Chris Colman

Bamboo and orchids motif in iron and soft metal 83 x 76 x 4 There is some red rust on the bra visible in the photo US$550.00 plus P&P Motif of fans and sun rays 72 x 72 x 4 US$250.00 plus P&P Rain dragon in cartouche 70 x 66 x 4 US$200.00 plus P&PThe image of the ura wouldnt load, it is completely flat, no motif, so nothing is being missed.

Thanks Barry. ANother one added. Motif of water wheel with shakudo mantis, purchased from Aoi Art, 78 x 78 x 4 US$800.00 plus P&P

Another added. Choshu tsuba signed Tomohisa, blossoms on a raft 78 x 78 x 4 US750.00 plus P&P

Like many other on the board have said before me, I am selling to fund new purchases! Kanayama tsuba Tea Jar motif, purchased from Jinsoo Kim, 80 x 79 x 6 , tekkotsu in the mimi. US$1,200.00 plus P & P. Sukashi of two fans, purchased from Fred Weisberg, 78 x 78 x 4. US$750.00

Hi John, they were made to order for me, i practice Kyudo and have been re-fletching arrows for a few years now. I kept an eye out for some during my various trips to Japan without any luck, searching websites earlier this year resulted in a company that makes them. chris

Yahanekiri, shears used for trimming arrows feathers to shape, they arived yesterday and i was surpised to see a hamon, gnome-midare. regards chris colman

Better? photos added regards chris colman

Sometime ago i posted photos of an F/K that was signed Takase Eiju + Kao, the work was not typical of the artist. Looking at the F/K again today i started to look more into the signature and found this link. To my eye the mei on my F/K is well cut and does not appear to be a copy of any of the samples shown above. Comments above indicate that the artist signed different versions of his name using either Kao and Kakihan as well. Could this be a Shoshin mei, why make something atypical of the artist and fake the mei? Musings of an old man with nothing better to do on a wet and chilly Sunday afternoon! regards Chris Colman

Hi Curran, Try Token Bijutsu Kogeisha in the links restoration list, they list them but out of stock for tsuba. The craftsman left Namikawa a few months ago so they no longer produce them. regards chris colman

Some tosogu came up at a recent auction, i was lucky enopugh to pick up these pieces. I am not sure what the finish is on the tsuba, too light for , it looks like shibuichi but i dont remember seeing this on a copper base before. chris colman

Hi Chris, I found Tom to be slow but reliable, he has wrapped a couple of tsuka for me, the last one took some time to get done. regards chris colman

Hi Ronnie, In what condition are the Nihonto Koza volumes, are they the Japanese version? How much will it cost to send to New Zealand? chris colman

Does anyone know what happened to Nihontoart de? I had a quick look at the site after seeing this post, now i want to purchase one of their book the site is not active. chris colman

Tsuba from a tanto I owned some time ago, photos taken with one of the first digital cameras so apologies for the quality, not that the quality of my photography has improved markedly from those days. chris colman

I am hoping someone will be able to translate the two possibly three kanji, the owner thought Naga ? Looking through my library of kanji it could be yama naga ? I haven't found anything like the last kanji. Apologise for the poor photo quality, taken with my old Nokia. thanks chris colman

Remaining photos of the Yasutsugu koshirae Also a set of iron fuchi-kashira with chider, I particularly liked this set because the chidori are almost a match for the tsuba which I have had for quite a few years. A more experienced collector than I told me the head was missing from the bird on the left other wise what a good tsuba it was. Seeing missing heads on the fuchi-kashira was quite pleasing.

Complete set of iron tosugu from a later generation Echizen Yasutsugu wakizashi, one of my favourite koshirae because of its simplicity. I am not sure if shark skin is used in stead of ray skin, the nodes are uniform any thoughts on this would be appreciated. The menuki I assume are based on the kenuki gata no tachi worn by Yoritomo in the well known portrait.

Hi, Nothing to add to meaning of the tsuba, but I did find in my saved photos a Kaneyama with similar motif. regards chris colman

Hi Piers, Thanks for the help, I have spent some time to arrive at Chohan Hajo Masataka zo, checking over all the kanji references I could find. I can see some resemblance between the tsuba kanji and those you posted, without them I wouldn't have got anywhere. regards chris

I hope someone can help with this mei, Masataka is all I can get from my books, initially I though Choshu, but none of the kanji match anything I have looked at. regards chris colman

Thank you Morita san, can you say what the character is at the beginning of the Takase Eiju mei? I have attached a couple of better photos of the second fuchi. regards chris colman

I recently bought three fuchi, From the kanji references I can pick out Yoshi-Hoka-?Tsugu Kao; ?-Taka-Sei-?-?-Kao; the third is not clear at all I guess it was mounted on a board at one time, ?-Yoshi Saku, kanji on the right I can't make out at all. I would appreciate help filling in the blanks and any information on the craftsmen. regards chris colman

Thank you for your input Moriyama san, I have been studying the kanji lists I have and have problems seeing Yoshimitsu. The more I look the more I see that could fit the two curved strokes on this kanji, quite frustrating. chris colman

This on an O suriage wakizashi, I think it is an Osafune smith, possibly Yukimitsu. I am hoping someone with a better eye than mine can confirm. thanks chris colman

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your effort. Two more photos attached. Also one that was obvious, a Jakushi kozuka that was part of the group. regards chris