Rich T

Hi all, just a note to say that the old Condell's Conundrums are up and running again on the Tôken Forum. They were a lot of fun a few years back and both new and old collectors may get a lot out of the exercise, learning to or improving the reading of mei and trying to argue whether or not they are genuine. Anyway, if you are interested and would like to join in, please drop me a line. They are an interesting exercise and a lot of fun. Oh, I have a new email address so if you have me bookmarked, please update it. The new address is ikkanshi@gmail.com Cheers Richard http://www.thetokenforum.com/viewforum.php?id=11

Hi Milt, the backs are too different, the wall thickness is different, and staying on the backs, the bottom one looks older to my eye than the top one. This is because of the cleaner, more worn looking post, and in the top one, the back looks a lot cleaner and fresher. I also think they are not a pair. Cheers Richard

Hi John, just curious, it looks like the end of the tail is missing ?, is that correct. Cheers Richard

Hi John A, one of the characteristics, as I am sure you are aware, of Jingo guards are their hitsu. The are usually one of several things, large, or a specific shape, or as in the case of the Rickcracker tsuba, largish and uneven. The hitsu on the tsuba above are typical Kyoto style, seen in a whole range of work, including Higo, but not I think Jingo, not in Ita tsuba anyway. John L is correct with his noting of the weaving dragon, this is seen in Mito work commonly, as well as other groups also. Shoami were probably making some of the better guards towards the end of the Edo period. They did not all need to copy other groups. Lee, yes, your dragon is carved. The iron has been hammered to give it more of a rustic look. Cheers Richard

Hello all, I am not here much these days as well, as I am busy off with my own forum and a zillion other things in my life. I think what Paul has said here though is very common on all forums and the two go hand in hand. And I agree also with Sencho's rebuttals. I have seen Simon's frustrations before on this forum, while Brian has been running it, while I was running it and probably while Rich Stein was running it and I am, sure it happens on other forums as well, in fact I know it has on other Nihonto related forums. It will probably continue to happen for many years to come. I know friends who are still active members here that have expressed these very same things to me, and I have felt them myself also in the past. That many folk just breeze in, say what is this ?, what's it worth ? is worse, and then breeze out, never to be heard of or seen again except for maybe an Ebay sale that turns up a week later. Many many of these without as little as a thank you. [edit] At the other end of the scale are people who answer simple questions with such authority and then offer nothing else (Am I guilty of this ??? ) but perhaps what is also as bad, is that no one questions that. Why not ask..... Why did you say that, can you offer more support to those comments please ? I think this road is a two way street. Perhaps some who offer bits of information are waiting for some cogs to start turning. Then there are many just trying to make a quick buck in this field, the razzel dazzel of buy and sell, and probably many of those will ripp off unsuspecting newbies without remorse or hesitation, some armed with the information obtained here or in other forums. And I think also it is inevitable that when you have such a large open forum of mixed minds, nationalities, levels of knowledge and pretty much a free range to write whatever you like, you will have people who come to logger heads more often and not. I am surprised by the amount this happens here, which is to say not that much at all. This must speak volumes about Brian's efforts here. I am probably more than likely one of the types Simon is referring to, making fleeting visits once in a blue moon and attacking some poor collectors fittings piece as being average or whatever. The fact is I decided long ago there is nothing like the cold hard truth to make me realize what it was to be a collector. Sorry if I stood on anyones sensibilities, but if you are going out buying art, then there are bound to be people who will not think much of it, and tell you so. As long as they are polite, then that's fine by me. I would have hated to had my upbringing sugar coated. These types of forums give much joy and infuriation to many and all. For example, I personally cannot stand all these waving hands and flags graphics and stay away from forums that use them with a passion, such a waste of energy. These are the sorts of things forum operators have to deal with, it is usually a thankless job. Again, well done Brian. regards Richard Turner

It is certainly not Jingo, nor Jingo esq. it is about as far away from Jingo as a tsuba can get. I wonder if those silver highlites are not exposed bare metal ?, there are several places with them and the edges of the hitsu ana are one of them. This has Mito over tones, I do not think it Shôami either. It is a fairly average looking mid to late Edô period tsuba I think. Sorry. Cheers Richard

Hi Nick, mmmm, early Edo, give or take, probably. Rich

Hi, no, Katchu would not have that surface treatment (ropes) nor the bits of nunome lefy on the mimi. That is probably an Umetada tsuba, though it may also be a Ko Shoami. in my opinion. Cheers Richard

All, I was just informed of the tragic passing of Mr Ralph Bell. While returning from a fishing trip, Ralph lost control of his vehicle and was thrown to his death. This new is in from Mr Fred Wesiberg, one of Ralph's closest mates. He has requested that any message of condolences be passed on through him, and that the families privacy be respected at this time. I met Ralph for the first time personally in Tokyo last year and found him to be one of the friendliest, generous, jovial and well natured men I had met. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace mate. Richard Turner

All, I was just informed of the tragic passing of Mr Ralph Bell. While returning from a fishing trip, Ralph lost control of his vehicle and was thrown to his death. This new is in from Mr Fred Wesiberg, one of Ralph's closest mates. He has requested that any message of condolences be passed on through him, and that the families privacy be respected at this time. I met Ralph for the first time personally in Tokyo last year and found him to be one of the friendliest, generous, jovial and well natured men I had met. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace mate. Richard Turner

