Rich T

Yes, you are right, it was too early for me, I missed the ana bit LOL. Still, Kozuka ana not Kogatana ana. Do I at least get 1/2 a point ??? And I would say no, they are not always filled. Rich

Kogatana are blades, I think you mean Kozuka. I have seen Fuchigashira by Sôten, I have not seen Kozuka or Kogai made by the Sôten school. This of course does not mean they do not exist. If I had to guess, I would think Kozuka maybe and Kogai unlikely. And what about menuki I hear myself asking ???, same applies, I have seen one pair from memory. Come to think of it, is there a book that specialises on Sôten work ?, I have not seen that either. I agree with Doclis and Pete that this is late work and not really top shelf, there is a lot of this type of tsuba around and it is seen often. Cheers Rich

Hello (please insert name here) There is nothing about the nakago on these papers. Any indication of the state of the nakago is seen in the oshigata attached to the papers. The sword is signed Bitchu no Kami XXda (ta) Ju Kunitsugu Sake. They are dated March 23rd, 1975. Sorry about the middle of the mei, I have no books present. Cheers Richard

Hi Gabriel, word is getting around. This is all I have at present. October-November 2008 is all I've heard so far. Biggest Japanese sword exhibition ever in North America, according to Ogawa-sensei, the show organizer. Twelve years in the planning. 13 kokuho, including two Masamune blades. Not to be missed. There will be a huge showing of fittings also I believe. This will be my primary interest. Added to the fact that Anka and I have always wanted to visit the MET. I was going to email them and ask. Perhaps someone in NY could call ???? Cheers Rich

All, does anyone have any information on the show at the Met in NY next year ?. I am very keen on going along. I am trying to find some dates and there appears to be nothing on the Met website (yes Anka and I have to book that far ahead LOL) Any information appreciated. best Rich

Also, just a provocative is "When the Last Sword is Drawn". This is more a swash buckling samurai flick but right up there with Twilight in my opinion. That and Sword of Doom. We like to get back on the film track, it is one we like to revisit from time to time, Still to date, my favorite Japanese film has nothing to do with Nihonto, but shows true samurai spirit, the main character is a woman. The film is Black Rain (not that Michael Douglas rubbish), it was made in the late 40's or 50's in Hiroshima and tells of a father, trying to find a husband for his daughter before any signs of radiation sickness might show after the bombing. It is a very poignant, even to this day and very sad. Moody, dark and holds you till the end. cheers Rich

ahhhhn that old chestnut :-). Thank John, much appreciated. Best Richard

Hi John, do you have a special technique for tosogu oshigata or is it much the same as the sword technique ?. I notice both seem to have a fold down the middle of them. The feathering around the edges makes for a very nice but natural variation of the top of a nakago oshigata. Regards Richard Turner

While trolling around this evening, I found this site. The Macao Museum of Art. http://www.arscives.com/historysteel/introduction_main.htm The Japanese section is what came up on my search, but for blade buffs, there is a lot of reading here. http://www.arscives.com/historysteel/japaneseintroduction.htm Rich

but they also have other nice traits like low quality (generally) and file marks on the seppa dai. Also, most cast tsuba have the seams filed off the mimi, it is in the sukashi we generally see this. But yes, you are right, they are both seams, one is a join, the other a fold. Cheers Rich

Pre Edo construction techniques often show 2 layer construction. With the old gold on the mimi, I agree with Pete's possible Kyo Shoami call. The 2 layer construction can bee seen in Katchushi, Tosho, Saotome and even early Kaneie. When seen in good condition, as on this Muromachi period Ko Shoami, it can look almost like a single long running bone. I am not sure of the sword strike theory, the natural ware and tear of age can cause these flaws to open, plus careless handling by owners who would have cared less than the samurai that originally wore these on their swords. I was able to ask Hagihara sensei once about ware on tsuba and he said, "while they probably will not paper unless something very special, there is nothing stopping us from enjoying the guards all the same". If you like the tsuba, then I think that is sound advice. Cheers Rich

That seems to be the same for me :-) I worked all that out only to find I am mimicking someone else's work. Oh well, "practice makes practiced". Rich

