Matsunoki

Indeed, there is a strong parallel with the fine art world. Wonderful paintings with no signature that attract very different expert opinions. Signed paintings that equally attract differing expert opinions. Awful paintings with wonderful signatures, beautiful paintings with awful signatures. Paintings hitherto believed genuine are later discredited. Paintings believed fake later proved genuine….and so it goes on……Paintings bought by investors that subsequently lose them money. Paintings bought cheaply that make a fortune. Experts eatinging humble pie. Experts disagreeing….even ending up in law courts!! Ours is a “hobby” where it is best to be comfortable with uncertainty because the best you will ever get is an opinion. Shinsa does not bring 100% certainty as evidenced by the same sword receiving very different appraisals by different shinsa. You will however get a piece of paper with an expert opinion, or rather a collective expert opinion. Generally a paper will enhance the perceived value of a sword, it will maybe make it easier to sell, it may bring a degree of comfort or satisfaction……or often it brings disappointment. It may or may not back up your initial judgment to buy the sword. It all depends on why you own the sword - because you like it? Because you think it’s a bargain? Because you think it’s a great investment? Because it brings you joy? Because you want to boast about it? Because you want to save it? Because you want to learn? Because you simply must have a Nihonto….. How you answer those questions might suggest whether Shinsa is for you/your sword. Just some ramblings. Fire away🙂

Ian, I guess you are referring to the huge ££compensations they agreed to pay out after banning our handguns? Well they sure learnt from that…..when they recently blanket banned the sale of ivory including wonderful antique items (with a few piffling exceptions) they did so with no compensation……tough luck for collectors who were facing losing a lifetimes investment. I personally know of collectors who have “lost” hundreds of thousands as a result. Not just Japanese (netsuke, okimono, shibayama etc) but stunning French and Low Countries carvings, medieval and religious items etc etc. If they decide to ban our swords (or any other weapons) they will do so without any compensation and without any conscience and, as with ivory, will ignore any amount of objection or advice no matter how justified. I hope you are right!

Just to round off the thread…..it’s just arrived and one of those that turns out far better than the images. Just a quick pic to show the height of the inlay and maybe a better idea of the plate colour…..as John says….shibuichi. Thanks to all for helping. All the best. Colin

Sadly, so much will depend on whether or not they remain legal to own. I wouldn’t put anything past our ***** govt (uk) and the same might apply elsewhere. It only takes one or two attacks that mention “samurai sword” (which is probably a piece of Chinese crap anyway) and the do-gooders start screaming and running for the hills shouting “ban”. However on the bright side, as long as common sense prevails (oh yeah!) I think these wonderful objects will continue as highly desirable historical works of art…..but maybe not as sound investments. We can already see the market slowing, or perhaps more accurately, price becoming a more important factor.

I wouldn’t do that John. The only person responsible for the cost is me! As an aside, the ******* auctioneers had “forgotten” that I paid for it immediately and thus they haven’t even posted it yet. I wonder what we pay them a 3O% buyers premium for Thanks again. Colin

@JohnTo Brilliant. Truly brilliant. Thank you so much. I was way off!! All I need now is the postman to arrive to see if it’s as nice as I hope. In your debt……I’d never have figured that one. All the best. Colin.

Probably stating the obvious but simply from the slight foxing, discolouration and some water staining at the bottom it looks like it’s got some age. Also looks an original work rather than a print. The frame has an early 20thC look. Any labels on the back? Often the back tells more than the front.

Hello from a still very cold and damp UK Couldnt resist this one in a rural auction. “Kosetsuken Tomonao” . Mid 19th C I’m Still waiting for the postman to deliver but meantime….. Please can anyone tell me the legend depicted? We have an attendant (of Ryujin?) emerging from waves on the back of a dragon offering a tama (one of the “tide jewels”?) to a mounted (hero?) who appears to be on a raft or pontoon. I simply can’t find it but it must be fairly well known to use it as a subject and put so much quality effort into it….imo Many thanks in advance. All the best. Colin

You can see the stone is a very soft friable material. Something akin to a chalk or soft limestone?I doubt granite would yield the same result!!. Pointless in my view.

It’s a tama (jewel) which dragons seem to be perpetually chasing. Dragons are also guardians of jewels….many legends on the subject.

