuki than I am. I have learned a lot of terminology about tsuba translating the NBTHK papers I found on the web. It would be really interesting, from the educational point of view, to put together, with the community help, a description of these menuki like NBTHK would give on its paper. Thank you in advance of any help or comment Regards Luca

Another one from Yahoo Auctions https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d346945326 Luca

I personally always replace the two nails with two pegs made out of toothpicks. In the unfortunate case of a strong shock they will brake at the junction between base and peg without any bit of them protruding from the two parts. I did several tests... The replacement takes about 10-15 minutes per box. Luca

Just a wild guess https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Smoke-visualization-of-the-cross-section-of-a-circular-jet-for-different-jet-velocities_fig3_226584600 Luca

Thanks Bruno!

Having bought a cheap USB microscope I started looking at the surface of my tsuba with higher magnification that that can be achieved buy a normal camera. I was inspired by some pictures posted by RKG. On the Heianjo tsuba I had already posted on NMB (http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/27620-heianjo-tsuba-theme/) I have seen these spots: It is not rust since they do not react to some prodding with a bone splinter as rust usually do. They are present on the ura side mainly. Could these be the remant of old urushi laquer that has oxidized over time? Regards Luca

Richard I have just found this on the net: https://blog.goo.ne.jp/onikuma1210/e/e1b885f0c440b8009341e70a3853244d Luca

Nice one Richard. I could not avoid to notice the differences in the ji... Regards Luca

Sorry ti resume such an old post but I would like to add an update. Edward the decoration of your tsuba seems to be decorated with melon flowers (take a look at http://varshavskycollection.com/collection/tsu-0324/). For my tsuba the design of aoi leaves looks a lot like a variation of the following kamon: With six aoi leaves From Hawley Mon: The Japanese Family Crest page 6. Banshū Mutsu Aoi (Banshū Province 6 wild ginger leaves) Kishū Mutsu Aoi (Kishū Domain 6 wild ginger leaves) With 5 aoi leaves Yo Ken Itsutsu Aoi (small swords 5 wild ginger leaves) This are the latest updates. Regards Luca

Guido now that you mention it seems more clear and I start to see what you mean. Maybe it is more apparent in Bruno tsuba than mine but it is definitely there! Thanks Luca

Wow Bruno! Nice piece! They are quite close! Same decoration I see some difference in the iron and its finish. The iron in yours is quite smoother while mine is tsuchime ji. There is any zogan on the mimi of yours? Regards Luca

Thank you Christian. Fortunally I spent a lot less for it! I generally do buy tsuba for their own merit. If there are papers attached the better! Luca

Dear all I know that it will sound a little heretic and pretentious from my side bur I do not find the description given by NBTHK sensei of one of the tsuba I have recenty acquired! Here it is: Dimensions: 82 mm x 78 mm x 4 mm. The tsuba is defined as scatterd mons, Monchirashi no zu (小紋散図). To me it looks more like snow on the ground and snow flakes. I have seens several examples in the past where that patched zogan is described as snow, one among other is http://varshavskycollection.com/collection/tsu-0361/. The only thing that leaves me with doubt is how to describe the zogan on the mimi and how to fit it in the snow theme. Any opinion is, as usual, welcome! Best Regards Luca

Thank you Mauro! Buon anno anche a te! Luca

Hi Steven Nice way to date Japanese stuff! You confirm my suspicion about 1643-1715 i.e. about Early Edo! Have a nice New Year. Luca

Dear all I have recently purchased this tsuba that was sold as Heianjo From the seller pictures not all particulars were clear and I had the doubt that this was a sort of a transition piece between Heianjo and Kaga Yoshiro. Having it in hand I have little doubt (but what do I know?) about a Kaga Yoshiro attribution even though lacking the usual plethora of mons. The iron is similar to that of a Yoshiro tsuba I already own and is better that the average iron found on Heianjo tsuba. Also the sea weeds are all high lined by a thin a line cut in the iron that I understand to be characteristic of Kaga Yoshiro tsuba and not found in Heianjo. As for the age I would like to have your opinion. I would put it to early Edo bu the shape of the hitsu-ana, what do you think? This is my last post of 2018 so I take the chance to wish an Happy New Year to all of you. Luca

Steve I think you nailed it! Thank you

Thank you Piers Most helpful! Luca

Dear All I have a bit of a problem identifying a couple of kanji from a NBTHK Hozon paper of a Heianjo tsuba. The first one is in the tsuba description: To me the description reads: 一小紋(?)散図 鐔 Hitotsu Komon(?) chi Zu Tsuba One Small pebbles Drawing Tsuba (?) I have problem identifying the third kanji (marked by the red arrow). The closest match I found so far is 紋. The second one is in the definition of the shape: It looks like: 堅丸形 ? Marugata Something Round Shaped or 腎丸形 Jin marugata Kidney Round Shaped (The tsuba is not kidney shaped at all I would have termed it maru gata without looking at the paper!) Any help from your side is appreciated. I attach some pictures of the tsuba and of the certificate as well. Best Regards Luca

This is from my collection. The second I bought a long time ago! Probably a copy but with the same design! Yours is definitely better! Regards Luca

Lovely piece Guido. You are still on time of course! Do you have dimensions for it? And maybe a description for the rope like thing at the left? Regards Luca

Steven good find. I have the book but totally missed it! John the picture are small, but it look like nunome zogan to me, but it is difficult to say! If really nunome zogan is not topical of Kaga zogan, or at least this is what I came to understand. Regards Luca

Thank you Peter. As I understand it Kaga Zogan was influenced by Kaga Goto but is distinct from it. Awesome pieces anyway! Luca