Hi James, Ludolf has the bulk of it. from right to left A date: Kiyo Ni Nen Hachi Gatsu Kichi Hi . A lucky day in August, 1866. The mei: Myochin Katsumi Ki Munenaga Then a request: Sakamoto Naokata requested this. This may be the exact tsuba noted in Haynes. M-R page 1219 (H 06165.0) It is noted with this mei and date. Unless he made a few for this client. Munenaga was a student of the first Akasaka Tadanoti and a retainer of Yamanouchi Daimyo of Tosa. Cheers Rich Cheers Rich

I have booked for the Dai Token Ichi. This is a call out for a get together of the usual scaly wags for a memorable night out. I will contact Guido (or the guys in Japan can), I believe Roger Robertshaw will be attending as he just asked me if I wanted to catch up. I already have a fairly busy schedule planned so fun fun fun. I look forward to catching up with you guys again. Rich

Ok, not sure about that, the links were correct, I just re did them and they work it seems this time. Rich

Waynes asks good questions. Michel and Curran have both made some very good points, one very pertinent. STUDY. It is most important. What is also important is that most of us seem to be committed to at least looking at if not buying from Ebay and the likes when compiling our collections so if we are going to head down this path, we should try to remember these few rules. Study: Look at the images very very carefully. There are nearly always signs that give away modern made. Think: Think long and hard before bidding, don't just just up n" bid on the first thing you see. Try and look through the internet and just look at pictures of quality tsuba (there are heaps of them out there) and try and think, quality, we see it every day in our every day life. Does this item have quality ?, or does it look odd, or cheapish ? ( a good mantra for people looking at Chines knockoff swords me thinks :-) Ask: many new collectors think that if they ask for help, the person who they are asking may jump on their amazing find and buy it from under them. Well I can assure you, if it it amazing, that will happen anyway. You are not the only person looking at Ebay :-) Asking for help is not a silly thing, and I would suggest if you are a little paranoid, then ask one or two people whom you know to have some knowledge, not a forum. You will find most collectors willing to help out. It's better to loose a few pieces and buy quality than to amass a collection of Kah Kah. Just take a long hard look before bidding. In the case of the second tsuba, look at this set of images. This is a very famous Owari Sukashi tsuba that is much publicised. In the first and second images, it is the colour that set off my alarm bells. It is flat and unatural. Lots of study and looking at tsuba in hand and also books will give you a far better idea of what old guards should look like. There is no way to fake (yet) 200 years or more of natural patina. In the third image have a close look at the seppa dai, the patina looks painted on, it is not a natural patina and even in the best old iron, there are variations in colour, surface texture etc, where as this looks like one even flat colour, with also a strange satin gloss that is also unnatural. This is more evident in the next image in the punch marks, these should not have the same glossy patina as the surface as they have had metal removed and are not a finished Ji or surface but the raw iron in the tsuba's base. The fourth image shows many things to me. The lack of any age on the sukashi walls. When looking at tsuba, the walls are always a part to check for quality and age. They should be in as much of an unaltered state as possible from their day of manufacture. That means even rusty sukashi walls are better than clean walls. Sukashi walls that have been cleaned of all rust and natural aging can result in ruining a tsuba. The mimi shows an uneven colour and false patination to my eye on the right hand side of this image. There is a patchy coloured section and the lighter part has an unnatural red tone that I believe is showing the colour of modern rust. The biggest giveaway of this image is thought the Ji. It is flat and dull and lifeless and not at all what forged iron looks like. It has no surface texture, no hammering, no natural uneveness (even the slightest would be expected in a hand made and forged object) nothing. All this just adds up to BE AWARE to my eye. There are tsubako in Japan that are continuing the old way, one famous tsuba maker is Yoshindo Yoshihara, and Yoshihara sensei takes as seriously his tsuba making as he does his swords. The signs are quality, always quality, the Japanese aesthetic and a genuine beauty, explainable or not. The First tsuba is very much harder but the new rust is very evident. If it has any age, it has been repatined. Again it is a very famous tsuba and many example exist by Kanayama and Shoami. We are fortunate to have a top end example for sale in Japan at this time. http://ginzaseikodo.com/fittings.html I always suggest buying quality first. Don't own 4 swords or tsuba, own one, and buy a good one, papered if possible. Study learn and be patient. Then in a few years, go and attack Ebay will al the gusto you can muster. You will have more success and fun. Those these are just my views and opinions, please keep that in mind, others may think differently. Ok, I need a coffee I think after all that. Cheers Richard

