Soshin

Hi John L., The worn off gold inlays is I think of the nunome-zogan type but I don't remember seeing the checkerboard cross hatching of the iron plate near the gold inlays. The inlays were present on the rim and along some parts of the scroll work. I am not familiar with the other inlay type that you listed. What does it look like? After work I take another look at the tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Henry, I now have the tsuba in hand as it came in the mail this afternoon. Looking more at the tsuba in hand its designs are remarkable and the patina and quality of the iron is just wonderful. The very detail scroll work remind me of Arabesque seen in classical art of southern Europe of Portuguese or Spanish influence. Not much of a southern Chinese influence in the design of this tsuba. This European influence would indicate the early part of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period as the age of the tsuba having the Portuguese visiting Japan first in 1543 and the Spanish in 1584. The remains of gold inlays along the rim also gives the tsuba an even more antique appearance. Reading Skip's note about the tsuba it says "Namban, Christian Cross, Momoyama Period". Does anyone else see a Christian Cross? The cross might be in the placement of the four rings around the nakago-ana. Christian M. gave me a copy of a old article about Namban culture during the Momoyama Period. I will find it and read it. Here is some information I came across from NBTHK monthly magazine by Fukushi sensei in issue #646 about Namban tsuba. I will try to take some photos of the tsuba over the weekend when I have some free time. Take care and thanks for reading. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John L., You are correct I am the new owner of that tsuba. It is currently in route which is why I was not discussing it directly. My original source of information was Tsuba An Aesthetic Study which discuses the original Namban having a date circa 1500 and being made in southeastern China and imported to Japan. I was thinking this trade in original Kanton Namban tsuba were part of the increased trade between the Ashikage Shogun and mainland China. The trade facilitated by the Portuguese would have taken place during the early part of Momoyama Period. The Dutch and their East Indies Company and the English would have been late Momoyama to the early part of the Edo Period with their trade. Thanks for the additional information and references. In regards to kozuka-hitsu ana I agree it is not original to the tsuba likely added in the early part of the Edo Period. With that said the plugging of it looks to be very nicely done likely in the late Edo Period when tsuba were again being made without kogai or kozuka hitsu ana. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John L., You request reminded me of the following nice tsuba sold on Grey's website over the weekend: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/holbrook-tsuba/h304-sumifuranaohiro. As Pete also linked to his website Grey maybe a good source of information. I am not that familiar with the collection. Sorry about not being much help. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I am looking for some refernces with examples of very early Namban tsuba of the Muromachi Period. These would be tsuba made in China and exported to Japan. This is for a comparative study. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you very much. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran and Stephen, I am planning to attend the new Tampa show next year. :D I am glad they moved it away from V-day in February as I will be sending that day with my wife. I will fly in on Saturday morning from Washington, DC and stay until late Sunday afternoon. I will be booking my flight shortly. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I purchased a unpapered wakazashi from him at a low price. Good communication no problems. I submitted it to the NTHK shinsa in 2006 and it failed for having a gimei. I resold it on eBay in 2007 for about what I paid for it. Maybe I need to start saving up for a Nihonto again. Take care. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pete K., Is Fukushi sensei completely retiring from the NBTHK? Will he still participate in shinsa? I hope the NBTHK Tokyo branch has someone younger to keep writing about tosogu for the monthly magazine possibly one of Fukushi sensei students. I am assuming someone of his status has a few students. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pete K., Does this mean Fukushi sensei is retiring from writing this almost monthly section for the NBTHK monthly magazine? I did notice this months maginze did not have his tosogu section. His work along with Markus S. translations have greatly contributed to my understanding of tosogu. Thanks for providing additional information. I still often refer to his four articles discussing the Umetada school. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mauro, Well I think in both my tsuba cases the chisel marks are keshō-tagane (化粧鏨) and are decroative in nature. They are not specific to a specific artist and therefore would not be considered kakushi-tagane (隠し鏨) or tagane-mei (鏨銘). This type of tagane work on the surface is often found in Ko-Umetada and early Umetada school work. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mauro, Yes I am very familiar with that book. I have my own copy and I often use it as it is a really helpful resource. Looking at tagane-mei (鏨銘) as you call this type of surface treatment is often found on Ko-Umetada and early Umetada school work. This along with great turn-black treatment of rim and quality of the kin nunome-zogan (gold inlay) makes me think this tsuba is a work of the Ko-Umetada school circa the Momoyama Period. Attached is another early Umetada tsuba I have with tagane-mei similar to iron nanako between the 16 petals of the chrysanthemum flower. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mauro, I do see the similarities between my tsuba and the tsuba in the photos you posted in regards to the designs. In regards to keshō-tagane (化粧鏨) they are often found around the nakago-ana of a tsuba. They were sometimes very specific and could be used to identify artists that often didn't sign there work. Some of the different schools of tsuba makers in Higo Province were known to do this. Please see the following fine example posted on NMB: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/download/file.php?id=36961 of the Hirata school of Higo Province. The tsuba is mumei but the keshō-tagane (化粧鏨) show a very specific shape and pattern and the tsuba can be attributed to being the work of the 1st generation master Hirata Hikozo. Because the chisel work is distributed around the surface of the tsuba where there isn't gold inlay I was using the Japanese term ishime-ji (石目地) to describe the surface which has a almost stone like appearance. Attached is link to a high resolution composite photo of my tsuba above. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Moriyama-san, Thank you. I think you are correct about what the designs are. Yours truly, David Stiles

