Matsunoki

Hello from the UK, Another recent acquisition. I’m really getting the tsuba bug. I bought this simply because I like the bold subject and it looks well made. It’s large….8.7cmH and 8.0Cm W. The plate is quite thin Any help re age/school would be most welcome. Please tell me if I’m buying poor quality things. Many thanks. All the best. colin

In my opinion, it’s a matter of opinion….and we are all entitled to ours. I have seen appalling Hadori polish that do nothing for the blade. I have never seen an appalling sashikomi. In the image below of the same blade section done in the two different styles I know which I prefer and which shows the hamon to best advantage.

I’ve actually got to face the same dilemma soon. I have several swords getting close to polishing and shirasaya etc which I haven’t had to face since Mishina Kenji worked in the UK…..a long time ago!

Good advice. What price “peace of mind”? I have had terrible experiences with Parcelforce. Even with tracked services things go walkabout….delivered to the wrong door….or mysteriously disappear. Local to me a courier has just managed to “lose” a tracked greenhouse!!!!!…….maybe it’ll turn up in a different garden…….I have been told that couriers are being infiltrated by criminal gangs. That’s scary.

I’d risk it. Let us know……

Dan, please post lots. It’s fascinating to see what you guys can enjoy. Nothing like that happens nowadays in the UK.

That makes me mad as hell and it isn’t even my sword🤬 I guess it was a time saving short cut and “sod the customer”. I once had some really nice mixed metalwork vases patinated by someone who “absolutely knew what he was doing”. Never seen such a mess. Used Ford after that (many years ago).We get tempted though don’t we?

Hi John I have also read something to that effect somewhere on this very Forum. I believe the phrase stated that Hadori was “the preferred style of polish for Shinsa”. I believe it was referring to the NBTHK. No chance I’ll remember the actual thread but I didn’t dream it! The danger with Hadori, especially buying from images is that it’s a real gamble unless you know and trust the vendor. It can hide a multitude of sins, make a hagire almost disappear (I’ve seen that-very scary) etc etc and very often looks garish. Of course, depends on the skill and preferences of the Togishi.

Agree completely 110%! just my opinion (voiced before) but seems nuts to disguise the hardening work of the smith with an obscuring veil that makes it difficult to see “in hand” and near impossible to see in images.…..but….one man’s meat is another man’s poison. Some like the “drama” of contrast. I believe a good traditional sashikomi is more difficult to achieve……would love to hear expert comment. Im also told modern sashikomi uses acid….again would appreciate expert comment.

Probably not of great interest to anyone but thought I’d point it out anyway just in case. https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/mullocks-specialist-auctioneers-and-valuers/catalogue-id-srmu10147/lot-a4fc3721-3b20-4fdf-9eb1-afa201115de5?queryId=23bafa36015a75c67244ab7609a817c0

Beautiful understated refinement. The use of the bi-metal back, the folding of the moon over onto the reverse and a painstakingly done Mei…..not to mention the delicate use of enamels. I can just imagine it on a sumptuous Tanto with en-suite mountings.

Nice saya- covered in ray skin, lacquered black and then polished flat. More expensive to do than plain lacquer and sometimes a sign of “better than average” sword……or a wealthier owner.

Hello from the UK I love any Japanese Art the dwells on legends, bakemono, yokai etc and this Tsuba depicts “The slaying of the Nue”. From the Heike Monogatari, the Nue was a monstrous Yokai with the body of a tiger, the head of a monkey and a snake for a tail. This scene depicts the Samurai Minamoto no Yorimasa and his servant Ino Hayata about to slay the beast at the request of the rather unwell and troubled Emperor Konoe. The beast was hit by Yorimasa’s arrow (you can just see him drawing his bow) as it emerged from its swirling black cloud, it fell from the sky and was finished off by the servant. As a reward, Yorimasa was presented with the sword “Shishio” as the health of the Emperor instantly improved. The patina is an even very dark brown/black Anything you can tell me about the tsuba or the double sided mei would be greatly appreciated…age, school?? Etc H7.6cm W7.3cm Thickness 5.1mm many thanks. Colin

Steve, many thanks for taking the time on such a modest item. I just needed to know why such an obviously rough little tsuba had “papers”. Obviously done by the dealer to hype up its saleability…..which worked because a couple of hundred years later I bought it!🙂 Thanks to all for your comments and guidance…..I promise to do better next time. All the best Colin

Hi Dan…..I agree! I disagree!! I think it’s horrible!….but I needed to know how a tsuba like this got papers….if indeed it did.