For the newer collector, these items coming out of Japan should be kept well clear off. Modern reproductions of classic guards, made with more care and flair than usual. http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/100983880 http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h49028994 Expect these to be on Ebay soon. Cheers Richard

it is too thin for Owari sukashi Tony. They tend to be between 5 to 6mm thick from the Muromachi period right through to the Edo period. Being that thin makes me think Kyo all the more. Best Richard

I have heard that also mate. Here in OZ, the banks got onto this some time ago and do send out emails but without any links or any html. Just something like, "You have new messages online at your bank" so you have to log on to read what is happening. Maybe Ebay could work along these lines. Anyway, there was no real hard done to me as far as I can tell. It is more of a concern for other members who may have been contacted by some crook. Anyway, thanks all for the kind words and advise. Rich

Members, over night, I was informed my Ebay account was hacked. Whilst no real malicious damage was done to me, it appears the account was used to solicit business through dodgy emails and the such. If you receive any emails from the Ebay account nippon_to please email me Richard Turner @ ikkanshi@amnet.net.au to confirm. Regards Richard Turner

This is a very common theme in the works of Kyo Sukashi, Owari Sukashi and a few others. They were sometimes copied by later Edo period groups like Akasaka, Akeo and others. This looks Kyo to my eye and probably early Edo period. It is also upside down in your photograph. The Hitsu-ana are pine trees, they represent a design (and also a family crest) known as Matsukawabishi which also means pine bark diamond. They represent two stylized pine trees (thanks to Ed Marshal at Yakiba) http://yakiba.com/tsuba_owari2.htm The main design is a wheel, with the spokes. Wheels generally mean movement, strength and are used in conjunction with many things including carts and flowers, Mantis and other insects or just on their own. Many of the early pre Edo and Edo period tsuba of the Owari and Kyoto schools had designs that were more geometric than anythign else and had no real meaning a lot of the time. I hope that helps some. Cheers Richard

Hi Peter, here is what I have on your tsuba (well my take on what it is). There are about 1 dozen Tadatsugu's in Haynes. TADATSUGU H 09190.0 F: Umetada W: Kyoto D Ca: 1675 - 1725 These artists made iron plate tsuba with small negative sukashi, mostly floral, or family mon designs. There are several variations in the style of signature that indicate more than one generation of the name. There is a rare example signed Yamashiro Kuni no Ju Tadatsugu but mostly they are signed with a two kanji signature only. These artists do not seem to be related to the Shoami Tadatsugu. There looks t be some marks on the left side of the nakago ana ? I am not sure why a year would be left off unless one could pin point it to a specific artist. I wonder if it had a partner (Dai) and the year was on that ?, I have seen that once before in a daisho. Cheers Rich

The Tosogu sections looks lively with some quality items and discussion from what I can make out. Cheers Richard

tsuba Milt, and I agree with John, I think also it is snow with the Kogai Hitsuana being the actual only hitsu ana, the other snow flake is a balanced decoration, just as John said. This looks like a large ish tsuba ? and if for a katana, then possibly only ever carried a Kogai. Old Shoami sprung to mind as well but then I remembered that style of parasol on a tsuba in the Mr Aotsu Yasutoshi catalogue (see below) http://www.db.fks.ed.jp/txt/20011.002/image/00018_01.jpg http://www.db.fks.ed.jp/txt/20011.002/html/00018.html It is attributed to Kyo Sukashi but when I held it in my hand, I thought Owari immediately, heavy in tekkotsu and a rich and dark glossy patina. Still, the carving on yours makes me feel Shoami, but the iron has a soft and pleasing look that makes me think of one of the Owari groups. I think though at the end of the day, with the bori on the parasol, and the raised edge on the hitsu ana, I would settle for one of the Shoami groups. I may be wrong of course, but it is very nice Milt. Cheers Rich

It reminds me of that great Robert Mitchum flick "the Yakuza. That daughter is pretty hot :-) Rich