Soshin

I am happy to report that the above tsuba is now owned by me. Here is link to my writeup about this exceptionally fine tsuba for any interested. I have always really liked tsuba made by the Hoan School. Tsuba Gallery #3 | Tsuba Otaku

I am not a fan of the stand above with the design as I don't have a tsuba that matches that theme. I purchased a plain black stand from DFX [Darren Harvey] and was incredibly happy with it. Here is a photo of that stand in action.

Hi Mark, Looking forward to seeing the presentation of fine Bizen Den swords at the Orlando show this year. Thank you for organizing the show. The legacy of a great Japanese sword show started by Bob Elder Sensei lives on. https://www.facebook...os/2916187001731625/

I like the openwork design that was made famous by the Akasaka School during the Edo Period, but it looks like a modern tsuba cut from a modern mild steel (low carbon steel) plate to me. Therefore, I don't think it was traditionally made.

Here is a favorite Kiku tsuba of mine I traded to Skip Holbrook for a NBTHK papered Higo Kinko tsuba a few years ago. The size was exceptionally large, and the iron was extremely nice and had a great feel in hand. It measures 10.3 cm (4.1 inches) wide by 10.4 cm (4.01 inches) high. It is 6.6 mm (0.3 inches) at the rim and gently thins toward the middle.

@BIG Seeing any key details about the texture of iron of the plate and the rim of the tsuba in the photos provided is exceedingly difficult for me. I might have a display issue on my computer, or I might have clicked on something incorrectly as the language of the website is German. The examples provided by @Simon R are some exceptional reference examples. The bottom Yagyu tsuba I think was sold between local collector friends and later to Gery Doffin a while ago.

Les, I agree with @Bugyotsuji comments. Assuming the tsuba is of high quality and has historical or artistic value, it is always better to have a custom box made for the tsuba. I have a NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papered high quality tsuba that has a nice quality outer box, but the central post is not custom made and like yours does not fit as well as it should. Getting just a custom box insert and pad made in Japan for what is a nice quality outer box would be a clever idea. I was thinking it would also give me a chance for the elusive NBTHK Juyo rank for this fine tsuba.

I just received my copy last week via UPS. What a large and impressive book. Looking forward to using it in my study of collection of Japanese sword fittings.

Thanks @Dan tsuba I agree. Some really intresting articles you linked with helpful information. Here is a tsuba with many famous family crests that are only partially visible on the tsuba. These family crests include the Oda (right), Toyotomi (left), and the Imperial Family (bottom right). The imperial Family is repeated on the other side in the (upper left). The tsuba was previously talked about on NMB because of the Japanese weasel design also on the tsuba on the side not shown. It has NTHK papers that date the tsuba to the early Edo Period circa early to mid 1600s CE. Better photos and more information can be found here: Tsuba Gallery #10 | Tsuba Otaku. It is the third tsuba from the top of the webpage. I still really enjoy this odd ball tsuba.

Hi Dan, I only think it would have been an issue during or shortly after the Nanbokucho Period (~1333-1392 CE). During the late Edo Period (early to mid 1800s CE) some >400 years later, I don't think it would have been such an important detail. Studying the separate sword fittings and whole Koshirae of samurai who were historically documented as having directly served the Imperial Family for Kiku Mon motifs and its variations would be an interesting bit of research. This would need to be narrowly focused study as the shogun technically speaking served the emperor and by extension all the many (hatamoto 旗本) samurai commanded by the Tokugawa shogunate. With that said I really agree with @Brian without some type of direct historically documented evidence. The design motif on tsuba which is common itself is not enough.

Thanks @Brian for sharing I really like that tsuba. I agree with Ito's call that it is the work of the third generation Jingo. The iron and treatment of the surface reminds me of a tsuba in my collection that the previous owner attributed to the third generation Jingo. My tsuba is signed (Jingo 甚吾). It doesn't have a chrysanthemum, so I am not going to post it.

I am planning to attend the Orlando show next year in 2024. I am happy to see that there will be a NTHK shinsa also at the show. I will be making all the arrangements sometime early next year. I will bring a few things to put on the shared table of the New York Token Kai and one item for shinsa.

I just sent an email to @Markus. I was planning to purchase my copy after DTI and Thanksgiving Hoilday this year. Thanks, NMB for reminding me to reach back out to Markus. I am looking forward to reading this book.

