DirkO

yamagane (山銅), lit. „mountain copper“): The term „yamagane“ describes raw, unrefined copper, whereas during the Edo period, sometimes relatively pure but already smelt copper was also called yamagane. Until the Sengoku period, the term yamagane was synonymously used for copper which came directly from the mines. This copper varied strongly in colour according to the area of mining. According to analysis, yamagane contains lead, arsenic, and antimony, and this is the reason why it is harder and darker than pure, refined copper. Early yamagane pieces like tsuba or kōgai appear subtle and plain, but this makes the special aesthetical sense of yamagane. Important to note is that copper or rather its patina changes over the centuries, therefore dull and darker copper pieces are not necessarily made of yamagane. So one has to be careful when examining and judging sword fittings. Above excerpt from Markus Sesko's Handbook of Sword Fittings

Hi John, I kinda see where they got it from? Could be a stylised form of the below. Obviously I gladly defer to the papers. It reminded of wada sukashi, but if the NBTHK say pine, pine it is.

https://markussesko.com/2015/07/07/some-thoughts-on-wada-sukashi/ for more info about the sukashi

I would imagine his work will be in the NBSK publications, however I don't have any of the more recent ones. Would also be interested to see the other entries for non-natives.

As stated at the top: https://nbsk-jp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/12_e.pdf Congrats to the non-natives that did quite well: Tosogu: Ford Hallam - Gold Prize (2nd place) Jeff Broderick - Bronze Prize (2nd place) Christoph Kopp - Nyusen(Recognition prize) Saya-nuri: Michael Cummins - Nyusen(Recognition prize)

Here's the kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/japanartexpo/Japan-art-expo-2022?mc_cid=0da49b1820&mc_eid=fbd8a201a3

Like others, I hesitate to comment on this, because of the sensitive nature. I truly believe that Ford is adamant about finishing that book. However, reality is forcing him to review his priorities. For me, I'd rather have Ford and no book than a book and no Ford. This is just my 5p, I respect everyone's point of view in this.

You hardly ever see these for sale - but Sanmei suddenly has quite a range! Just wanted to put it out there for possible interested parties. Although they're mostly linked to sahari inlay (like Hazama) - only a few of these have that feature. http://www.sanmei.com/contents/en-us/d1.html

Not many additions for me. But a few that are worth sharing: Iron Khorin tsuba, which in itself is rare, seeing he usually worked in soft metal. Ingenious way to depict grasses in combination with the gold inlay. A Muromachi Ko-Mino tsuba (TH), these are hard to come by, so pounced when I had the chance. Very nice early nanako, nice floral theme, nice detailing in the ana, what's not to like?

Here's a reference Nobuhisa with similar design. For Choshu my go to book is usually the Iwakuni Museum+Kashiwabara Collection.

some small additions: Regarding jidai: 初期 - shoki - early 中期 - chuki - mid 末期 - makki - late Regarding inlay: 銀象嵌 - gin-zōgan - silver inlay 平象嵌 - hira-zōgan - flat inlay (flush) 据文象嵌 - suemon-zogan (to inlay a separately made design or motif) Regarding openwork: 糸透 - ito-sukashi (line/thread openwork) 小透 - ko-sukashi (small sukashi) Regarding surface: 阿弥陀鑢目 - amida-yasurime - radiating lines starting from the center 時雨鑢目 - shigure-yasurime - slanting lines that resemble rain

I was following this tsuba as well, seeing you don't see good Sendai that often, well done Luca!

Winning Bid: ¥959,000

Gassan is a work of Gassan swordsmith before the middle of the Edo period. In the literature, it is said that the swordsmith of Dewa Province in the Kamakura period * Kioumaru is in charge, and it is also said that the inscription is cut into blades, but the existing works that are sure to be inscribed are still inscribed in SR Saki after the Nanbokucho period. Not found. The works from the Nanbokucho period to the early Muromachi period are called Tsukiyama or Tsukiyama work, but after the middle of the Muromachi period, Kanekuni, Konnori, Toshihisa, Kuri, Kunisei, and Abo. .. Some of them, such as Toshikichi, have been cut off from the author's name, and are even more civilized. Years such as Eisho will also be recorded. Most of the existing works are from the end of the Muromachi period, but they declined rapidly in the Momoyama period, and until Sadakichi Tsukiyama revived the Gassan school in the late Edo period, most of the works of this school were not seen. The above I did with Google translate for android with the scan function. The names you can usually find in the romaji bit in the app.

For early Gassan, you need this one as well (only in Japanese though): Dewa sanzan shinkō to Gassan tōkō (The Religous Practices of the Three Peaks of Dewa Province and the Gassan Swordsmiths) It's from the NBTHK Osaka branch - 1988 and it digs deeper into the start of the Gassan tradition.