Michael 101

Just sent my $47 dollars ( payment & paypal charge ) for the translation and will buy a colour copy when its ready. The is the real essence of being a NMB member - its really great seeing everyone club together and help increase our knowledge and reduce costs too !! Well done to all concerned. Kindest regards Michael

Yes please Markus - I dont have facebook but please count me in. Kind regards Michael

Pm sent for no 5 please. Kindest regards Michael

Hi Andrey, I would suggest you look at the Tosa Myochin school for the source of this tsuba. You already picked up on to key points as in its copied style and the tagane marks. Kindest regards Michael

Hi Gasam, thank you for posting these new pictures. Your tsuba looks perfectly good to me - his signature is a little weaker carved but the same is seen in several published examples - most importantly the work is very good. Its a large size, bigger than I have seen any of his tsuba before but this is most likely due to the design. I would be suprised if the thickness at the centre isnt slightly thicker than 4mm so might be worth double checking with a proper measure. Compare your tsuba with this one also by Kampei - like two peas in a pod - at first I thought it was your tsuba ! Kindest regards Michael

I tend to agree with the Sado island call for this one. They are usually very beefy examples with beautiful iron quality. Quite often mistaken for Akasaka due to the thickness. Looks a very nice example. Kindest regards Michael

Interesting tsuba - design common across the Higo schools with examples seen by the first Shimizu Jingo master, nishigaki kanshiro etc. The flat round shape ( aori ) is what instantly marks this example out as Higo - apart from the signature ! Kampei did some very good work and we sometimes see fake signature examples on the market. However, this looks good to my eyes and has his name and age on the reverse which is typical of him. It is also signed with his age (70 years). I have another example with the same age and the signature appears exactly the same. I would be interested to know the size of this tsuba - his are rarely large ( 7.5cm would be typical ) but usually pleasingly thick 0.5cm so they tend to be quite heavy. Looking forward to seeing better pictures whe it arrives - a very good purchase. Kind regards Michael

Hi Antii, Good too see some high quality Higo tsuba listed - Daniel's looks like it could be a daisho pair with yours and both look distinctly similar to my eye. The elongated round shape to both is very attractive and typical for earlier Nishigaki Kanshiro work. Interesting to note the shaping around the nakago ana of both tsuba - a feature found in a number of published 2nd master examples. Its very difficult to capture the beautiful and correct colour of iron tsuba - your second picture I think would be closer to reality. Thanks for showing Kindest regards Michael

Thanks Dirk, yes that is also a nice one it is also published in the Higo Kinko Taikan. Thank you Ludolf - another fine example - I hadnt seen that one and greatly appreciate you adding to this thread. Has anyone seen a Shodai version of this design as so far it seems a favourite of the 3rd master. Kindest regards Michael

Dear members, Does anyone have a copy of the above book that they could help me with ? I have the Haynes translation and I would like to see the original photogragh of the Jingo Crysanthemum tsuba illustrated on page 154 ( in the translation copy ) see attached picture. If someone could send a scan of the illustration and page from the original book I would be very greatful. Kindest regards Michael

Hi David, He was known to copy earlier Hayashi designs (but did also develop his own) - so it would be highly likely that he would have copied Nishigaki too. Tsuba are rarely seen by him - so its hard to confirm for certain. Kindest regards Michael

Hello James - please add me to the list. Kindest regards Michael

Did it !!

Sorry I couldnt work out how to add the picture of the 3rd master Nishigaki but I will message it to you ( you can add it to the topic if you can work it out ) Kindest regards Michael

Hi Pete, A very nice tsuba and also quite rare tsuba. Im my opinion ( from your pictures ) is that it was most likely made by Tani Seibei. Unfortunately not much is known about this Higo worker although other than he is believed to have died in 1843 in his 70's As mentioned by others the design of your tsuba is very much in the style of the Nishigaki school - in particular the third master ( 1680-1761) See picture attached as a comparison to your own. Tani was well known for his aplicaption of Kuyo mon in the style of your work and this is the main reason I think he was the maker of your tsuba ( and subtle differences in the actual tsuba - not quite as free flowing as the earlier Nishigaki masters ) Tsuba by Tani are rare, he is more well known for his fuchikashira. Kindest regards Michael

Thank you for posting the link to a very similar tsuba but this time attributed to Yogoro school, as I note are two other very different tsuba from the same sale. Its very interesting as other Yogoro (Mito) work also points towards a conection with the Goto school (to whom the second Kanshiro studied under) and thank you for posting. To clarify my kantei was based purely on my own studies and discussion with another more experienced higo collector and close reference to Ito Mitsuhira's excellent publications and studies. Attributions change as more information becomes available and I very much respect the focused higo school research carried out by Mitsuhira san in his recent work. This tsuba does not have any papers - I would submit - my only concern would be the return of another rather expensive "Higo" attribution. Kindest regards and thanks Michael

I can fully understand the various calls, especially so for Umetada. Not an easy one at all, which is the fun of these anyway. Only one person nailed it - Higo Nishigaki more specifically the second master Shigesaku (1639-1717) The very tastefully placed inlaid pattern is called Sayagata, a crest design originally found on silk. This example shows some wear and would most likely have been originally fitted with a shakudo fukurin. The second master also studied under the Goto school and his work is often very refined. Unfortunately my photos do not do it justice as the amida yasuri are very finely carved. The aori gata shape and the matching hitsu ana are more typically Higo in style. I have added a picture of a very similar example complete with its fukurin, published in Ito Mitsuhira's excellent book on Nishigaki Kanshiro works for comparison. Many thanks Michael

Thought yesterdays kantei was good fun and thought Id add one of my own. This one is distinctly go stone in profile (thicker in the middle) and in addition to its shakudo and silver inlay has finely carved amida yasuri. Its 7cm high x 6.9cm wide x 0.48cm thick at the centre. Let me know your thoughts or questions Kind regards Michael

Shoami very similar to Akasaka but still sticking with Shoami. Kindest regards Michael

Hello Gethin, An Interesting tsuba not an easy one to place - although I am reasonably sure its not Hirata. Satsuma is a possibility but I would also look into Sado Island work as another potential source. I cant easily explain why, it just reminds me of a papered Sado work I once owned. Good quality iron and a very nice tsuba. Kindest regards Michael

Hi Peter, Could well be Akasaka - could you help by providing the measurements, height, width and thickness (at thinest and thickest parts) Kindest regards Michael

Hi gentleman, I have owned at least 6 hirado tsuba over the years (including one of the ones pictured above) some signed others not - they vary from the massive brass "door knocker" type to some very delicately carved signed examples. Also signed fuchi kashira and kozuka. There is a huge variation in this schools work and possibly three generations. Plus their work was much copied - for example the one kindly shown by David is very similar to ones also made by Norisuke. I suggest the tsuba was possibly made in the hirado style either by one of the kunishige generations or a school worker or even a copyist inspired by their style. Not sure we can get any closer. Just wanted to add that I do not confess to having any great knowledge on this school - just floating an idea that others can shoot down or expand on. Kindest regards Michael

My guess for the maker would be Hirado Kunishige who was from Hizen late 18th early 19th century. He favoured this type of cloud / wave combination. You can look him up easily on the web for more detail. Kindest regards Michael

Hi Bruno, I can confirm that the mon is not restricted to the shoami school - I can recall Ko Akasaka (mon with the axe) and Owari as well as Nobuiye examples. Kindest regards Michael

Thanks another member translated as "Red Mountain" Anyone seen this one before ? Kindest regards Michael