Soshin

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to share my last new tsuba of the Tampa show this year. I made photos today that turned out nice in my opinion. This iron tsuba is likely an early example of the Saotome school circa the Azuchi-Momoyama Period and measures 7.8 cm wide by 8.1 cm high. The negative silhouetted openwork design (kage-sukashi 影透) is of the conch shell trumpet called a (horagai 法螺貝) in Japanese. It has a strong association with the ascetic warrior-monks of the Shugendo sect of Japanese Buddhism referred to as (yamabushi 山伏). The yamabushi used the trumpet to signal their presence (or movements) to one another across mountains and to accompany the chanting of sutras. Here is more information about the Japanese conch shell trumpet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horagai. Enjoy and feel free to discuss.

Hi Curran, I have separate insurance for my whole collection which covers theft, shipping, and transport to and from trade shows. It isn't very expensive per year. I was shipping over $1,000 worth of tosogu to France and the limit was $650 insurance which I used but the postal employee said that was just the limit to France. To other places like UK, Germany, and other places in US the limit is different and in some cases much higher.

Hi JDromm, I came across this website with information about these papers in Japanese: http://www.musasiya.co.jp/token.htm. The website is for the shop located in Osaka that issues all of the NTKK papers for tosogu. Hope you find the information helpful. Always buy the item and not the paper or the box. :lol:

Hi John S. and Curran, Thank you so much for the information. I have updated my website. I found some helpful information on Haynes Index page 1312. Naoaki (H 06591.0) was a swordsmith that lived in Edo and had a working period between 1850 and 1875 and was a student of Naokatsu (H 06661). Was my tsuba made by Naoaki? These three examples posted all look very similar to my tsuba in my opinion. P.S. If anyone has a nihonto made by Naoaki or Naokatsu circa the late Edo Period please post photos of the nakago as if would be helpful to my research. Thank you in advance.

Hi John S., I gathered the carving technique being ke-bori from the text. The additional information is helpful and I was thinking a nihonto reference might be helpful as well in determining more information about this school. Here is a Tokubetsu Kicho papered example I found of this school's work: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/tsuba27.html. The "big dimple" and its placement reminds me of something similar to what is on the upper left corner of the ura side of my tsuba. A little bit of what looks like "battle damage" that disrupts a part of the kiri-mon design at that location. A similar disruption can be observed at about the exact same location on the Tokubetsu Hozon example that I linked to earlier. I think this is a consistent practice of the school to make the appearance of old age and actual use often found on classic Nobuie tsuba. P.S. I was looking through my books and came across three tsuba all made by shinshinto swordsmith Jirotaro Naokatsu in the KTK 2009 catalogue pages 62-63 in the collection of Ron Hartmann. The books states that he was the adopted son and student of well-known swordsmith Naotane. He lived from 1805-1859. It goes on to say that it was popular for swordsmith to make tsuba as a hobby, often studying and copying the techniques used by famous tsubako such as Nobuie. All three examples display excellent iron, patina, sukinokoshi-mimi (turned up rim), and some tsuba have ke-bori or sukashi.

Hi Mike Y., This is very serious. I purchased a wakazashi back in 2004 from him on eBay. I no longer have it and I sold it a long time ago. I have noticed he hasn't listed anything on eBay lately. I hope it is resolved but if it isn't the thing to do is to contact the police.

Hi Everyone, To me it is fairly clear this style of tsuba has nothing to do with Takeda Shingen. To me Ford H. was just stating the obvious which sometimes is necessary.

Hi Everyone, I often refer to these tsuba makers as the "Nao School". Many if not all were swordsmiths as well and they were centered around Edo. Does anyone know what the formal name of the school was? They were briefly covered in the NBTHK monthly maginze that I am still looking for.

Hi Curran, I have seen a similar nice tsuba made by a Shinshinto swordsmith around the late Edo Period. Here is a Hozon example I found: http://www.e-sword.jp/sale/2011/1110_6032syousai.htm but I feel my tsuba is better in quality, bolder, and more comparable to this Tokubetsu Hozon Nobuie utsushi made by this school: http://www.shoubudou.co.jp/tuba-493.html.

Hi Ford H., You don't remember the long draw out scene in Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha of Takeda Shingen picking the best Shingen tsuba to ride into battle with?

