Curran

@ROKUJURO and @eternal_newbie Thanks for handling this post so well. The Jim Gilbert writeup is a classic that I used back in 2002-2003, but I don't really agree with boiling tsuba unless it is a last resort on a lower end iron tsuba. If that far gone, it might just deserve to die. Still, nothing beats developing an understanding of rust as much as getting a piece of ivory or deer horn to work a near dead rusty clunker off of ebay or from the rare yard sale.

#1: https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/n1240602732 If shipping for a glass framed 135cms wouldn't be such a killer, I'd probably buy this myself. This might be a good buy for one of our Japan members. #2: https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h1240772755 I don't know if this is a common painting or not, but I figured someone here would like the Miyamoto Musashi scroll.

I've administratively worked NTHK shinsa in the '00s about [20 to 25 years ago], so I could get to see several hundred work sheets and view over their shoulders the sort of question you are asking. The Yoshikawa group definitely uses work-sheets with a list of informational choices that they circle, but I don't think those will specifically get you to the conclusions they reach. They do use books, including Haynes, and the panel of judges at any one time do discuss the fittings to reach a conclusion. The conclusion is only as strong as the judges. I have seen some very strong NTHK shinsa with Hagihara-san [I'm probably mispelling], Mr. Jim Gilbert, and Mr. G. Robinson switch hitting between the swords (75%) and the fittings (25%) in my time observing. I've also seen one Yoshikawa NTHK shinsa where I felt the fittings judges without Hagihara-san and Mr. Gilbert were not that strong. At that particular shinsa, someone I had sold a tsuba to earlier in the day had taken it to the shinsa team and had it bounced as "modern" and came back to me. I felt bad... -because I had forgotten to mention or give him the Hozon NBTHK papers. I cringed a bit at that particular shinsa, and asked him if he wanted to return the tsuba. He took the papers. --Ironically, that is one of the tsuba I've sold over the years that I wish I could buy back. To this day I scratch my head why that particular shinsa panel thought "modern"-- The same goes for the current NBTHK. Since Jan 2014, I've seen the rise of a lot of 'bad attributions'. Pre-Tariffs, I'd sometimes buy some of these crap Hozon and resubmit. Often round 2 was much better (correct?) papers. Current NBTHK shinsa seems luck of the draw. One shinsa might be crap and the next one might have a strong judge or two. What bothers me most is the rise of Horyu at shinsa. So many good tsuba get that now. You have to submit them a second time, and just hope the shinsa team is better. My best Yagyu (previously NBTHK published!) got Horyu the first time, and then correct TH to Yagyu the second time. I hate that. So, as @Hector noted, I am less and less likely to submit anything to shinsa that isn't at least at the $2000 or higher value level. Even then, those horyu still manage to make me angry.

Think of it as a bumpy bell-curve of knowledge. Personally, I highly respect the NBTHK papers from 1983 to Dec 2013. Most opinions from there, I have to revisit my own opinion. Often they saw something I didn't. I learned from it. Before and after that period are hit or miss.

For me, this is the best answer. I share similar views with Glen. I have openly questioned if the NBTHK started using database image matching software for their opinions in the last 10 to 12 years. I've seen too many errors where I can understand the attribution to [ABC] from a top down digital photo that might help speed up the shinsa process, --- but anyone handling it will realize iron, patina, small tell-tales of manufacture, etc.--> all point to [XYZ] a different school. The topic of AI trying to do tosogu shinsa is a very complex one. A lot of the data it would use is very conflicting or corrupted. Ex: I have mumei tsuba with 2 or more NBTHK papers giving very different attributions: sometimes decades apart, but often only a few years apart. If both sets of papers are in the dataset? Also: Unless able to deep dive 3-D study a piece of tosogu, I am more of the opinion AI will get lost in its own righteous convictions.

Not so many pawn shops in our area. It is a bit different from Florida. I will check with some of the higher end watch shops, and a custom work shop I knew as a kid. Mother was a bench jeweler long long ago, and one of the higher end custom shops for which she worked is still in business. --[Maybe try on a Girard Perregaux or two and try to tell myself that I have need of such a watch] Thanks for the info. I'd not known of XRF. My knowledge of metals and gems is very dated to the prior century.

