Soshin

Hi Everyone, Here is my favorite Tembo tsuba: http://dastiles1.wix.com/reflections-#!Sanada-Tenpo-School-Tsuba/zoom/c211q/imageuw2 The “hot stamps”(kokuin) is of crossed lines. The ko-sukashi is of three mushrooms. I have observed similar sukashi designs on Ko-Kachushi tsuba. The NTHK-NPO Kanteisho is to Sanada Tenpo (佐那田天法). It is the only one I kept in my collection and at one time I had many. A few of my old Tembo tsuba are still for sale at Grey D. website: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/Tsuba-&-Kodogu. This is not a consignment sale and I no longer own them. My posting the link I just wanted to point out some more examples of the schools work. To me I think there was two branches of the Tempo school one based in Yamashiro Province and the other in Sagami Province. The Tempo school in Sagami Province was originally a branch of the Saotome (早乙女) school. I hope you find the information helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Sam P., Nice meet you. Japanese swords is a very interesting hobby. My advice is not to buy anything just yet even if you have the money but invest in going to a few shows, talking with more experienced collectors (Nihonto Clubs) , if you haven't already purchase a few books on the subject I would do that as well. The Yamato-den blade you linked to is nice but not my area of focus for my collection. The item description looks fine but I would make sure you are aware of the Japanese terms used to discuss the details of this specific Nihonto. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran, This really upsets me to hear that someone would do this to a papered tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, The tsuba that I liked but didn't bid on sold for "US$ 13,750 inc. premium" quoting the Bonhams website. This was way above the estimate which at the lower end was in my price range. I wonder what the NBTHK paper said about the tsuba. Based upon the final price I think a few of the bidders were thinking it dated from the Muromachi Period. I agree with Curran statement about fittings prices in general with this auction. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mariusz, Yes it reminds of that tsuba which was also featured in Sasano first English translated book on Sukashi tsuba. Sorry I don't have the page number as I am at work and don't have my copy of the book. How old do you think it is? I did notice that it comes with a old NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho origami. I do remember seeing a late copy of a famous Ko-Kachushi tsuba without papers listed on eBay a few years ago. The Japanese seller was honest and listed it as be made in the Taisho Period. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran and Jean, Here my favorite tsuba of the auction: http://m.bonhams.com/auctions/20503/lot/1028/. Needless to say it is not Late Edo or Kinko. I registered with Bonhams website and I am prepare to dream. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, The one week tsuba kantei is now over. Thanks Henry W. for replying with your answers. Here is my write up about my attribution and reasoning. I hope you find it interesting. Time Period: Late Muromachi to Momoyama Period (circa 1550-1615) Location: Kyoto Group/School: Ko-Shoami Reasoning: The large bold abstract openwork (sukashi) design of the tsuba is some what similar to some of the very early sukashi Higo tsuba works which have a Ko-Shoami influence. This (kage-sukashi) style of openwork design was used to a great effect by the early Shoami tsubako. The intermixing of kage- and ji-sukashi as well as the nikubori ji-sukashi (3D carving) technique is often observed in Edo Period Shoami tsuba with openwork. The tsuba being 9.0 cm in diameter would also indicate this late 1500s to early 1600s period of production along with the shape of ryo hitsu-ana. The rim displays a few but prominent iron bones (tekkotsu) which is in contrast to the smooth surface (migaki-ji) of the tsuba is also indicates a earlier period of production. The rim has a rounded-square (kaku-mimi koniku) shape this along with the rounded rim (maru-mimi) shape is often seen in (Ko) Shoami tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I agree with Lorenzo on this. I think the tsuba is cast and likely artificially aged. It was cast from a Echizen Kinai school original. This my opinion and I could be wrong as the photos are poor and not very clear. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Christophe, I would agree with Grey D. on this one. Both tsuba don't look that old (cira Late Edo Period) because of the thickness of the plate and how it worked, the characterless iron, and style and shape of the ryo hitsu-ana. The amount of rust damage to the surface in the form of pitting very great specifically on the larger tsuba of the set. This type of damage is often due to neglected and incorrect storage in the very wet climate of Japan. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Thank you Mike Y. for posting a photo of your tsuba. I will keep on studying. Here is a modern tsuba done in the Kachushi style that a friend has on his Batto training Nihonto. The artist name of the modern tsuba-shi who made it is Nobuchika. The wording on the photo tells which of the five wisdom kings the Bonji character belongs to. Anyone also interested in Mikkyō (密教) would really like this tsuba. Ford, I hope you find my example helpful for your next project. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, I was able to see these tsuba along with a dai-sho made by him at the Tampa Bay show this year. Needless to say the swords were great as to be expected but tsuba were a wonderful surprise.:D He is my favorite swordsmith. The only thing I didn't like was that owner of the table was never near his table when I would be walking by so that I could have examine the tsuba in hand. Well there is always next year. P.S Please don't rise your prices I am still in the process of saving my money. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I came across a tsuba with similar the design to mine without the brass inlays on ebay. Here the openwork design which is in a nikubori-sukashi style isn't as nice and it has no brass inlays: http://www.ebay.com/itm/380481830919?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649. This chrysanthemum design must have been very popular in the Edo Period. Tsuba in the auction also looks of Shoami school design as they would often use this nikubori-sukashi technique. I also notice that where details are carved on the brass inlay of my tsuba they are for the most part carved directly into the iron of the eBay tsuba. Comments and questions are welcome. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, This is a quick bump to my tsuba Kantei topic hoping to get a few more replies. The original owner of the tsuba Skip Holbrook gave the following attribution "Ko-Shoami of the Momoyama Period". In a few days I will post my attribution and points that lead me to that specific attribution. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I once had a Onin tsuba I was told was taken off a destroyed World War 2 sword. The tsuba is no longer in my collection and is for sale on Grey's website. I don't have any proof of the story but the person telling me the had no reason to lie. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Lance, Nice tsuba and fuchi-gashiwa set you have here. It a good example of late Edo Period Kinko workmanship. Is it part of a larger koshirae? I would also recommend getting Haynes Index. It is really helpful in the identification of signed tosogu. I use it a fair amount even though I don't focus my collection on schools that sign their work. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mark, I am not aware of the story behind the design of the kashira but I feel the fuchi is not original to the set. From the photos the detail of the design and the inlay workmenship on the fuchi is better. The mei of your fuchi is signed nicely as well. Someone butting together the koshirae of your Nihonto likely placed fuchi and kashira together. I also noticed that the inside surface of fuchi opening has been filed likely to fit a new nakago of a different thickness. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I wanted to start a topic thread about the kantei of a tsuba I have in my collection for a while. I remember purchasing it off of the NMB two years ago at a fair price. I will post some photos of the tsuba and would like to requested feedback to facilitate discussion about the tsuba. If you offer an attribution in terms of age and group/school/location of production please follow up with the reasoning for the attribution. I will then in about a week post my own kentei conclusions about the tsuba. This is a informal kantei as I haven't submitted this tsuba for shinsa and don't have an official judgement. Please let me know if you have any questions or require additional photos. Basic Information About Tsuba: Material: Iron (tetsu 鉄) Size: 7.7✕ 7.5 cm, 4.5 mm at rim (diagonally length is 9.0 cm because of the odd shape) Signature: mumei (無銘) 　 Shape: Kawari mokko-gata (変り木瓜形) Openings: Ryohitsu ana (両櫃孔) Surface Finish: Migaki Ji (磨地) My Observations: The shape of the kage-sukashi (影絵透) design is of a single stylized butterfly (cho 蝶) or a family crest (kamon 家紋). The surface is smooth (migaki ji 磨地) with a dark brownish black in color patina (sabi 寂) with some rust pitting in places. The rim (mimi 耳) show a few tekkotsu (鉄骨) but none of the surface of the tsuba. The thickness at the rim is uniform along the other parts of the tsuba. The shape of the Kogai-hitsu ana (笄櫃穴) has a late Muromachi period (室町時代) shape. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Thierry, Thank you so much for posting a notice about these two exhibitions. I am a fan of Hiroshige wonderful work but was not aware of the connection with Van Gogh. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I will be bring some tsuba for show and tell. :D One will be the Momoyama Period Namban that Curran has already requested me to bring it is discussed in the following NMB topic tread: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13927. I will also bring this other tsuba that was discussed on the NMB: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13176. These two tsuba will be for discussion only. Please send me a PM if you would like to see anything else I have talked about on NMB or is listed on my website. I may bring a few additional tsuba that I might be willing to trade for something nice I find at the show. I am looking forward to the Tampa show next year. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Did my homework this weekend and determined that Higo and Awa Hirata schools are just different branches of the same Hirata family that originated in Kyoto and worked in a Kyo-Shoami style. The branch of the family that worked first in Tango and later Higo provinces was the Tadaoki line and the branch of the family that worked in Awa was the Fujitaka line. Both schools work exclusively for their respective Daimyo families. The sources of the information is Tsuba An Aesthetic Study by K. Torigoye and R. E. Haynes and Tsuba by G. D. Murtha. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I just want to updated this topic. Here are some new photos I did of this tsuba using better lighting and focus. They are of higher resolution so you will need to click the link below. This helps with seeing some more of the details of the brass inlays. The photos came out really nice. :D Please enjoy feel free to comment. Questions about the the Hirata family in Awa Province. Did they have any connection with the famous Hirata family located in Higo during the Edo Period? I just noticed that the reading (ひらた) and the Kanji characters themselves are the same (平田). I know that the Hirata family was directly employed by the Daimyo of Awa Province much like the Hirata family in Higo were directly employed by Daimyo of Higo Province. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, Thanks for sharing such a wonderful kozuka. Truly a fine work of art. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Matt L., You can submit the whole tanto koshirae to NBTHK shinsa. Here is a link with more information: http://www.touken.or.jp/english/shinsa_fees.html. Here is a quick list of things I can think of off the top of my head. Please anyone feel free to add to it if I have missed any. 1. All of the major pieces (menuki, fuchi-gashira, tsuba, kogatana, and kozuka) of the koshirea need to be antique and made before 1868. 2. Be in good condition without flaws, fire or major rust damage. 3. All of the signatures of the major pieces (outlined above) must be authentic for it to pass. 4. If one pieces fails the three above points the whole koshirae fails. Alternative approach would be just to submit a signal major piece of the koshirae (ex. tsuba). All of the first three above points still apply. I hope you find the information helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mike Y., Where can Fukushi sensei book be purchased if you live in the USA? Do you have it for sale at your website or can you buy the book at the NBTHK Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo? Please don't say that it can only be purchased on Yahoo Auctions Japan. :lol: I love that Umetada Myoju tsuba on the cover. I currently have a nice photo of that tsuba from one of my issues of NBTHK monthly magazine. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John L. and Henry W., Relax my hypothesis about the Christian cross design isn't even testable and it isn't a big deal. I often see copied western designs done in European influenced Namban tsuba. Many of these copied designs are not identical to European original and have a fair amount of stylistic or nonsensical changes to them. One of my favorite is the nonsensical Indo-Arabic numbers and Roman letters across the bottom of some Namban tsuba. To me they almost look like very imaginative serial numbers. :lol: The Japanese artist likely making my tsuba might have seen a Christian Cross on the fabric or clothes of visiting Portuguese or Spanish or among other imported European art (Namban-e) and just incorporated the design into the Namban tsuba he was making. Likely thinking that having such a cool European style symbol would be nice for a Namban tsuba. None of these ideas are testable but in my opinion but still fun to think about. Yours truly, David Stiles