Hi Curran. Mumei Kodai Higo. 無銘 後代肥後 The equates to unsigned late or last Higo Yep LOL, pretty easy. Richard

The Kozuka is Shiiremono or mass produced from the Yokohama docks or some such place and probably form the Meiji era. The kashira is pretty much the same I think. Generally, signatures on wood like on your tsuka are the mark of the tsuka maker. I think form memory, this was common in the Meiji through to Showa periods. Just my thoughts. Cheers Richard

Sorry all, miss communication I think. I will change this to Postponed. Others will know more than I about it. Richard

Hi all, I am wondering if anyone has Jim Kurrash's web pages backed up on their PC's ?, if so, can you email or PM me please. Cheers Richard Turner

of the magazine for some time. Choshuya spend a lot of money on producing those magazines and the online subscription is just a supplement to those magazines, it comes free with the full subscription. It is not unfair I think to ask for a fee for the online only supplement as the amount of work that goes into producing these images, translations and the likes is large. They are a professional outfit and this is reflected in their prices. This applies for most of the top stores. Ginza Seikeido, Japansword, Sokendo etc. Choshuya have some of the best stock in Japan in their store, and as was mentioned in regards to AOI, very little of it is seen online. You have to ask. I have bought several items from them that were not published either online or in the magazine. Good customers are shown some favor and are offered items relevant to their collecting tastes before they go out to the masses. These high end stores are not for the faint of heart, as anyone who visits can attest. That Ebay mentality would get a flat out bitch slap the moment you step in the door and rightly so. I have to say, if you wish to continue to think in the $500 range, then don't bother visiting these sites unless just window shopping, though Ginza has Finesword, that does cater for this market. Quality cost's money. Deal with it. Richard

is of course court head wear. I forget the correct name for this right now though. Cheers Buggs

to here I think. The image Pete posted tells us a lot I think. Both tsuba are late copies I believe. Looking through Tanse Kaneie, the first tsuba posted here has a mei that is typical of later Kaneie copies with the top of the Kane kanji pointed and not rounded. I cannot make out all of the seconds tsuba's mei so I cannot offer anything there. Now, mei's aside, looking at the work of the second tsuba, the mountains are too sharp and stiff, and are not soft and rounded at all like that of the Meijin's work. The plate in the first is as John points out, very homognous, and the second tsuba's plate looks late and Aizu shoami or something similar to me. Both pictorials and too 'cramped' in my opinion and not at all balanced like the genuine Kaneie. The real Kanei designs are subtle and are balanced with the tsuba's overall shape and feel. Kaneie tsuba, along with Nobuie must some of the most copied tsuba in existence I think. In both cases, the genuine and the copies are like chalk and cheese, they a miles apart in quality. When you get to hold a real one in your hands, you will know it. Just my thoughts for this morning. Richard

Boy, that one is plagiarist city, they have taken from Rich, me, Goerge's pictures. Still, getting this information out in so many languages is tough. I do get asked from time to time if people may use my material and I have not issues with that, as long as they are not trying to make a buck from it. Rich

This is just a simple gift to someone who has done so much to help so many of us in our quest to understand our mutual endeavor and avocation, the appreciation of Nihonto and it's associated crafts. In this pursuit most often found described in a foreign tongue to most, Koichi has repeatedly and without reservation contributed tirelessly to our knowledge by his translations and explanations of the Japanese language. In the spirit of the season and the hopes of the New Year we wish him thanks and only the best in all his endeavors. His are the deeds we all should emulate. Thanks from Peter Klein and Richard Turner

Hi all, yes the first one is signed Shoami Kanenori 正阿弥 包矩. From Aizu province, D: Ca 1750 - 1780 The other is of course signed Nobuie and I agree with rich, but it might be a later copy. I need to check the books. There were several Nobuie that were not related to the two main masters. Cheers Rich

Hi Reinhard, I am curious as to which of the above tsuba are you referring to ?, that has a seppa dai that is lacking symmetry ?. I assume it is Jason's ? The shape of the seppa dai on Jason's tsuba is commonly found on Shoami, Ko Shoami, Hoan, Yagyu and Kanayama tsuba. All old and many of very high quality. Many fine Kaneyama and Shoami sukashi guards have slightly 'wobbly' seppa dai. Cheers Richard

but page 399 of Kinko Meikan looks good. Waki Goto I think, mid Edo. By the way, there are 4 or 5 Goto Mitsunobu listed in Haynes. If no ones beats me to it, I will scan it later on. Rich

thanks for that Pete. I think then as you have noted off line Koichi might be right, as you are. seem to collected the wrong characters for these over time. I can correct them now which is good of course. Rich

Are the kanji for "Kodo" 杏堂 ? They can be read as Kodo or Kyodo. Hi Koichi. I think in this case it is 在 and not 杏 This is the reading I have recorded for this version of Kodo. I cannot find it this kanji for Ko in my regular sources and I wondered if it is an old reading. I might be wrong but I think Torigoye had only the 3 art names. As far as I am aware anyway. Cheers Rich

got it now. Here is Pete's example. Rich