Matsunoki

I knew Covid could be really bad (it killed my elderly Mum) but this first hand experience is rather shocking as we wrongly thought it had got “weaker”…..apparently not. You were lucky Bruce. This virus hasn’t finished with us yet I fear. Keep well all of you. Best Colin

Yep, sure Bruce……I’ll post the whole blade in a day or two when I feel a bit better. I’ll let you know when I do. Thanks for the extra info……kind of you. I hadn’t found much out……just a few Showato….no other Star stamps. Best.Colin.

Agree….purification bucket imo

@xiayang @Ray Singer @george trotter I’d love to buy you all a large drink but then you’d catch my Covid You guys are so so helpful Many thanks. Now I’ll go see if I can find anything about him. greatly appreciated Best. Colin

Hello from the UK. Please can you help on this one? I’m going round in circles…..having Covid isn’t helping! Dated Feb 1945 maybe Toshinao???…..probably not. Very nice star stamped Gendai in mint polish and shirasaya. I’m struggling with some of these Showa period kanji. Many thanks Colin

Well done mate. That was cheap!

John, hello Spot on, many many thanks. There is a rather confusing entry in Haynes on p951 and also under ref H04536 which has him working 1830-43 ish. Maybe used more than one name? Hope you are well…..we’ve both got a good dose of Covid….I wouldn’t recommend it!! Thanks again and keep well. (I’ll post it on the forum if I buy it) Best. Colin

Hello from the UK, hope you are all well. Please could I ask for help on this one? I would probably get it given time but I don’t have much time! Many thanks in advance. Greatly appreciate you guys. All the best Colin

Jordan There are a few books on the subject…..I think the dealer Laura Bordignon has been published and there are some old Barry Davies catalogues that can be found. Simple put “Okimono” into Amazon and eBay book sections and see what turns up. Remember ivory okimono are now illegal to sell or trade in the UK. You can own them but you can’t “move them on”. Wood and metal ones are OK. All the best.Colin.

Franco, I think we are talking at cross purposes. I am not in any way disputing what this sword is. I have not seen it and even if I had my opinion is worth nothing. It has a Juyo appraisal. I have taken part in a few Kantei sessions and am familiar with them although I am not very good (but that doesn’t bother me….I am happy doing what I do) What I am saying is simply that I do not give any credence to the scientific tests that are mentioned in Bonham’s footnotes. Have you looked at the establishment that conducted them? Look at their website. I doubt they know one end of a Japanese sword from the other. Ok, they may have conducted tests that doubtless show the metallurgical structures and compositions (but that is nothing new) but do THEY have the knowledge to interpret them sufficiently to determine the age? I doubt it….that is all I am saying. Colin.

Franco…..yes I do fully understand that but it is knowledge and experience that usually leads us to the age, I still cannot see how science reaches the same conclusion unless those doing the analysis understand such features. I guess we need to see the full scientific narrative. if such tests were reliable and accurate surely we would have encountered them before?

Franco…..basically I fail to see how the “distribution of martensite along the ha”validates the antiquity (ie the age) of the blade. Do we not find martensite along the ha on blades of all ages? How does it prove this swords age? …and how does scientific study prove it was used as a weapon? Many things apart from combat can damage a blade….kids playing with it, cutting the hedge with it, dropping it, letting it rust etc etc ……sounds like a lot of “marketing speak” to me……

Link to the next Zacke sale…… https://www.zacke.at...-Japanese-art/?au=91

Interesting wide ranging sale. I’ve bought from them….very efficient Auctioneers. https://www.zacke.at...-Japanese-art/?au=91

Bruno, I think several reasons… 1. estimates that are far too ambitious 2. the 28%+vat buyers premium 3. a very slow buyers market 4. Bonhams have some very serious and capable competition from Gallery Zacke in Vienna in fact the sale looks a disaster overall for Bonhams….again. Quick glance….50% of Lots unsold. Hi John, Netsuke have always been (and still are) the strongest element of the Japanese market and seem to appeal to a wide and extremely wealthy client base! The rarer subjects or carvers can reach astonishing heights….the netsuke in question is by a highly sought after artist, it’s a superb subject and it has a massively impressive provenance. Some have fetched far far more!….and prices are still going up.

This is part of the footnote to the Ichimonji wak. I’m really struggling to understand the validity of the second and third sentences. Martensite, the hardest state of sword steel, is not represented in nature, but is produced only by the craft of the swordsmith. Its distribution along the ha of this blade validates the antiquity of the sword, and the scientific study indicates that it was used as a weapon in the past. The distribution of martensite along the cutting edge indicates that the blade was subjected to one or more re-shaping and polishing.