Hello again from a chilly damp UK Continuing my predilection for dragon tsuba I thought I’d put this one up for any comments, opinions etc. I’m guessing it’s nothing special…..a fairly “generic” 19thC piece?.??…but I liked it. It’s a large katana tsuba H8.4cm W7.8cm T5mm with shakudo plugs and a pleasing dark plummy brown\black patina (with a few highlights). Same rural auction as the spider web and the large brass crab items. All help is most welcome. Many thanks. Regards.Colin

If you enlarge the tsuka you can clearly see where a previous mekugi ana has been “plugged” immediately adjacent to the new one. Nothing particularly new in that though…..been done in Japan for centuries as koshirae were adapted and “borrowed”.

I can’t tell you what has happened to the blade sadly. Can you show any better high res closeups? …as for value…..it’s in a bit of a mess….it looks like it would be very costly to restore if even possible (depends what has been done to it)…so probably only a modest value in this condition. So much depends on exactly what has been done already. What does the saya (scabbard) look like. The fuchi looks to have a WW2 catch on it.

Ok, in its favour….it’s not a fake, it looks to have a nice silver habaki, the nakago looks ubu (unshortened) and it has a Mei (signature) and it’s a nice long blade. As for what has been done to the blade (ignoring the terrible rusted kissaki (tip)) I’m at a total loss. You have it in hand so you can obviously see it’s either been plated or painted…..not so obvious from the images. There is no good reason an old blade would be plated and it would be a difficult and pointless process. However painting is more likely….but God knows why. As for age….I’m not good at this but I’d say possibly early 19thC . I hope others will help out. Not much else I can add.

Difficult to say really. I would walk away……too many nasty issues. Pay more for a better item and be happier? ….just an opinion. Hope it goes well whatever you decide.

Yes, and include whole of tang in photo

Johnant ……my explanation re photo was very poor! I meant like this-

29”…….is that the full length including tang or just the cutting length? Need just the length from tip to notch in back of blade that separates the tang section. cant tell much from these pics. Need to see square on full blade images taken with tip vertical to get idea of shape preferably without the habaki on it….then someone might have an idea.

Well, the signature says Kanesumi saku and it’s not a repro……ie made by Kanesumi. There were very many smiths using this name in Mino province from around 1500 all the way up to the 20thC. There is no guarantee the signature is genuine but because many of the smiths were not highly rated it stands a good chance of being right. The images are not great but I think the blade has had a very rough time. I cannot see why it looks painted but I can see several nasty chips in the edge and overall (when enlarged) it looks to have been heavily and badly cleaned with fresh rust on top of old pitting. It may be possible to professionally restore it but it would cost a lot and may not be economical. It’s not a sword to spend a lot on in my opinion if you are thinking of buying it. For the experts on here to tell you more we would need far better images together with dimensions

A picture speaks a million words. (I do not own these). Amazing

Possibly an old “family blade”, possibly Kanbun sugata but the kissaki is a real “train crash” and would require extensive re-working assuming the boshi remains. I would also be worried about hagire in the kissaki. It’s a gamble, could be ubu and signed…..or not. I would be sceptical about recovering outlay…..it needs a lot of expensive work which will put people off. But then again the Ito is old and genuine, mon on the tsuka…..obviously not a fake etc I would probably gamble at the level you suggest but I’d be prepared to be disappointed.

Never seen anything like them before. I love stuff like these. Must be pretty rare.

Hello again, another recent purchase (eBay again) that I’m posting for any comments and opinions for which I am always extremely grateful. I’m on a steep learning curve with tsuba. I have always loved how the Japanese depict dragons and this tsuba has one nicely inlaid in thick high relief shakudo, quite good workmanship imo..The iron has an almost black patina with old corrosion. Any help with the signature/school/age would be much appreciated….in fact any comments at all! It’s a big and heavy tsuba….H9.0cm W8.3cm T4.1mm Thanks for looking. All the best.Colin.

Or maybe………????

Re the fish…..it has a handle at one end and it looks as if you held it upright the fish would descent the pole in a juddering fashion….I’ve seen similar with monkeys ie a toy….or it could be an older version of this….a cat teaser…again a toy.