Lorenzo, Words are not semantics they are what we use to communicate. The tsuba that is the topic of post isn't bad but I generally don't submit things to shinsa if I think they will fail. If you read and understand the context of the link to what I had for sale it make sense because I was referring to the great number of Higo copies much of which are of average quality. In reponse to this idea that I can't tell a fake from a real tsuba because I don't buy off of Yahoo Japan. I really don't have time for this nonsense and I hope and prey you don't either. Goodbye. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Lorenzo, My eyes are just fine but I also don't shop on Yahoo Japan and have given up on eBay unless a friend is selling something. I said a bit. I hope you understanding the meaning of this English word in my quoted sentence. The meaning is a small quanity of something. Hi Mike Y., Thanks for all of the wonderful Higo examples all which are works of fine art. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all of the helpful replies. Ian C. the link was really helpful as the tsuba does have some of the same designs done using a different style of inlay technique. I was also able to find a tsuba with similar designs done with the same style of inlay technique. Attached is the tsuba from the Token Bijutsu magzine issue number 634 tosogu number 1. It is a signed work of the Ko-Umetada artist Mitsutada. Notice some of the similar designs within the paper fans pictured. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran, I agree I wouldn't consider myself a lover of the Higo schools in my eyes a bit over rated with so many copies and fakes. As a matter of fact I have a modern Higo copy on my website for sale http://dastiles1.wix.com/reflections-#!sales/c6jy. In regards to the not submitting a tsuba for shinsa there are a few tsuba in my collection that I will not bother submitting to NBTHK shinsa and I really like them. Some examples include those tsuba that already have NBTHK or NTHK papers, tsuba that have already failed shinsa or would fail (AKA all of my Yamakichibei tsuba), went through a fire or have other major condition issues. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I have a few questions about a tsuba in my collection. Below are some photos I did over the weekend. The measurements of the tsuba are 7.6 by 8.2 cm. The thickness at the rim is 6.0 mm but is only about 3.0 mm at the seppa-dai. The rim shows a great amount of turn back causing it to have so much thickness. Two of the designs in gold inlay (kin nunome-zogan) are matsukawabishi (pine bark mon) and matsu (pine). What are the two other designs one on the omote and the other on the ura? Within these designs are star shaped geometric shapes each with six points. Overall the tsuba has a very strong Kyoto feel. The thin (relative to the rim) plate of the tsuba also show a interesting fine ishime-ji (石目地) texture made likely by a specialized chisel. I am not sure if you can see this on the low resolution of the photo I posted. The patina is a deep rich black which I think have been mixed with some black lacquer. Would love to hear others opinions of what the designs are and/or general feedback about the tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curran, After viewing the tsuba in question I would agree this tsuba don't deserve this much discussion. I am also of the opinion that I wouldn't even bother with submitting it to NBTHK shinsa IF it was in my collection because someone gave it to me as a gift. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curren, I remember being told by someone that the NBTHK will fail it and would not igoure the false attribution. The specific case that I remember was for a Nihonto. Not completely sure for Tosogu. If the attribution can be safely removed I would do so. This was done to nakago of a Nihonto and it later passed after failing once before with the false attribution. PS Thank for the tsuba boxes. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ken, I am not answering for the boss man (i.e. Brian) but I will be publishing my articles first in JSSUS newsletter then on NMB. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian, Keep in mind that there is fair amount of late Oinin and Heianjyo Shinchu Zogan school overlap within Kyoto. With all brass inlay work by the mid Edo Period becoming a pure Heianjyo school style. This style had brass inlays that was more complex and naturalistic. The iron plates were also more refined and homogenous. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Pete and Brian, I was going to say the same thing. The tsuba looks like a late Onin school tsuba. Keep in mind that a late Onin tsuba are still fairly old circa the Momoyama or early Edo Period. I would say little and it would be mixed with brass and used in the flat inlays. Overall I like the tsuba. Thanks for posting Brian. Can we also see photos of the other parts of the koshiriea that look really nice as well. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Just sent Brian the Administrator a copy of my first tosogu article that was published this year in the JSSUS Newsletter Volume 44 No. 3. For the JSSUS members on the NMB this version will have higher resolution color photos of each Tosho tsuba example that I discuss in the article. This weekend I plan to start working on my next article that will come out early 2013. :D P.S. I will also be listing my first article on my personal website as well. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John L., I agree with you last comment having exained a few examples of Mino workmanship of different qualities. I had another idea the tsuba could be a Ko-Kinko Sanmai Tsuba. Here is a similar one: http://www.legacyswords.com/fs_ant_tsuba14.htm. Can we see additional views of the inside areas of the openings to see how the plate was made? For example to see if it was made of a single piece or layers of different soft metals. Yours truly, David Stiles