Interesting. I was unaware of XRF testing. For my own knowledge, I will try and have them tested. I have to admit that I thought these would only be up for a few hours. They might be 20th century work, but I was fairly certain they were lower gold content. Aka. Like my brother's gold necklace from back in the 1970s-1980s. I've had these for years. I be embarrassed if Mark is right and they are only a very gold-like shiny brass. Don't think so, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

I know Herr Kremers and his son Paul to a lesser extent. I never knew Sasano-sensei, as he passed slightly before I got serious about collecting. I was not yet into Tosogu. That came later. Hindsight is that it would have been better to keep the sword and toss the house. The Great Recession was a tough one where I lived. While I don't believe in going All In on Art, it would have been better if I had. Buy that small Modigliani back when I could have. Get the smaller Warhol painting with my family name on it. Again, hindsight. David Rockefeller quote, "I think of art as the highest level of creativity. To me, it is one of the greatest sources of enjoyment" I envy those willing to go All In on Art.

That was me in 2007. And no, I am not Sasano Masayuki. The one I ended up selling did go Tokubetsu Juyo. Oh well.

I'm agreeing too much with Glen and Steve. I am not sure how much else to say. It is easy and lazy to trust the NBTHK opinions, but they haven't been very good for at least 10 -12 years now. Difficult to get modern collectors to self educate and trust their own opinions.

Fairly certain they are gold, but a lower %. 8k to 12k is my best guess.

Final pic.

More pics.

Pre DTI Sale: $500 Gold pair of God of Fortune menuki. I picked these two sets up over the years for a koshirae project that won't happen. Now fire-sale to finance a nice Juyo. Review photos and ask questions. Theme: God of Fortune hammer, bag, and travel hat Age: unknown, presumed 1800s Edo. Kaga-esque. Gold content: low. unknown. I've had these for years and they do not tarnish. One set seems slightly more rose gold than the other set. $500+ shipping PM me. Curran [Chris in ATL]

Yes! Thank god or [danke gott] that someone else said this. Nice tsuba with a "hot mess" signature. I feel sorry for the tsuba and want to give it a proper burial.

Might be worth a gamble.

Is the "enso" one for sale? Asking for a friend....

Just the basics here: The design is a long known and recognized Myochin that EVERYBODY copied even back in Edo. So: (0) Originals (1) you get a Tosa Myochin copy of the original..... (2) some other schools copied it too, in their own way (3) a few modern utsushi (4) a lot of fake cast ones. If I were into the design, I'd be careful with them unless I could handle it first and study it myself. There are just too many copies of it around. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill on this one, or digress into an argument about religions and the world. Just learn to recognize it as one of the dangerous designs. There are a few Akasaka designs that are nearly as often copied or faked. etc, etc, etc....

Given that I wrote him a letter and spoke with him by phone earlier this year, the Varshavsky collection is guilty of fake news here. I hate that term. In his late 90s now, Bob is still an active asset to this field of art + other fields too.

@Toryu2020 The Yagyu looking one, you can send here to Atlanta.

Hi Thomas- Of the NMB crowd, I would say you are the go to person for Kagamishi. What are your thoughts on this sort of one just listed: https://ginzaseikodo.com/en/product/fittings/kagamishi/ Workshop created, or more of a carved 1 off? You also remember the one I have, where I think it was cast and then worked for a bit more detail. More of a momoyama era product between these early ones and the more mass produced Edo ones. It will be my reference piece until the day I can own my ideal one, which I will add tomorrow once I can find a photo.

See the original post of 6 tsuba. I would sell Akimasa and the Edo Tosho tsuba together for $425. The Edo Tosho tsuba is far better than obvious in the original photo. I'll probably take better photos and post it separately this week.

Love it. I have an Ikkanshi Shigemasa O-kogatana from the 1970s that could use a polish like this. Probably not worth the expense, but I love seeing this revived.

Thanks Marius. I think everyone is at the San Fran Show.