Nikanoru

Did it reappear? This kozuka was on sale from Matsukaze on ebay, at around 7k or 9k usd, don't remember exactly. Then it disappeared, I asked the guys what happened, the answer was "it went for shinsa", no traces of this one since then. It was more than a year ago. Ichijo indeed did coiled dragons menuki in solid gold.

Ishiguro hawks were the most famous. I saw some examples of Hamano hawks as well as signed Mito ones. This one is really nice and more Mito to me. IMHO

When I was using Buyee every time I asked them to pack tsuba outside the box and generally pack tight to prevent movement of the box inside. No fails. It seems like the tsuba was shipped in seller's original package. Stephen, are you sure you asked them to repack? Inspection doesn't mean repacking. You should always ask them.

This set fits well in the seven generations of Yasuchika, late Yasuchika starting from 5th onwards. But one can also say Nara.

Saito Saneyoshi's second family name was Arikawa, same as for your "Sanetake" if it was really Sanetake. The Arikawa family group made many tsuba mostly in the Mito style. They often signed on small inlaid copper or shakudo plaques with a two kanji name, sometimes more than one artist on the same piece. There is one example with the names of six of the nine recorded members of this family group who signed on the same tsuba. Those names are two Saneharu, Sanekane, Sanekatsu, Saneki, and Saneyoshi (your guy). The three members of the group who did not sign this tsuba are one more Saneharu, Sanemasa, and Saneyuki (no Sanetake). There seems to be about a fifty years span in the ages of these artists, so they were probably brothers and their sons.

Kanagawa’s moving fakes sometimes. It’s always funny to follow how it goes. Sometimes goes really high. This one shouldn’t though.

Same. This one shouldn’t go high.

Dear Steven, please provide at least one evidence, visual, enough words, in support of your Mito statement. “These things” is a little bit vague, if you allow. Otherwise, “bye bye, _____ [insert the name]” © Ford Hallam

Papered, don’t worry, Steven. Everyone on the board knows you believe only in papers Not everything that is not simply attributed is Mito

Sure, here you are Tōryūsai Ishiguro (not Ichiguro) Or some independent artist like this for example, Yokotani I would love to hear your ideas.

Bye bye, Ford

If Fred got his copy for $15 then you just confirmed the statement Cheers,

Absolutely not. Why should I?

Nice set. Very well executed. I would suggest Ishiguro or Tanaka/Tōryūsai.

Could be. To have someone chisel it would cost more than the piece itself

Both with different degree of customization. Signatures look fine in general but they are copied/scanned from a source and laser engraved. I’m 100% sure neither Ichijo nor Kiyotoshi has ever produced such piece in their career.

As I said, cast/new. The pix I posted were from a listing on yahoo, tsuba went for ¥100k+. I believe we found the source And unfortunately we have to admit there is a demand for those fake pieces

Cast/new - just compare the pix, identical in every detail except coloring and sekigane/tagane-ato.

We can call both "genuine" in some sense I think, but no antique piece here for sure

Here is one polite comment. It's a cast repro and a "blank" for this "joint work of Goto Ichijo and Tanaka Kiyotoshi" It's not a straw, it's a log, I'm very sorry. Check this post on FB, we update it with Ian from time to time and of course everyone is welcome to add their "mistakes" https://www.facebook.com/groups/937276629616004/permalink/1730328320310827/

Cool! I didn't know that. Thanks. Though I remember reading somewhere about Goto casting menuki... And held few cast kozuka, those are really easy to distinguish from a real one when you hold both in hands.

I know the guy who has it now ) And is willing to sell it. I'm not sure these are match, motifs do not correspond...

Goto casting molds, menuki, kogai, kozuka...

I'm afraid it could be cast, a hamamono. Too light, poorly gilded (looks like painted), pure copper. I didn't want to voice it until I see the ura side. To tell for sure you need to analyze the details for chisel marks but it could be also hand finished. And of course, the price you paid could be also a good indicative.

Imho, the above f-k details do not look inlaid (suemon-zogan, "to set-in, to lay-in a pattern/design"), it's a takabori (high relief). And takabori is not a technique, it's a description of the item/motif made by embossing (uchidashi), inlay (suemon-zogan) or carving the ground plate (sukidashi-bori).