pcfarrar

First and only discount to $250.

Cherry Blossom and Horse Shakudo Menuki Probably Late Edo period. 4.5cm x 1.2cm $300 with worldwide shipping.

Now Sold

One final discount to $175

Now SOLD

Price drop to $325. Tsuba on hold

Price drop to $200.

This tsuba is either Ko-Katchushi or Ko-Tosho from the late Muromachi/early Momoyama period. It is very thin (tapering from the centre) and has a sukashi of a dragonfly (tombo) and rain (shigure) yasuri. The quality of the sukashi work is excellent and the shigure yasuri are very well done. The sukashi work may be a later addition to an older plate. The tsuba has fine quality iron with great colour and texture. It has some very slight patina war on the lower section of the dragonfly sukashi. 76 x 75 x 1mm at the rim and 2.5mm thickness at seppa dai. I've included a photo from Torigoye's "Tsuba Kanshoki" to show a tsuba that has very similar shigure yasuri to this one. $375 including worldwide shipping. This tsuba was originally from Marius's collection so credit to Marius for the photos

This tsuba appears to be a Ko-Tosho tsuba from the Muromachi period. Traces of old black lacquer on the surface. 77 x 77mm 3mm thickness Weight 97g Small kizu above the nakago ana visible on one side. $260 including worldwide shipping and paypal fees.

I'm not too sure what you mean I just searched for "備州長船祐定" on buyee and more swords came up than the same search on Jauce. I'd say you've got a bigger problem with the new Regulation (EU) 2019/880. Technically a $10 rusty edo period tsuba would be CAT B and need an import license. Will buyee/jauce continue to allow shipping of antiques to the EU?

Buyee offer combined shipping as well. I've never tried to use them for swords, it's always best to use a proper agent in Japan for that.

Why do people use Jauce? Buyee is much better, no faffing around having to deposit money into an account before you can bid etc.

Probably not, Peter had loads of high end swords, I remember him saying he collected good shin-shinto smiths.

There was a rumour that his gardener stole them all after his death but who knows if that was true or not.

It does say they are adding most of the curved sword defences to Ninja swords as well. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e568b187cebda7c4ca4cbe/Public_Consultation_Government_Response__-_Ninja_Swords-FOR_PUBLICATION.pdf

Royal Mail and Parcelforce both x-ray parcels. Not sure if they do every one but they have automated rapid scanning machines.

Ian Bottomley predicted years ago that collecting was ultimately doomed in the UK. With a Labour "woke to the max" government likely coming later in the year it's only going to accelerate the demise.

That’s not really an issue, the bigger problem is restoration. Sending swords to Japan has now become a lot harder.

Guess it's a return to militaria fairs for buying/selling swords in the UK.

The Labour Party want to ban swords completely so we’ve got that to look forward to soon too.

For anyone in the UK the Royal Mail are banning all bladed items from April 22nd 2024. This Includes sharp scissors "You must not send any item that has a blade, in particular, ‘Bladed Articles’ as defined by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 or ‘Bladed Products’ as defined by the Offensive Weapons Act 2019. Such items include, but are not limited to, any knife blade, any kitchen knife (regardless of size or design), bread knives, knives that can be used for hobbies and trades (regardless of whether they are marketed as knives, for instance, utility knives and snap-off cutters), gardening and farming tools that have a blade, any trade tool that could commonly be described as a knife, butcher’s knives (including meat cleavers), cutlery knives, scissors with sharp edges, sporting equipment with a blade, replica and antique knives (including those used for re-enactment purposes), handmade and bespoke knives, open razors (where the blade is exposed), any axe, any sword, survival knives, or machete"

I've got a Jakushi tsuba signed " Kizaemon Jakushi" presumably the 2nd generation. NBTHK for some reason didn't see the feint signature and papered it to Nanban.

He had one of the largest collections in the UK. Including some very good swords. The numbers quoted are accurate from what I’ve heard. Auction will be later in the year apparently.

That's not correct unfortunately. The EU is now treated the same as non EU countries (we aren't in the single market or customs union) so buying a sword from someone in the EU is the same as from Japan/USA etc. Anyone in the UK will need to pay the 5% VAT for an antique over 100 years old. There is also now the new pre-paid VAT scheme that dealers in the EU and elsewhere in the world will need to sign up for to ship to the UK. This has some significant monthly costs and requires the business to send the VAT payments to the UK. I believe the EU is starting a similar scheme soon.