Soshin

Hi Ford, I have a small Japanese handbook on Tsuba that I purchased off of eBay for about $30 which shows this tsuba. But due to the very small size of the book it isn't scannable. I will try a photo of it when I get home. If it works I will post it. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Grev UK, Here is a tsuba in my collection with the similar simple design. The design is refereed to as shippo, shippo-mon, or itomaki Japanese. Your tsuba looks like minor variation of this basic design and is likely a copper reproduction of an original one that was made of iron. Yours truly, David Stiles

I agree with Colin nice cleaning the rust off of your tsuba. Nice tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I found another sai-hai themed Yagyu tsuba published in Sasano's first book (gold colored dust cover) on Sukashi tsuba page 164. Here is the scan of that page for other peoples reference. Sasano dates this tsuba to the Middle Edo Period. My tsuba is likely a late Edo Period Yagyu, Ko-dai (later generation) tsuba with the same classic theme made by Norisuke and the Futagoyama school. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, It should be noted that in regards to rim thickness it is greater then the seppa-dai. This is very different then all the other Tosho tsuba featured in the article which consistently had greater thickness at the seppa-dai. I discuss more about this attribution point in my JSSUS article. I ordered a copy of Owari to Mikawa no Tanko for my study. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, As not to hijack David's topic I decided to start this new topic about a new tsuba I purchased this month. I attributed the tsuba to the Tosho group circa late Muromachi Period. The bassis of this attribution is the color of the patina (very dark brown mixed with black in places), shape and style of rim, thinness of the plate (~3.2 mm), and shape of the kozuka hitsu-ana. I am not completely sure of this attribution but regardless I really like the tsuba. The size of the tsuba is 5.8 x 6.7 cm. Mr. Henry W. attributed the tsuba to Owari Province circa late Edo Period of the Yamamkichibei school. While I do see some characteristics of the Yamakichibei school in terms of the sukashi and the tsuba does have iron bones along the rim the tsuba isn't signed with the mei of Yamakichi or similar mei which is characteristic of that schools later work. It is a plain mumei characteristically like early Tosho group work. Would love other opinion, questions, and comments. Thanks in advance. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Henry, I was questioning if I should it include that tsuba in my Tosho article as I really liked the design and overall feel of the tsuba so much so that when it came up for sale on NMB I purchased it from the cited own of the tsuba in my article. I have been in this field of study long enough not to have to much ego intrested into what I think a design is or isn't. Your idea that the motif is a stylized dango 団子 a banner used by Nobunaga I find just as intresting as me thinking it was a gorinto (五輪塔) and the file marks represented Amida Nyorai radiating aura. In your analysis the file marks would represent Nobunaga radiating aura. :lol: Quick question what early Owari school would you classify my tsuba as? I agree with you analysis of the original tsuba and it is hard in my opinion to nail down a time period for production. The hitsu-ana shape and thickness makes me think pre Edo but the surface and patina makes me wonder. Yours truly, David Sitles