Hello from the UK I am drifting towards “the dark side” and have started to take a greater interest in iron tsuba. I’ve never studied the subject, nor do I have any books apart from Sasano….probably in my attic somewhere….I must get it down. At a recent local antiques fair (usually nothing but tat) I was amazed to see a chap selling some tsuba. Once I’d recovered from the shock I decided a few of them really interested/intrigued me so we had a deal. Mostly I only ever buy things that I really like but this tsuba is a bit of an exception. Being honest I only bought it because it appears to have papers…..I know nothing about the detail of papers…except that they signify “worthy of preservation - at various levels” I will post each one in forthcoming days and ask for your opinions…..anything that you can tell me will be most welcome. So, starting with this one….what do I have and what are the papers? Apologies for being devoid of knowledge myself…..but we have to start somewhere! Don’t hold back! H 6.95cm. W 6.07cm Thickness 4.9mm…..quite chunky. Many thanks. All the best. Colin

Hi Jeremy I agree with all you say 100% (often enjoy Forged in Fire…amazing talents) but I’m trying to get the “official answer”….is munegire viewed as a fatal flaw in the same way as hagire?

I’ve read this thread a couple of times and I’m a bit confused….and we haven’t yet got a definite answer I think. This is a flaw (crack)in the mune (munegire) not in the edge. A similar flaw in the edge (hagire) is definitely viewed as “fatal” However personally I would not view the damage we see here as fatal……am I wrong? (and it is only a different colour because someone has abraded it presumably to get a better look) Fatal or not fatal?

Personally I think this whole thread should be deleted totally. Just my opinion but I find it so offensive and abusive that it should have no place on a forum that operates with respect, courtesy and tolerance of opposing views (well, mostly!) To say you will dance on someone’s grave is utterly unforgivable. I wonder what any “newbies” would make of this forum reading crap like that. It discredits everything we enjoy. Brian….just my opinions but I bet others might share them. I’m not telling you your job but boy you have amazing tolerance…..thank you. Some of you have educated me recently regards “cancel culture”…..this is a meritorious contender?

Read it yourself matey, “and I'm in the process of identifying it and depending on the age/"rank" I want to have it done correctly” ……like I said, the nakago is essential in identifying any sword.

Ferry, I tried to help you early on. I think I gave you the smiths name. I was the one asking for a sight of the nakago (with a glass of red wine in the other hand) because you were asking for opinions (not as you later allege simply comments on the hamon)….you were investigating your family sword……and the nakago is an essential part of evaluating any sword. In view of your subsequent “performance” I wish to hell I hadn’t bothered. There is little else anyone can tell you about your nice sword from these images so please, let peace “break out”. My hunch is that it’s “right”……not that that counts for a bag of beans.

I’ll make a twit of myself - long, strong taper, slender, graceful koshi(?) sori, kokissaki, masame hada…..old Tachi? I’m sure “someone” here is waiting to highlight my lack of knowledge!

Not necessarily..the Mei could be added later - at any time- sometimes quite a bit later! and on either side of the nakago. Does anyone else think this could be Machi okuri? In which case it could easily have been over 30” originally.

Francis Are you really sure the hamon does not continue into the nakago? To me it looks like the ha and mune machi (the notches that separate tang from blade) have been moved up the blade (called machi okuri) to create a slightly shorter blade/longer tang. Thus imagine the blade width continued …..in the image it does look like the hamon continues…..although it has not been polished and would not show up as well. The fuchi kashira have a great subject….tigers….but they are not a true pair (they should be) ….the fuchi has the bi-metal body which would have been replicated in the kashira. I guess they just used whatever tiger fittings were available. The menuki are showy but average quality. Mismatched fittings is by no means unusual……samurai were mostly rather poor!

Can we see them please? Looks an old blade to me…..interesting.