Vermithrax16

Hi Peter, If you search "LCD digital microscope" on Amazon you will see many models. The one I bought is no longer there, but around $120 the models are similar. 12MP and 7 inch screen. I run it off my PC as I cannot figure out how to operate it just by itself (no user guide supplied, have not found good one online). But my PC is in the den which has crappy lighting, thus my light issues. Wow! That's a great handheld! I have a small one I think 2X just for quick looks but it's impossible to take a picture with it. Creative folks here, let's see some pictures!

Took a few of the habaki: More bright, direct light pic of blade:

Hello, A little while ago I bought a somewhat cheap digital microscope to see if it would add any value to my study of swords and fittings. So far, I like what I have been able to get from it. Lightning remains the biggest challenge, as too direct or strong washes out the images, but off set weak light imparts a sepia tone to the pictures looking at swords. Still a work in progress. I started with some tsuba as it's a smaller item. What came out really well was the fine chisel work on a kao; you can see the marking and scalloping movement used by the metalsmith to make the fine curves: I took some pictures of a tanto I have. It's hard as you have to pick a certain feature to hone in on, due to the depth of activity in blades. Here I was looking nie and hamon sungashi.

Just feel sick, terrible. Very sorry for his friends and family.

To me, it makes the time I spend (many, many hours) looking through books, scanning the web for Japanese art renderings to better understand influences on fittings makers and their work styles worth it. They were often as you know intertwined. And once something like this comes up, it's just very rewarding.

A few weeks back a kozuka came up for sale via a Japan vendor and something in my mind went on high alert. I could swear I had come across the very theme presented on the kozuka. It was a rare theme, and perhaps that is why I found it both striking and familiar. I made arrangements for purchase. The Japanese artist Hokusai (1760-1849) is most well known for his famous work "The Great Wave off Kanagawa". His woodprints and paintings make him one of the most well known artists in Japanese history. Due to the very specific theme of the kozuka, a simple search of my bookmarks revealed an interesting tidbit: Hokusai had printed a work named "Gathering Rock Tripe". Sadly, the year made is not given. It was the very artwork I had remembered when I saw the kozuka. The kozuka is made by the great Hamano Naoyuki (1754-1827), and he's one of my most favorite metal smiths. The detail work and depth is spectacular, and the shibuichi has great colors and tone. The kozuka could very well have been made after Naoyuki saw the Hokusai artwork. Or he just fancied the theme or saw it locally. No way to tell unless he wrote it down somewhere. Included below, the painting by Hokusai and pictures of the kozuka as best as I could do. Also a couple pictures from the vendor which show the fine details better than mine. Sorry for the long story, but this sort of thing excites me and represents one of the most fun aspects of Nihonto collecting.

Kozuka by Furukawa Jochin. Jochin was the son of Genchin of the Furukawa School, often just grouped within Yokoya works. Genchin was taught by the great Somin, and Furukawa works are often top tier examples of katakiri and katakiri bori work styles. Kozuka depicts two sumo wrestlers in a contest. One is about to execute the kawazu-gake technique takedown. Deep colored shibuichi, great tones, and super fine details (body hair, finger nails, much more). Super excited about this kozuka and will study for some time:

Indeed Jean.

I really like it. Congrats!

Hamano Naoyuki. Just a masterwork:

Not many this year, but ones I will remember. Hamano mumei kozuka:

Had an easy transaction with our own Bullet Sprinkler (Jay) this past week. Made a deal on a kogai and shipping was ultra fast and the kogai was packed in such a way a truck could have driven over it and it would have been fine. Easy to work with. Item is way better in had than the pictures I saw, which is always nice. Recommended to buy from.

Kuninaga made excellent mokume works. Often with cool cut out patterns. Looks nice.

Trade has been arranged, thanks for the interest! Can be moved to archive.

I am asking trade as value to me of a great fittings book is more than an item I am moving from collection. With Hozon, a great condition Shonai, and given time to really look at it it's a serene motif, this tsuba would be valued around $500-$600 IMO. I know of few books in that range.

Hey all, I still stop by daily, just things have been slow. Looking to move some things in my collection along as I focus on certain makers, styles etc. So I thought this would be a good trade idea. My offer: Shonai school tsuba. NBTHK Hozon. Paper reads (PDF will be provided, translated by Markus Sesko): mangetsu matsugae no zu tsuba (満⽉松ヶ枝図鐔) ‒ Tsuba depicting full moon and pine branch Unsigned: Shōnai (庄内) aorigata, iron, tsuchime finish, kōsuki and kebori, sukidashibori, uchikaeshi-mimi According to the result of the shinsa committee of our society, we judge this work as authentic and rank it as Hozon Tōsōgu. January 17, 2014 It's very nice in hand. Katana size, I can grab measurements if requested. My ask: A fittings book as trade. Can be all fittings, tsuba specific, kozuka specific, Museum collections, etc anything I don't have. I can't list my library but think along the lines of not common would be considered. Please respond by PM, so thread does not get complicated.

Kozuka by Naoyuki, of the Hamano Shozui line. Something just another level to this piece:

If you stop back Ford, I just came into possession of a kozuka and the paper remarks the metal is "oborogin" which from what I can understand is shibuichi. Never seen a paper call it that though.

David is a great person and very knowledgeable. I too have searched for him for the last 2 years. Not a one to be found.

All of mine are red, but have seen a bunch of colors. You are all set. Great choice.

@BIG has Naotane blades, let him chime in.

Excited about this piece. Kozuka depicting Fukurokuju, the Japanese God of longevity. Often depicted with a long scroll (here rolled up) this scroll is suggested to have magical writings of scripture, other times suggested it is a book of fate that lists the lifespan of every person who will ever live. Done in shibuichi with gold accents, the execution on this piece stuns me with it's detail. See the scroll itself and the mottled appearance, just splendid. The facial expressions are excellent and the eyes are done in a clever way. Made by Hamano Naoyuki, of the Hamano Shozui line (student of 1st gen Noriyuki), the blues and purples of the shibuichi are stunning in hand, I have done the best I can to photograph.

Good to see you post again!

I do not. Echizen Kanemasa, nice sword, but was time to move on. An NMB member now has it, or did a while ago.

Biased clearly, but one of my favorite tsuba is one I am lucky to have: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvnRoOgsOaM&ab_channel=FordHallam%27sJapaneseMetalworkChannel Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nRMl8sKZHg&ab_channel=FordHallam%27sJapaneseMetalworkChannel