Hi David, I still don't see the connection between decorative file marks in a rain like pattern and Sendai city in northeastern Japan. Opening this topic up might be a good idea. I generally accept Sasano characterization of what is Ko-Katchushi and what is Ko-Tosho. There are sometimes old tsuba that don't completely fall into one or the other categories. Below is a tsuba I discussed in my JSSUS newsletter article as Tosho circa Late Muromachi Period primary due to the style of rim (maru-mimi with no turn up), thinness of the plate at rim (3.2 mm), and color of the patina, but does have a few characteristics of a Katchushi tsuba in terms of the complexly of the openwork design. The iron is softer in feel them what I have observed in Saotome school work. It has nice small granular iron bones along its rim common to pre Edo Period tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, Thanks for the kind words everyone. No not avoiding anyone. The website is still a work in progress. There is more I need to add about myself and my tosogu hobby. I also need to develop a links section as well. I hope to have a chance to work on it more in the comming week. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I now have a new ISP and therefore a new personal website. Here is a link: http://dastiles1.wix.com/reflections-#!home/mainPage. It contains highlights from my collection and a fair amount of information about tsuba and other types of Japanese Art. The website is free so there are some adds. Take a look and please feel free to post comments and questions to this topic. Thank you for taking the time to view my new website. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi David, Do you have a photo or a link to a photo of the tsuba Bob Haynes was referring to in the above statement? Does your tsuba have good iron bones along its rim? Is the Sendai in "Sendai Katchushi" referning to the north-eastern Honshu the modern day location of the city of Sendai? Hi Thierry, Nice tsuba! :D Is it Sendai Katchushi or just pain old Katchushi? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here is my favorite habaki. It is mounted on a Meito that was owned by the Kii Tokugawa Daimyo Family. Enjoy. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi David, What is Sendai Katchushi? Can your provide references with more information or other examples of this groups work? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ron H., What a strange habaki. I also have not seen many habaki made out of shakudo. The detail and gold inlays looks really nice. Sorry can't be much help with the mei or who made the habaki. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Dan O., Here is the a preparation I found used during the late Edo Period for applying a patina to a Iron tsuba. I am not sure if the preparation was specific to Tosho tsuba but is referred to as a standard method. I also have never tried this and have no idea if it would work or not. I hope you find this helpful. Red clay (mix with water to the consistency of thick cream) 0.391 pt. Pine resin 0.132 oz. Nitrate 1.056 oz. Green Vitriol (Ferrous sulfate) 0.0132 oz. Blue Vitriol (Cupric sulfate) 0.0924 oz. Salt 0.264 oz. The above ingredients are mixed together dry and mixed with a small amount of water. Then, add the clay mixture to these ingredients, adding water until the whole thing has the consistency of cream. Allow to stand for a few hours, then skim the residue off the top. This mixture, skimmed from the top of the water, is then spread evenly over the plate of the tsuba and dried on a charcoal fire. The spreading and drying process is repeated about ten times. After the desired color is obtained wash the plate with water and dip in Japanese vinegar (plum vinegar) for about five minutes, when wipe dry. Then the surface of the plate is covered with wood ashes and rubbed clean. This is repeated about ten times. Then the plate is again dried over a charcoal fire. Next the plate is boiled in a solution of wood ashes for about four or five hours. The plate is then dried thoroughly and sword oil is spread on the surface and the plate is rubbed many times until the oil is worked well into the surface. It will take many years before the oxidation of the air will give the final color and true lustrous patina. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Dan O., Thanks for the nice photos of your work. I do at someone need to get a new training sword for my Batto practice. In regards to the material I agree it is likely the lower carbon tamahagane that is used to forage the plate of a Tosho tsuba. The plate of a Ko-Tosho tsuba according to a book by Dr. Torigoye and Mr. Haynes cited in my paper is forged by a single fold of plate metal. They go on to say that the later Tosho tsuba and Katchushi (armor makers) tsuba are made with a more complex "S" fold design. Other people I have talk to discount this so I didn't discuss it in the article. The piercings I am not complete sure how they would be made. In regrades to the texture that is also really important and the ability to produce fine hammer marks along the surface of the plate is important. You will notice this in all of the early Ko-Tosho tsuba many of the finer Tosho tsuba. This would likely need to be done by hand without the use of a power hammer. I do have a few different offline sources on how to make a patina mixture which is applied once the tsuba is complete. I not sure if they are Tosho tsuba specific. I will do some searching and post what I find. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Dan O., I hope you join JSSUS. The information in the newsletter is more then worth the yearly membership dues. Thinking about it the most important skill required to produce high quality modern Tosho style tsuba would be the ability to forage a nice plate from the traditional Japanese steel tamahagane. I know that tamahagane is graded by its carbon content and I don't know which grade or grades would be best for the plate of this type of tsuba. Skillfully and tastefully performing the hammer work on the surface of the plate would also not be easy. The small openwork design I don't think would be hard but again I never tired to make a modern Tosho tsuba before. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian, I was contacted by the JSSUS newsletter editor and was given the green light to post my tosogu article on the message board in a digital format. Please send me a PM with instructions on what to do next. Thanks again. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Henry, I like that tsuba you posted as I have seen it in hand this photo is poor but I am not sure it is a Christian Cross for the reasons given by John L. and which are also discussed in Fred G. article. Here is the photos of my tsuba and the fine granular tekkotsu along the rim. The black arrows are to highlight the small tekkotsu (i.e. iron bones) I hope the photos also show the fine turn back of the rim edge as well. P.S. Pete, thanks for letting me know about another term used to describe this design. I will check both Sasano's books on my bookshelf. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the replys specificly Curran and John L. with the helpful information. I think now the question of the design is answered. I will post more photos of the rim which display a nice turnback once I have a chance after work. The thickness range from 3.5 mm at rim to ~2.5 mm at seppa-dai. I have nice Sanada Tenpo tsuba closely related to the Saotome school in time and place from the late Edo Period that originally lead me and others into thinking it was older then what it was. The really good late ones will do that. Therefore the question of age might not be that easy to answer. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Just read through the four pages of comments about a fairly poor looking tsuba. No disrespect to the original owner as we all must start some where and I have spent 1,000s of dollars on low end tsuba and nihonto when first starting out. Here is a nice tsuba to discuss. I am hoping to maybe get one complete page of replies about what the openwork design is or isn't. I love the hammer work on the surface and iron is also very hard. The rim displays fine grained tekkotsu not the large size ones observed in many Owari tsuba. The measurements are 7.2 cm ✕ 7.0 cm, 3.5 mm at the rim and 2.5 mm at the seppa-dai. It reminds me of Saotome school work circa the Momoyama Period. The design is simple but bold. I was thinking it was a mokko design but when you consider it mounted on a sword with the nakago-ana filled it reminds be a Christian Cross. I remember talking about this to one of message board members at the Florida Show this year after purchasing the tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian and Eric H., Thanks for the replies and Eric H. for his kinds words about my article. It is a good summary of what is currently available on the subject of Tosho tsuba makers in English. I will contact the newsletter editor and Grey D. who is a director about posting the article here on NMB with high resolution color photos of each example. Above is a good example. I will let everyone know once I hear from them. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Chistian M., I stand corrected the inlay technique used does look similar to the tsuba posted. But like I said in the beginning this is not my area of focus. I am not going to comment any more on this tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Lance, Not the right direction that is a signed Umetada tsuba. I would need to look up the mei but it likely dates from the late Edo Period circa 1770-1868 based upon the Kanji used for Ume. The quality of the inlay work is also much better. The surface treatment is similar. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Peter F., I sometimes see this on rusted tsuba so your tsuba is not strange or unique. The classification of unsigned tsuba from the late Edo Period or Meiji Period can be problematic. Mainly due to similarly of the techniques used by many of of the tsubako from that time period. Yours truly, David Stiles