roger dundas

One taken/exchanged from a katana I have. 83 x 75 x 4 Quite nice. Roger j

Purchased (or should I say "picked up"?) a couple of years back, I really don't know precisely what I have. Possibly early but they could be later copies of earlier tsuba ? 1. The first with 24 petals and radial lines measures 75.8 x 73.5 x 3.4 2. The second with 8 large petals plus a double circle Mon measures83 x 81 x 3.6 I would very much like to read any and all of your comments if you would be kind enough to take the time.

Which 'tote' am I using Dale ? With a local 'starting price'- (SP) below the radar, bookmaker. There once were quite a lot of them locally around 40 or more years ago, blokes from all sorts of working backgrounds but all having sharp, quick minds for figures . Authorities chased and harassed them a bit but were often enough bought off in the 'Australian way'. How do you think this nation got started ?- poachers, pilferers, perjurers etc sent over here to serve time. Australia didn't have any slavery but it did have free (Government funded) convict labour. That was a bit "off topic". Roger j

Are you saying that my money is at risk, Dale ? We will give you more time. And the weather over there in Tasmania is starting to pick up- might help ? Roger j

A really lovely design and the the work itself is particularly well done for mine. Love it.. Just a thought Jeremiah - would you want to send it over here, to me ? I would look after it. Roger j

My money is on Dale to find one and I suppose most feel the same. Roger j

Am really enjoying the strong discussion between Kirill (Rivkin) and Glen (GRC). There has been a lot of discussion over time about 'Namban tsuba'- this one seems to be distilling things a lot more- or has the potential to do so. Plus the wonderful examples posted including your beauty BaZZa ! Roger j

I want to get away from this thread but my response above to Curran might seem a bit grovelling so here I am again. I was just wanting to say that no offence towards Bob Haynes was intended. 'A pinch of salt' is used here too. Thanks, Roger j

Not a criticism but just for my edification, is 7.63 x 7.31 considered small for a tsuba? Maybe borderline between katana and wakizashi size ? Just for clarification. Roger j

Many thanks Curran for your endorsement of Bob Haynes' opinions regarding dating . I meant no disrespect whatsoever towards him or his opinions but just the fact that he does put forward in almost all cases a date or period whereas others will just toss in an "Edo period" remark. Quite a comfort to read your reply Curran with your confidence in his learned assessments. Roger j

One more question if you would be so kind ? Shibuiswords (Long) say that their big Saotome tsuba dates to 1400-1450, a smaller example (8cm or so in diameter) to 1550-1600. It seems to me that Shibuiswords give many of their Tsuba quite early dates. Does anyone here have any opinion on this ? I quite like the fact that many things about tsuba are still contentious and debatable. Dale also asked a couple of days ago about the elongated hitsu on these tsuba- again I suppose relating to the school and,or date of these narrow spoked tsuba ? Curran showed one with two different hitsu to muddy the water a bit. Roger j

That is really interesting Dale and again reassuring to see them in those museums especially the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rger j

Don't we just admire the time, effort and skill these early artisans put into the making of these big Saotome spoked tsuba, getting the segment measurements just right and creating with drills, chisels files and hammers quite an elegant tsuba such as Piers and Luca's pieces show. Also the Shibuisword lead was welcome as I haven't been able to get into their site for a while. My tsuba posted at the outset is a poorer relation but I feel,for all that, having a worthiness of its own and fits in with what I have. Did I need to say all that ? Roger j

Thank you all. The reason for doubt of age were the areas of bare metal showing around the seppa dai area and around the rim- not much at all but some bare metal did show through. Then I got to wondering about somebody using a laser cutter to replicate one of these. I feel quite reassured now. As everyone would have noted 78mm and nt 78cm deep. Roger j

Thanks for your response Dale- I feel reassured. As for the so called 'shim', you are again quite correct. I put it to a couple of owners of much sharper eyes than mine and they agree with you- chiseled lines, tagane, no shim. I neglected to show the other face- is it called omote ? Yes, really good condition. Roger j

This is an appeal to those members who might be kind enough to offer their opinion. Katana size - 78cm. Another similar but smaller tsuba seen in Gary Murtha's book on Heianjo tsuba (at about 72cm) was considered by Gary Murtha to be of the Momoyama- Azuchi period. Or could it be later or even modern ? Also I wondered if it hadn't been lightly treated with wet and dry and then re-darkened. As the pics show there is a filler, a shim in the Nakago Ana which is unlike any other that I have seen being quite neatly positioned with a thin metal of some sort. Personally I quite like some of these early spoked tsuba, maybe too plain for members who enjoy the enigmatic designs and artitry that many other tsuba might display. I would welcome any opinions from all you experienced members who care to comment. Thank you. Roger j

No doubt about you Dale, forever coming up with more and more examples and info relevant to a topic. Your research abilities are top class. Roger j

Can I poke my nose in here to recommend to any of you with the time, to go back to the very first of Bob M's postings Feb 26, 2021 and go all the way through the posts that he has taken a lot of time to bring to the NMB members over the past 17 months. I did so the other day and had the pleasure of seeing Bob's fine collection altogether at a single sitting . Looking forward to the tiger themed items. Thanks Bob. Roger j

Not an expert Dale (Rivkin is that) but probably not Indo-Persian or Mughal . I don't recall seeing any of their daggers with guards. Certainly none that I have had. Indian and Afghan Khyber knives (swords) and daggers, Turk yataghans, Caucasian shashkas and kindjals (swords and daggers) all went without guards. Roger j

Those last half a dozen posts were excellent for me, forever the 'layman'. Just as a matter of interest, would an application of Renaissance wax have any benefit as to reducing further silver oxidation or is it's use here something not quite kosher ? Ford as you say Chris But Glen too has been forwarding many great observations. Then there is Dale way up there also and Jean (Rokujuro) even with his troubles still posting. Mark too with his technical observations. And Rivkin whose observations and judgements are looked forward to. Just brilliant information. Roger j

There was just so much information Jean and where I am in life I have to be fed just a teaspoonful at a time or my brain overheats and I choke. Not really, I am just being ridiculous but there was a lot going on and most of you will add some of it to your existing knowledge and mix it in. I am finding harder to do of late Roger 2.

I thought the safest place for me Dale over the past 48 or so hours was in bed, under the blankets away from all of the knowledge flying about. Brain seizure material for my poor old mind. Roger 2

Glad to get your responses, thanks Dale, Grev, Glen (and just now Peter) and somewhat relieved to see Grev's example which is near identical and almost certainly the same maker. Something of a weird but intriguing form I must say and the reasons for this particular design are ? Grev's tsuba and the top one of Glen's look like they have been mounted on more than one blade also, particularly Grev's . Is the thinking on multiple blades using the same tsuba that the owner had a liking for that specific tsuba or might it be a change of owner, therefore a change of blade ? Has this issue been discussed or considered I wonder ? Roger j

Something else to digest regarding both Namban tsuba and also the "wabi sabi" aesthetic . I am presuming the "wabi sabi" aesthetic because I just can't see what other reason the tsuba maker would have to produce a piece as this. Quite carefully finished one side including the dragon overlay whereas the reverse is as rough as can be. Early owner or owners of this tsuba also have liked it enough to have mounted it on what looks like 3 different nihonto. Not usually my interest but I do like this one. 70 x 66 x ?. Here's hoping someone likes it. Roger j

As a point of fact and for your interest Francesco, Mark himself indeed came very close to losing his life when a shard of glass was buried in his chest. He wrote about it in the Izakaya section last year. You might not have seen it ? Roger 2