Soshin

I am very much looking for to attending the 2021 Chicago Area Japanese Collectibles and Sword Show and will have a full display table. Mark Jones, thank you very much for your efforts in promoting the show during this difficult pandemic. Mark S. looking forward to meeting you and other members of NMB in person at the show.

Hi Adam, Thank you for highlight on the photo with what you are talking about specifically. I really cannot tell for sure what the caused this without examining the tsuba at all angles under good lighting while in hand. It might be due a major subsurface inclusion in the metal of the tsuba or some type of damage to inside surface of the openwork but that is all just speculation on my part without examining it in hand.

Hello Adam, Thanks for sharing the additional photo. The tsuba has the characteristic squared or rounded-square rim common to Heianjō-zōgan tsuba. The inlays are clearly laid above the surface of the plate and not flushed to the surface. Based upon these characteristics it is a Edo Period Heianjō-zōgan tsuba likely made during the early to mid-part of the historical period. All the work on this tsuba would have been done by hand therefore it does not appear to be as perfect as it would have been done by machining in modern times. The openwork design would have been cut using tempered steel saws and would have then been finished by filing the inside surfaces of the openwork design.

I like Curran haven't heard anything from him lately. I remember purchasing tsuba and other things from him at shows. I have never purchased anything off of the Rice Cracker website but would visit it and I have it bookmarked. I check the website and looks to be running just fine on my computer. I would use it to try and contact him.

I once had a really nice set of small family crest (kamon 家紋) themed menuki that were unsigned but attributed to the Yoshioka School by the NBTHK. This (fuchi-gahsira 縁頭) set is really nice and is typical of the school's work during the Edo Period.

Not much of a Japanese military sword collector, but as a dealer I get a lot offers from people wanting me to purchase remarkably similar modern fakes. They are likely made in mainland China as copies of low-quality World War 2 swords mostly made for noncommissioned officers. The signature on these swords is always poorly written and does not make sense from a Japanese language perspective.

Hello Adam, Your Heianjō-zōgan tsuba looks genuinely nice. Thank you for sharing it. I currently have a couple in my personal collection as well that I think run a wide range of ages. As for determining age of your tsuba I would need to have more photos of your tsuba at different angles showing the rim and allowing for a more detailed examination of the brass inlays and how they are applied to surface of the tsuba.

Thanks Brian. Yes, the shakudo is really nice in both the menuki and the fuchi-gashira set that are part of my super sale with deep discounts.

Just a quick inventory and sales update notice for the business. Take a look and enjoy. https://www.raindragonfineartandantiques.com/so/47NXvnmDY?languageTag=en

Just a quick notice about the update of personal collection website. Take a look and enjoy. https://shoutout.wix.com/so/86NXvjynE?languageTag=en

Hello Robert, Coming back to this late because I have been busy with other more pressing matters. I can confirm as others have said there is no information on the appraisal paper about Masayoshi being part of an any organized School or less organized group of artists for that matter. This may imply that Masayoshi was an independent artist. There were many of these type of artists during the Edo Period. The NBTHK paper just discusses the design, techniques used, the signature, and that the tsuba is authentic and worthy of preservation. Examining examples of the Aizu Shōami School and reading the one book I know of about that school’s work I do not think your tsuba was produced by this School, but the school's work is remarkably diverse, and it might be a possibility.

The Sukekuni katana is now sold. Thanks everyone.

Hello Mark, I was thinking Uda School based upon the hamon but I had a papered Uda Kunimune tantō that didn't have such course ji-hada like your tantō does and overall it was healthier and looked more refined. This is the extent of my limited knowledge and a mostly a Japanese fittings collector.

Nice little tsuba. It would look very nicely mounted on a tantō along with an appropriate set of other fittings.

This a long sword (katana) by the swordsmith Sukekuni who worked in both Kii and Settsu Provinces. The temper (hamon) consists of large undulating pattern of gentle waves (ō-notare). The base of temper is a fine martensite crystals (nioi) with larger visable martensite crystals (nie) mixed in. The forging pattern of the steel (jihada) has a fine random wood grain pattern (ko-itame). The overall shape of the sword has ridgeline with a defined tip (shinogi-zukuri). Sukekuni worked around the Kanbun Era from 1661-1673 CE. He has an excellent rating in Fujishiro Index as Jo-saku. In Japanese Swordsmiths Revised by HW Hawley, page 764 index number SUK709 this swordsmith is noted for producing sharp swords. The NTHK apprised this sword to be the work of (Hanafusa Sukekuni 花房祐國) and authenticated the signature. The cutting-edge length (nagasa) of this sword is 61.2 cm (24.5 inches). The overall condition of the sword is excellent in a good art polish. There is a small flaw (kizu) and few fine scratches that do not detract from the beauty of sword. The asking price is $2,500 USD, but will consider all fair offers from NMB members. For more photographs and additional information check out my website: Long Sword (Katana) by Sukekuni | Rain Dragon Fine Art (raindragonfineartandantiques.com). Feel free to ask questions and politely discuss. Thank you.