Soshin

Hi Ed F., Here is the nanban tsuba I was talking about in my collection and the poor scan I did. Similar in a way to Fred G. problem posted on his website. Notice how the inside parts of the nanban-bori are so out of focus. I do notice that I did get a good contrast between the jet black sakudo mimi and the brownish-black color of nanban tetsu of the tsuba. I really need to re photograph this tsuba because it looks much better in hand then it does in this poor scan. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ed F., I can see where a scanner would be better for Nihonto then tosogu. An additional reason I wanted to link to Fred G. website was that the tsuba he is selling look much better in person on then on website. Tonight after work I will post the nanban tsuba I own I was talking about in the earlier post. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ed F., It really depends on the tsuba. If the tsuba is flat all scanners I know of have a fix depth of field have no problems but a tsuba with a big change in height due to carving, hammering, style of open work, and overall change of the surface height can make parts of it appear out of focus obscuring some detail. Not to pick on Fred G. but here is a link to his website: http://www.swordsandtsuba.com/tsuba/nanbanpg1.html. Take a look at the third Nanban tsuba from the top and notice how out of focus it is. I have a nanban in my collection that did the very similar thing when I tried to scan it. Is this enough detail answer to your question? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Christian, In terms of age I would say that it is likely dependent of the characteristics of the iron including but not limited to the color. In Rodenbacher opening post he stated something about the tsuba having "iron bones" or tekkotsu along the rim. I was thinking this is more likely a characteristic of Owari Sukashi tsuba from early Edo Period. By the middle to late Edo Period the "iron bones" became very rare even in Owari tsuba generally speaking. I don't see any in his photographs but this type of detail of the iron requires a nice digital camera to document. I know this from my own personal experience. I do notice what you are talking about the poor shape of the kozuka and kogai hitsu-ana which may indicate a later production. I don't think really anything can be resolved until we have some better photos of the tsuba in question. For this very reason I paused my collecting to do some learning and purchased a new digital camera and other critical photographic equipment. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Rodenbacher, Without correct color balance the patina can look way off. From the above quote and other information provided the tsuba this is likely a early Edo Period Owari tsuba. With that said I can't really confirm anything until I see the tsuba in hand give the photos provided. I like the design thanks for sharing. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Henry W. and Fred D., I purchased it over a year ago from a dealer who is also my broker to submit things to the NBTHK. I didn't pay much for it at all sigificately less then the gimei example sitied by Henry. When I use the term "gimei" I should have used quotes. As you are correct Herny only in the eyes of the NTHK and NBTHK is it considered a gimei. In historical reality it was likely a early Edo Period Yamakichibei school work. Thanks again for the comments and discussion. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here is a composite of three different photos I taken of a tsuba in my collection. I invested in a completely new digital camera, lens, tripod, and head to take the photos. The design of this Yamakichibei tsuba is of a dragonfly kachimushi (勝虫) made in part by the kozuka-hitsu ana facing a pine tree done in Ko-sukashi (小透). The surface has nice hammer marks Tsuchime Ji (槌目地). The patina sabi (寂) is also very dark brown-black indicative of Edo period Yamakichibei gimei (偽銘) copy from Owari Province. Granular iron bones tekkotsu (鉄骨) are present all along the rim and in some places on the surface of the tsuba itself. The measurements are 7.0 cm X 6.5 cm and 3.0 mm at the rim but thinner at the seppa-dai. Comments and questions are welcome about the photos or the tsuba. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Rodenbacher, No this tsuba doesn't look like anything I have ever seen. It must have been heavily altered at some point. I collect the Tempo school and this doesn't look like at all the work of that school. Thanks for posting photos. Maybe someone else can give it a try. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi, I would say Owari Sukashi school. The rim and how the ji-sukashi is done (squareness) all look Owari to me. The ji-sukashi design is bold and symmetric characteristic of Owari but also doesn't look dynamic enough to be Shoami School. The color of the patina of the iron does look off in all the photos which could just be poor lighting or a white balance issue. Can you provide better photos under natural sunlight or other better lighting? Thanks. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Alan and John, The Ko-Shoami school makes sense and the shumei was a attribution added later. This also makes sense given all Ko-Shoami are unsigned. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John, Well give the limited information I not going to try to identify the tsuba. As for the shumei is likely just a latter attribution someone made as to the maker of the tsuba. I have seen this more often on Nihonto. The Hoami would use gold in there attribution signatures of muei Nihonto. Over the weekend a friend show me a Nihonto he had with a gold attribution mei made by a Hoami who made the attribution in the Edo Period to what is a Koto tachi that was shorted and the signature lost on the nakago. I don't think a tsubako would ever use a shumei in signing their work. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John, What are the measurements of the tsuba including thickness at the rim (mimi) and near the center (seppa-dai)? Having better photos would be helpful but I can understand if you can't get them easily. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ed, I think you need to look at more quality tsuba. A hammered back mimi does not look like that. The only thing I do see is multiple casting defects. To be honest I would recycle those cast tsuba if they were ever mounted on a real Nihonto I owned. They look bad and they have little or no value. This is just my opinion. Go ahead and post the other tsuba you were talking about above. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ed, I would agree with Larenzo and others points the tsuba looks like a cast iron copy of a original Edo Period kinko tsuba. Both tsuba will be considered as shirimono. There are iron nanako but it doesn't look like this. I have a good example in my collection. Let me know if a good example of real iron nanako would be helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ed, Sorry I am not to familiar with the Yoshiro school often referred to as the Kaga Yoshiro school. I don't know much about the early brass inlays schools in general. I only have one brass inlay tsuba in my collection and that is a Onin tsuba from the middle to late Muromachi Period based in Kyoto. Here is another example I found searching on the Google: http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/kaga-yoshiro-tsuba.html?___store=us&___from_store=it. I hope you find what little information I have helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, Wonderful thoughtful reply to Charles question. I have learned something from just reading it. This little topic has been a great read. Thank you Ford, Charles, and Alan. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ed, Thanks for taking the time to post photo of your Nihonto tsuba. With all do respect I can't see anything that makes me think Muromachi or Momoyama Periods for the age of the tsuba. In the photos you have provided of the tsuba. Often old blades will be remounted many times. They did do some lacquring of tsuba during the Edo Period but was more common before the Edo Period. Based upon the photos I would say late Edo to early Meiji Period for the age of the tsuba. I have been wrong many times and sometimes it is hard to judge from a few low resolution photos. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Christian, No I don't have a copy of that article. Post a copy or a link as I think other people might find it interesting. Thank you. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, John and Christian, I think you are right the ko-sukashi are stylized myoga (Japanese ginger). The whole design might be referred to as shiho (no) myoga (四万茗荷) in Japanese as the myoga are at the four directions. I have a NBTHK papered Owari tsuba with that type of four direction design on it. Here is some better photos of the tsuba both the omote and ura side. The brass sen-zogan is only around the four ko-sukashi which I like. The five rows of brass ten-zogan on the surface reminds me of this tsuba from the Yamabushi website: http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/BM%20Onin%20Tenzogan%20Tsuba.htm. It has a total of four rows of brass ten-zogan while mine has five rows. It like mine has sen-zogan around the ko-sukashi. Comparing my tsuba to the Yamabushi example the back lacquered iron is almost identical in color and texture. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Dirk, Can't clearly see the attribution on NBTHK shinsa origami. Can you post better photos? Overall a interesting piece and worth discussing. I didn't know they made kozuka out of ivory. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here is a really old tsuba I would like to post about new to my collection. :D It is a Onin tsuba with abstract ko-sukashi elements in four directions of the tsuba. About 2/3 of the brass ten-zogan is still present and almost all of the black lacquer. The measurements of the tsuba are 7.8 X 7.6 the thickness at the rim is 2.5 mm. The thin rim display nice linear tekkotsu. Based upon the color of the brass inlays, use of black lacquer, and abstract sukashi design I would date it's age from the middle to late Muromachi Period. Any suggestions about the ko-sukashi design would be helpful. Before coming to a US collection over 30 years ago it was mounted on a civilian Japanese sword during World War II and was located by the US collector in Malaysia during the 1970s. The Japanese sword was a complete loss but this tsuba remained likely due to the black lacquer was able to be restored. I have a new camera and will post better photos of it over the weekend. Comments, questions, and answers are welcome. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mariusz K, This isn't my area of current study but I like the tsuba. The surface is nicely done. I hope more knowledgable people will reply. The black lacquer may indicate a early production. I have tsuba with this on it that likely dates to the middle to late Muromachi Period. Your truly, David Stiles

Hi Mark G., Thanks for liking my tsuba. I am not familiar with the Bungo group or school. Could you provide some additional information or where to find some additional information about this group or school? Thank you very much. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi KM, The funny and ironic thing is these type of mistakes are the result of spelling autocorrect on my iPhone. I would go on to say don't over clean and leave the inside part of the sukashi alone. Only clean it if the rust is damaging the sukashi. Do not use any chemicals or oils to clean the rust. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear John L., Generally the samething I said for Choshu can be applied to Aizu Shoami school. Thanks for your input. Yours truly, David Stiles