An interesting journey

[kissakai]

Hi to all tsuba collectors

I started my tsuba collection in Feb 2012 which quickly grew. These have been bought from dealers, NMB members and EBay. In Nov 2012 I bought a 1930 catalogue of an exhibition of tsuba in the Birmingham (England) Museum. This was the start of a fascinating journey for me.

 

My tsuba are mainly iron and the 1930 catalogue contained over 95% of iron tsuba so I thought would be a great for reference but it only had a few B&W photos. As with most museum collections these tsuba were in storage so a bit of a blow to my research.

 

I thought I should contact the museum to ask to view these tsuba but on second thoughts why not ask to photograph them. I knew this would be a problem as someone from the museum would have to be with me to ensure correct handling and ensure no pilfering took place. In this present economical situation to ask the museum to allocate a person for a whole day would be unreasonable but if you don’t ask you don’t get! After a visit to the museum to assure them I was no time waster they agreed to let me have a full day to photograph the tsuba, great news.

 

Photographs were a problem as they had to be taken indoors under artificial lights so I tested a light box at home that worked fine unfortunately at the museum I was plagued with shadows and reflections but after about an hour I had some success. I have posted some of these images on the NMB and have had favourable comments on the quality of the images. There are approximately 590 tsuba in the collection which equates to 1180 images so after a day I had images for less than half the collection! After some discussion the museum allowed me the extra time to finish the photography which in total took 2 ½ days over a 3 month period.

 

I hope to get printed a limited number of soft cover draft books in full colour as this will be a cheap way of getting started, then with help, the final corrections can be made. Then I either contact a specialist book dealer or print it myself with a DVD of the images. The DVD will allow the viewer to zoom in to the images which will show far more detail than the book.

 

In my humble opinion this is the best collection of iron tsuba outside the Victoria and Albert museum and it is a crime that has not been seen by the public since 1930. After my visits to the museum and talks with the curator there is interest to display these tsuba again but these thing take time

 

I have written this background so NMB members will understand why I will need quite a bit of help and advice over the next few months. I have compared the descriptions in the 1930 catalogue against the museums descriptions and found quite a few discrepancies. Some of these I have already done myself, some have already been answered by the NMB members but there is still a long way to go.

 

I know when I ask for advice it is only an opinion but when I know some of my information is wrong any help is appreciated. With previous requests I’ve asked for the mei kanji so I can add the correct kanji to the book. I am about half way through the mei kanji and where possible I’ve referenced this to a Haynes number

 

 

With thanks

Grev UK

[John A Stuart]

Lookng forward to your finished DVD/book. John

[christianmalterre]

Dear Grev,

 

this is an couragous and nice post here!

And yes!-this is the really best way so to learn seriously about this passionable hobby,too!

Keep on going this way-as you will forcefully meet the right persons-showing you the stuff,having the right contacts...

the Hawley group is an excellent choice so to ask for add. support,too!

Having done this the same way like you in several museums or private collections here in Germany,Belguim,France and the Netherlands during the past years-mine next big goal is to see the Kreml collection(where certainly some of the still "lost" Behrens pieces "may ben stored" ...contacts already are done-it´s just the timeframe and inner politics to ben taken(which is the hardest goal)...

Either way-your´s knowledge will very certainly increase rapidly-and the jbw resulting database you do built yourself besides,will equally result in an really outstanding bibliotheque of hard fact reference...(even if just for own pleasure)

keen in getting showed some reference examples(if it´s possible and authorized by curators/museums)

 

Christian

[kissakai]

Hi John/Christian

John unbeknown to you, you have already given me some great advice on this collection

 

Christian

I have so quite a few queries so you may even get fed up of me after a while :D

 

 

Grev UK

[kissakai]

I forgot to mention that I have the museums permission to post images and seek advice as this is in there interest as well as mine

They already know that some of there details were incorrect and are therefore keen to correct any errors

I'm working with a Japanese girl that has already confirmed some errors with the mei, but school attribution is much more difficult but something obvious as a Akasaka attribution to an apparent Namban tsuba is easily spotted. In one case this was just a misplaced label

It is only if/when I publish that I need to discuss this in detail with the museum

Another aim is to publish at a low a cost as possible as I have no interest in making a profit

 

 

Grev UK

[Justin]

I was lucky enough to examine and photograph hundreds of tsuba from the Church collection at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford in January. The photos turned out really well (even under fluorescent lights), however I signed an agreement not to share them with anyone. You can see them in the Church collection catalogue anyway. The museum staff were great and allowed me lots of time to go through them all.

 

Although I arranged this through a friend who knew the curator, I think most museums are accommodating if you ask in a courteous and professional manner and let them know that you're a serious collector looking to learn.

 

Well done on deciding to publish your photos/write ups. I for one will be looking to purchase a copy.

[Brian]

Grev has kept me up to date on the progress of this project as it went along, and I have seen quite a few of the photos. I can confirm this is quite an extensive collection, covering most of the schools and quality levels. Grev has good intentions and I applaud his efforts. I would encourage everyone to give him assistance if they are able, as it is a huge task.

 

Brian

[Ron STL]

Grev, I believe that little book was one of my very first books on tsuba, purchased around 1970. The little book plus Robinson's book peaked my interest in fittings, an interest that has only increased over the decades. Good luck on your project. Ron STL

[Soshin]

Hi Grev UK,

 

Good luck with your project. Let me either via PM or through my website if I can be of any help.

[Markus]

I am also more than willing to help. There are so many sleeping beauties

in our museums waiting to be discovered.

 

Keep us up to date Grev.

[kunitaro]

It is very interesting project.

If you need help, Please let me know.

[Pete Klein]

I would be honored to be included in the review.

[kissakai]

I am overwhelmed at the offers of help via the message board and PM's

Some via PM's have even given me their personal email addresses

 

I have been thinking of the best way to seek advice and intend to do as follows:

Where I am asking for advice about a school I will use a personal email contact only

This is because I will be attaching several images at a time and this is easier via email

Anyone who would like to PM there personal email would be included on this request for help

I know attribution to a school is a bit hit and miss and sometimes impossible but when the 1930 catalogue states one school and the Museum states another school I'm sure with the NMB advice I can select the most probable

 

Mei and general queries will go on the NMB so they may help other NMB members and usually only involve a couple of images

 

 

Grev

[Akitombo]

Grev

 

I too, will lend any help you need.

 

If the museum wants to gain from this, an exhibition running with your work would be a good way forward.

 

The catalogue was one of my first books on tsuba, looking through it, one could only imagine the tsuba described.

 

To see them in their full glory, well that would be great.

 

Good luck

 

David.N