roger dundas

Just great to read all of this, so much still to be figured out. Good luck to those doing it. Roger D

Thank you again Grev and thank you Jean. I certainly appreciate your suggestion re Ford Hallam's videos, Jean, showing him working away on creating that great masterpiece. What can an ordinary sort of person like me say- all the appropriate superlatives have already been put forward by the NMB fraternity and rightly so. Extraordinary feel, work and above all, precision. The detail was wonderful. A precious and generous member to have in your circle. Regarding the namban tsuba- I was curious to work out if their not being overly popular was because they weren't Japanese or was it as Grev said- have an example or two for a collection ( or something along those lines). I am grateful for your comments. Roger D

Thank you Grev. You did a great job with your book. A couple of things- I don't know the meaning of 'kinko' and I forgot about the use of chisels in the making of these tsuba. A third thing- the first tsuba shown is near identical to one you show in your book, Grev on page 73, # 1930M699. Roger D

If you don't mind me saying so but I think this type of non-indigenous Tsuba show wonderful skilled design and workmanship. Imported into Japan from elsewhere in Asia and apparently copied at times by the locals ? I bother to say this because it appears not everyone shares this appreciation ? The undercutting of the vine tendrils (or sometimes waves ?) must have been tedious work, patiently having to drill and file, possibly sawing too and note how in one of the tsuba, the craftsman has cut a sort of ladder pattern on the mimi, all around the perimeter. Why would he have bothered unless he wanted to satisfy his craftsman instincts (or maybe his master told him to do it). I really like them and at times they can be purchased for remarkably low prices. There was one,maybe more, sold quite recently in the For Sale section of the NMB. Namban tsuba feature quite strongly in the 'Birmingham Museum of Art Gallery Tsuba Collection" as shown in Greville Cooke's recent publication ,about 45 of a total of around 600-( 35 of them with a cut tendril or wave theme ). I know these Tsuba have often been discussed on NMB so I trust my post is acceptable. Sizes: First one 71 x 69 x 5.5mm Second one 74.4 x 71.5 x 5mm Thank you and hope I haven't gone on too much (it could be senility). Roger Dundas

Thank you for that Bruno. Roger d.

Hello once again and I would once more appreciate any comments or suggestions members might find time to make. The tsuba measures 73 x 70 x 5.2 mm in the centre. I think it is delicately made- if I can say that using a non-technical term. Mito school ? Mid to late 1800s ? Thank you again, Roger d.

Thanks for that Steve, I try not to burn my fingers but it still does happen. Roger d.

Thank you also Florian, Stephen and Hamfish again. I liked the illustrations that Florian added. Roger d.

I appreciate, value and enjoy your comments gentlemen but I think it's (the tsuba) a bit thick for a drink coaster Hamfish because it might cause the drink to tip over and we can't have that especially if it is a good whisky and I do like a nice whisky and it is probably as well nice whisky is expensive or else I'd probably be dead by now. I have enjoyed a drink or two with BaZZa in the past and , without BaZZa's permission I will tell you BaZZa likes a nice whisky too. His taste is more considered and refined than mine. Once again Jean, I very much value your comments. Roger d.

Good Lord Steve , it's getting worse and worse. But I can live with that, it being the very reason for putting these items up for comment and more particularly - the all over education the comments give. So thanks again Jean and Steve. Roger 2

Thanks Chris for your comment. Of interest to me is trying to sort out just what tsuba ( I post ) are o.k and what aren't. The fact that many of those I have posted have drawn little or sometimes no comment at all tells me that they probably haven't deserved much comment - so there is my answer, tacitly given. And then I see (particularly recently) a number of tsuba being offered for sale by members - now I understand. Roger d.

Thanks once more Jean for your comment . Maybe(probably by the look of it) I did pay too much for it- $170US in 2015 ? I have been uncertain as to just how this pieces was made, even wondering if some of the leaves and flowers hadn't been welded on- this might be a dumb consideration - I hadn't thought of it being cast at all . The thing is that I am just unsure how to recognize some construction methods but this NMB has been just great for such as me in showing so many great things- including on the for sale section and the comments here. Roger d.

Iaido I now see. Roger d.

I wonder if any member would like to comment about this rough, neglected piece and it's relative worth (if any) in a collection ? size 80 x 7.9 x 6mm Thank you, Roger d.

Thank's for your comment Ken. My wife is the photographer and she will appreciate your remark. Actually we weren't happy with the first lot of pictures taken and posted and redid them, particularly after comparing them with her photos of two Soten tsuba posted about December 23 or so which turned out well. Will the Board chastise me if I stray a little off topic and go back to( your) Aiado practice and discussion of earlier this year when you said you have practiced the discipline for, was it 20 odd years and without a cut. Thinking about this interesting fact , it strikes me that it would need the strongest concentration and the best of instinctive and practiced reactions. And I presume the same for piloting a Phantom or most jet planes. What I am alluding to is how also many, maybe all Samurai sword skills depended on these natural traits, refined by training and repetition. Otherwise, you're not here tomorrow. Thanks for your indulgence. Roger d.

I would very much be interested in any information that anyone could offer me about this tsuba. I'm not sure why I bought it because I don't particularly like it. Possibly because I thought a fair bit of work had gone into it and the price seemed cheap- $ 170 US in 2015, (but maybe this wasn't cheap ?) These are among the things I don't know. 73 x 70 x 6mm and quite heavy. Attractive black colour. Roger d.

Just wonderful to see and enjoy what you have and what you know. And well done. Roger d

If the tin whistle player in the philharmonic orchestra can ask a question (I feel that way at times reading and viewing what the members know and have) - drjoes mokume tsuba appear quite pale in the pictures and I was wondering if it is the photos or are they in fact more grey than black or dark at least ? merci drjoe Roger d

One thing I should have said is that I don't see myself as clumsy, have played a lot of sport at a reasonable level but still can manage to nick myself when handling sharp things. Maybe it's when I'm on 'cruise control' rather than paying close attention ? Roger 2

Thanks to you for the clarification Ken and the very funny other comments. Roger D

Would you allow me to intrude here and if so I'm interested to know if the swords used here are as sharp as they would be for battle ? Chefs and cooks cut themselves from time to time with their much smaller knives and almost never are their movements as flourishing as I see here. I trust you can handle my comparison. Roger D

To BaZZa regarding values and costs- his prices were rarely if ever cheap but unfortunately for me over the years they never got cheaper. I can say that his descriptions were immaculate and the items that I got had never been fiddled with or 'improved' that I could recognise. A top man in his field in my opinion for integrity. Roger D

I appreciate that I'm not the only one getting information from the above posts but I would like to thank everyone never the less. The 'below the surface' research and enjoyment of the subject is evident. Thanks again, Roger D. Here's a comment for Australian members as well. Quite a few years back and over some time I bought a few weapons from a well known London dealer in fine Middle Eastern arms who was always great to deal with and who made the comment that he thought at that time Australia was a bit of a 'cultural backwater'.Possibly he was meaning as a source of indigenous things to source and sell ?He wasn't being rude but just remarking on something he recognized.

And thanks very much Luca and Mikolaj. Luca's compilation especially. I suppose the term 'glitzy' sometimes entered my mind when looking at my two examples and some others seen as well in the past. Roger D

Ken, I'm not sure if this tsuba got missed or not but here it is, just to be certain. Plus the excellent responses with illustrations and treatise of this genre. I am staggered by the intricate work of those examples posted and somewhat embarrassed at my two in such grand company. Roger D