Spartancrest

Ignacio - you have already got one order from Christian. You could become a trader overnight! Well if you do, keep me in mind for 110 !!!!!! Christian - 105, it is sure one of the best! Ignacio don't post the auction site - the prices will go up!

Hey I like the little turtles ! This is another to add to the list https://www.jauce.com/auction/d504988743

Hi Ignacio - you have stumbled on some pretty good examples - wish I had done that as a beginner! I personally like 110, I collect what attracts me, value and cost should not come into it unless you are a dealer. You could have the most expensive guard around and still hate the look of it. Go with your heart you will enjoy it more. You asked Curran what he would get and he gave a good answer. You could ask a hundred members what they like or would bid on and get a different answer each time. Welcome to NMB and have fun, it is a great hobby. As for prices on each that is very hard to judge, but there are no obvious duds in that group. [I would say it is getting to be good practice to show what you might bid on, here on NMB, if you are unsure, because there are many fakes that should be steered away from.]

John - yet another one of the designs you have posted has turned up https://www.jauce.com/auction/l662923659 and another from the same seller https://www.jauce.com/auction/w449062528 without the raised mimi Chris that is a very ornate and pretty mounting - a bit flashy - but that was the point after all. I like the stepped habaki as well, very nice.

Rare as they are, the universe moves in strange ways and one has turned up a day after I put my post up. http://www.jauce.com/auction/k525166066 coincidence ? Or is the great script writer having a laugh.

The subject of gama-hada can be found in 'Auctions and online sales and sellers'. But I think it could also be here in Tosogu There is a tsuba just listed that is decorated in this technique, that will interest a number of collectors. https://www.jauce.com/auction/k525166066

Looks like these are starting to come out of the woodwork! https://www.jauce.com/auction/g500974278 At least the ura does not have the communist flag on it like the first example. You may note the leaves overlap the rim on this example.

Hi Robert - I will admit indexes are not my forte, I have heard that there are indexing apps or programs you can get for a price. I always shied away because a really good index would nearly be as big as the book itself. They are already big door stops - anyone interested in doing a good index send me a PM and I will organize the digital information - Volume 3 the index? I did a four volume collection of the Ashmolean Museums collection in Oxford and had some luck that the museum had at least organized its collection into styles and schools. So those books do have a fairly general index of where to start looking. I must say the Metropolitan museum is a bit chaotic in the way they organize their material even daisho are spread from one end of the collection to the other. It was necessary to keep the acquisition numbers in sequence or you got lost. Doing a book to suit every need is not very easy and I have no formal training in it nor any help.

Rich. Well there is another one in a bunch of five pretty ordinary types - currently listed for 1 yen https://www.jauce.com/auction/v776969718 Now that is real money!

I have an image of what the fake was trying to imitate it is from an ended auction and I can't find the ura view. The finish and quality is far better.

This topic goes back in time awhile but I have two examples of Gama-hada one a very small kogai and the other a lens shaped wangata tsuba where the silver has been over heated and spread like the description above from Ian Bottomley. I have not seen many gama-hada on auction sites but there are a number in museum collections. It would appear to be a difficult technique and you only get the one chance to get the temperature right. You may notice I underlined lens shape - while we all have seen oval shaped tsuba I have never seen a lens shape [the two are not the same] I would love to see other examples.

One of Rich S. examples here - a bit blurry! https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tsuba-Sukashi-Edo-antique-vintage-rare-samurai-sword-katana-yoroi-Ancient-art/284151681690?hash=item4228c2929a:g:7FQAAOSwZZFgBR0T

Brian the ategane plugs have come from some repurposed Amita jewelry from the late 1950s - 60s and they are a bad fit at that. The ura of the guard is even worse - my favourite is the Chinese star on the flower head.

Abe books have listed the book as well now https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?cm_sp=SearchF-_-topnav-_-Results&kn=chosen gafu&sts=t

What do people think of this one https://www.jauce.com/auction/q429663081 Is it like those posted above by Rich? Mino work or Chinese fake? The Mei is cast in, so may be unrelated to the style. No nanako on the rim surface. [never been mounted either despite the punch marks]

Is that a signature on the fuchi? Any idea what it says? Got to love those punch marks around the Nakago-ana!

I look more like a cross between Columbo and Patrick Stewart from Star Trek! My hair has 'boldly gone'

I think I have found the origin of the ategane plugs - Japanese 1950s Amita jewelry, common just after the second world war. That would make the piece at least that recent.

A recent auction sale https://www.jauce.com/auction/d477991218 had, what you are led to believe are a daisho of tsuba. From what I see they are totally unrelated, the smaller of the two pieces looks ok [a bit of an indent at the bottom] A very fine fukurin, the sukashi look ok [a bit dusty]. But check out the larger piece, that full flower head, the 'kebori' on the leaves - all a bit off. But the ura side is where the game is up! The lower stem of the Chrysanthemum has casting bubbles but the fun inclusion is the Chinese star on the flower head - I know a star is a star and the symbol is common in many cultures, but that is my take on it. Now another intriguing feature are the ategane/ume, they don't look like they were made to fit this guard at all, but came from some former jewelry piece - the detailing on them out weighs the tsuba. I would be interested in others thoughts.

Where was this post two days ago when I had to explain them to a newbie - sorry Jesse - Great work John One here https://www.jauce.com/auction/l628127283 but then again they seem to be nearly everywhere! Have you ever noticed that a majority have very similar Tagane-ato the little apprentice who put them in must have worn out his punch by now!

I am sorry I should have said those guards could be up to 70 years old, they started production in the 1950s as far as I can ascertain - 30 more years and you will have some 'genuine' antiques.

Luis do you think it is a copy or a legitimate Utsushi ? I don't know much about menuki but if they follow the trends like tsuba, there may be a lot of counterfeits out there?

Blurb are running a 40% off deal on 4 Photo books, or 35% on 3 Photo books until the 22nd of January for those interested. Codes are STACKUP40 and STACKUP35 Not ideal as you need to buy 3 or 4 books but if people can get together for a bulk buy, that's the way to do it. [This is for the 'Deluxe' gloss paper book] https://www.blurb.com/b/10516296-album-of-designs-for-metal-carving-ch-sen-gafu-de I will let you know of any other deals going as they occur. Regards.

This is also 'high' end https://www.jauce.com/auction/o449060436 You can smell the fake all over it! 120,000 yen what a cheek!

This was already posted on Monday - the original design should have looked like this. Maybe he is hoping the guy who sold it to him might buy it back out of shame?