Hi Mauro P., Thanks for the note I have a copy of Mr. Sesko very helpful book. The description, example given in iron, and time period for this type of carving does all make sense. It is stated that technique is applied in the same way as ke-bori. Hi Mariusz, Thank you we both agree the tsuba is nice including the tsuchimei-ji base. The last tsuba from the Tampa show I think is older.

Hi Everyone, In regards to Showa22 and eBay in general do your home work before you bid period! If something isn't clear in the photos contact the seller. If no additional photos are provided don't bid. If you are ready to bid have an ideal how much the item is worth. I did and I was happy with the Showato I purchased from Showa22. I use it for Bato training it is in "civilian mounts" that are in fairly good shape.

Hi Everyone, Yes I agree with Mariusz and Micheal the rim is really too nice for just some late Higo style tsuba. Myochin is a good choice as they worked with this style of carving and very fine file marks along the plate as well as the rim style with intentional iron bones. I find it funny that 3/5 tsuba picked up at the Tampa show where Katchushi style. I will photograph the final tsuba this coming weekend which has a Buddhist theme. :D

Hi, Nice papered Shingen tsuba of good quality and condition thanks for sharing. From the looks of the photos you likely purchased it at Aoi Art you should stop there sometime and also visit the NBTHK sword museum next door. P.S. I will let moderators deal about the forum rules. :lol:

Hi Curran, Nice nihonto. I couldn't agree more I am thinking that they obtained the fittings from the gift shop of Meiji-jingu.

Hi Adam L., That is just the angle of the kiri leaves in the mon designs. The cross section of the carving marks should be "L" shaped for katakiri-bori (half cut carving). The cross section of the carving marks on my tsuba are rounded and more "u" shaped which I think would classify them as ke-bori. The lack of depth remind me of Nobuie tsuba but I think the carving style used by Nobuie was specific to Nobuie alone and not copied in the Edo Period but I can be wrong. But you are right regardless it is a nice tsuba that is really what matters thanks for the discussion. :D P.S. Does anyone know what the openwork designs are? I have seen them on other Higo tsuba.

Hi Adam L., The carving is not katakiri-bori as here is no sharp angles and iron is only displaced and not removed. The carving is more similar to what I have seen on Nobuie or Nobuie style tsuba I have seen. I think the Japanese term for that style of carving is giri-bori. The best person to ask is Henry W. or Pete K. who has study it more then me.

Hi Fred D., Thanks for the reply. Based upon the two style of carved kiri-mon designs (being very pro Emperor) and the robust size I would date this tsuba to the Bakumatsu era at the end of the Edo Period (1853-1868). I find it interesting that the nakago-ana is ubu (unaltered) meaning the tsuba was only fitted to a single nihonto in its history.

Hi Everyone, I have a new Higo tsuba up on my homepage something else I picked up in trade at the Tampa show. The fine designs carved into the plate is of the Imperial Paulownia Seal (go-shichi no kirimon 五七桐紋) as well as the more common (san-go no kirimon 三五桐紋) along a arabesque pattern and very fine radiating chisel marks (amida-yasuri 阿弥陀鑢). The very fine radiating chisel marks are not clear in the photo due to a focus issue. This is a very large tsuba that measures at 8.5 cm wide by 9.0 cm high. The thickness at the turned up rim is 5.7 mm but much thinner at the seppa-dai. The rim display nice iron bones as well. Just wanted to share and enjoy.

Hi John S., Thank you so much for your efforts. I don't think I have ever seen the book Tosougu no Kansho. I agree with Pete K. attribution that my tsuba is Ko-Kinko done with a Mino school theme. I was even more in agreement with this attribution when I look over the examples of comparable quality in 2006 catalogue of the KTK in the John D. Berta collection. Here is a good example of a classic Ko-Mino school work: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/bb3e3b50aa97237b3ddf42b9b8fd6c3f. Notice specifically the depth of carving and the circular pattern of the nanako-ji.

Hi Jim K., Sorry to hear of his passing. Thank you for sharing the photos of his fine works. Does anyone else have more examples to share.

Hi Curran, Not a sword guy but I will drive the getaway car for that one. :lol:

Hi Rich S., Thanks for the note. I will update my bookmarks for the website. It was helpful in research my one and only Nihonto which is a gendaito.

Hi Everyone, I think I understand Ford's reasoning. If I remember correctly the Uttori method is a older inlay method that was later replaced by other inlay methods in the Edo Period. About eight years ago I was trying to date a pair of menuki that had inlays and I remember this point.