I never had a Ko-Uda work in my collection. I once had in my collection a mumei tanto with an attribution to "Den Uda Kunimune". The NTHK date the tantō production to the (Tenbun 天⽂) era of the late Muromachi Period (室町時代後期) circa 1532-1555 CE. Based upon the workmanship the maker of this tantō was likely the 4th generation Kunimune found in Japanese Swordsmith Revised by W. M. Hawley ID# KUN655.

Hi Colin T., The seppa-dai area would have been protected from moister when the tsuba was mounted on a sword. So, you would expect less corrosion of the iron around the area that contacted the seppa and then the tsuka on the omote side. That sounds like a good approach. Just some good rubbing with a plain cotton rag that is not hard, or abrasive is fine (sandpaper is unbelievably bad). I do that occasionally, with my old iron tsuba to lightly clean away the surface of any soft active red rust and maintain the patinated surface of harder black rust.

This sentence should read in my above quoted text: "I later submitted the tsuba to the NTHK-NPO at which time it was given a more formal attribution to Den Kyō-Shōami (傳京正阿弥), which I agreed with.".

@Tsuba gardener Neil, that might be a possibility. It is important to study good, signed examples to help establish the characteristics of the Goami Ryuha and how it systematically varied compared to some of the regional Shōami (正阿弥) Schools. My tsuba was unsigned and any type of attribution on an unsigned tsuba is much more difficult to perform. With all due respect, the original owner was just a little off with the Goami attribution in my opinion. @Spartancrest Dale, I don't think this is accurate information from the Christies auction house. The Goami School dates as early as the beginning of Edo Period and not the Muromachi Period of the 16th century.

Just as a relevant follow-up to this topic. I now have a tsuba! I picked up this tanto tsuba at this year's DTI. It fits nicely with the Shōki (Demon Queller) theme and the tanto's nakago in my opinion. I was able to talk to the professional craftsman (also attending DTI) that will be doing the mounting of the tanto and confirmed that I will be sending everything to him early next year. I will keep everyone updated as to the progress of this fun project.

No not really, sorry. I remember the sukashi tsuba that I had with Goami attribution came from Skip Holbrook old collection with a Goami attribution made by the previous owner arrived at from his own personal research. I later submitted the tsuba to the NTHK-NPO at which time it was given a more formal attribution to Den Kyō-Shōami (傳京正阿弥), which I aggreged with. I later sold it back in 2015. Here is the tsuba for your reference and educational purposes only. I hope you find this additional information helpful.

The photo of the second post looks much better in terms of the real color of the surface. The iron bones in the one photo look nice. Looking at the tsuba from limited number of photos provided it does looks to be rust pitted a fair amount. The original polish nature of the plate as well as the overall thickness and lack of change in thickness of the plate between seppa-dai and mimi. This is called (niku 肉置) and is an important consideration for determining age. Taking all these features into consideration makes me think that it dates from approximately the early Edo Period. The specific shape of the kozuka hitsu-ana which I think is original to the tsuba also reminds me of the Early Edo production period. Nice tsuba thank you for sharing for discussion! P.S. @FlorianB Thank you for providing a link to Paul's website. I remember meeting him at DTI this year. I need to add his website to my collection of URLs.

It was so sad to hear of Gary's passing. I have two books by him on tsuba. I purchase both off eBay from him directly.

@Tsuba gardener Neil Bolden Yes, wide variety of designs and techniques used by this school (ryuha 流派) it was as varied as any of the regional (Shōami-ryuha 正阿弥流派) ex. (Kyōto-Shōami 京都正阿弥).

Here are some Arita-yaki cups and a small plate my wife picked up during our trip to Japan. I also really like them and just wanted to share. The Arita-yaki pottery kiln is in the city of Arita of Saga Prefecture located on Kyushu Island. Pottery has been procedued in the area of Saga for over 400 years. In the Edo Period it was Hizen Provience and Saga (佐賀) was the name of the castle town (jōkamachi 城下町). Feel free to discuss it politely and share any examples you might have.

I attended and had a wonderful time! My wife enjoyed her visit to the show as well on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday focused on studying Japanese sword fittings (purchased a few) and on Sunday when it was less crowed, I focused on sword study. It was my first DTI and will not be my last. I would like to specifically thank Robert Hughes of Keichodo Fine Samurai Art for all the afterhours events before and during this year's DTI.

I have received by papers at the end of October from Chris. The new owner of the menuki posted in the thread was incredibly happy to receive the papers from me a few days later. If you have not received yours by now it was part of the second group of papers written by the professional Japanese calligrapher done after this recovery from illness.