Maybe lot 264? 284 is a tsuba.

“Five beauties” or similar is a popular theme used by several ukiyoe artists. There is often one extreme beauty (as in this example…..one lady stands out). They are often depicted playing various games or just enjoying themselves….here apparently enjoying a meal although only one appears to be partaking.The Geisha of the Edo period were massively popular subjects. Here is a link to an example….. https://www.metmuseu...ection/search/667347 Maybe approach Bonhams Japanese Dept and see what they say?

K. Sorry to tell you that all of these are extremely low quality “tourist” type items and good examples of what elephant ivory should NOT be used for. They are illegal to sell or trade in the UK under our new laws. The signatures are not to be taken seriously and in no way can they be regarded as Japanese Works of Art.

Hi Piers It has arrived and has already been sent to my restorer. It’s a really nice bronze by Gyokko (also reads as Yoshimitsu). The Gyokko studio, together with the Miyao workshops specialised in these pieces. Just Google Miyao Bronze Samurai ….if you are not familiar with them you will be amazed eg ….by the same maker https://kevinpage.co...rriors-signed-gyoko/ mine should look a bit different when I get it back. All the best Colin

Hi Ford probably too small and not good enough? Speak tomorrow…..no rush Colin

A word of warning. Before engaging with hammer and block check out the construction of your habaki. if you have a nice gold or silver foiled example it is all too easy to crease/dent/disfigure the beautifully applied and textured foil covering……and you’ll never get it to look perfect again. Likewise, if you have a nice two piece habaki they do not have the same integral strength as a solid one piece one so go easy. if you have one that is both foiled and two piece then go extra easy. It’ll be too late after the event. The patient and judicious use of a few drops of thin oil and a hair dryer as already suggested is far far safer.….and remember ……the blade is sharp. Be prepared to take a few days. Good luck. Colin

Agree Michael, but that would require joined-up thinking. The different international arms of Bonhams operate independently under different directors. Still I guess we should at least be grateful that Bonhams still operate in the Japanese market. Sothebys and Christies both dumped that sector…….not enough money in it. You can understand that when one small impressionist painting generates far more income than a whole series of Japanese sales. The Bonhams sales seem to be getting weaker and weaker with swathes of unsolds…..often the result of over ambitious estimates on misdescribed/over-restored items. Yet then see something that is obviously superb and quite important given a derisory description/estimate that goes on to make serious money. Anyway, that’s my 2p worth!

True…..and that puts huge pressures on the various Head of Depts to meet their sales targets. That in turn could lead to items being accepted/entered for sale that have an undisclosed history of previous failed sales attempts….either retail or auction. Often their jobs/careers hinge on hitting these targets and thus the onus is on us to know and understand what we are seeking to buy…..they are under no obligation (unless anything illegal is involved eg art trafficking) to tell us anything negative about any particular Lot. They probably haven’t asked too many questions. They are however very keen to trumpet any potentially genuine provenance or any previous favourable sale results. Their conditions of sales carefully protect them from just about everything. once the hammer drops it’s too late…..it’s yours……often at a scary price including premiums….too late if you then find it’s gone through assorted dealers/auctioneers/eBay/etc etc beforehand. All I’m saying is be careful…….all is not always as it appears to be.

If only we all had the detective ability of Jussi…..and the determination to do it. Sometimes a reality check is very necessary. its all too easy to get carried away with the hype that these big Auction houses create with their flashy sales and marketing. That includes the big London boys as well. Sometimes it’s worth asking ourselves…..why are these items in a auction where the auctioneer is going to take somewhere around 40% of the sale proceeds and yet the vendor is happy for that to happen. Could it just be that these things have failed previous sales attempts elsewhere? Why are so many entries imported (often from Japan) to be sold over here? Can they not be sold in Japan? Why have they not sold in Japan? The auctioneers often use coded symbols to denote whether an item has been imported for sale (usually necessary for tax purposes) by they are very small symbols and you have to search to find their meaning…..how often do we look and investigate? The auctioneers really don’t care where the things come from ……they are driven by their “bean counter” masters and the bottom line is simply £/$. most of my experience is from 40+ years in the UK markets but I’d bet the same “issues” apply equally in the States. it pays to be suspicious and a good dose of cynicism is always helpful……and don’t forget the huge buyers premium that you will pay the auctioneers who haven’t told you the full story of what you are buying.