raiden

Which tanto was it?

If this was a genuine Shinkai, it would have been purchased, even with its current npo certificate there was no confidence in the bidding.

Mr Chan, Item # 40042 is a katana actually signed by Yukinobu and HAS a kanteisho. It is not a spurious signature on a blade by Sadakazu. I do not know who did this description, but it is totally inaccurate in my opinion. M.

Mr Chan, There was a thin katana signed Gassan Sadakazu, butit had no certificate. This blade is a daisaku mei by Sadakatsu and is considered acceptable. In the future please post the catalog number to avoid confusion. This signed Sadakazu is item 40039

If you are talking about the blade with the Ranma Sukashi horimono that was said to have a spurious signature to Yukinaga, well it did have a paper that wasn’t added with the piece as did several of the items. I am not sure who did the actual write ups, but boy were they way off. This collection was from an old client who had me certify several of the items, that being said, items were mis handled, mis represented and terrible pics making it a good shopping day for alot of people. ???? M Yamasaki

Got 3 , not bad!

If this hasn’t been posted already, I am reporting news of a great and once up coming sword smith Yoshihara Yoshikazu’s passing a few months ago. He will be missed, and hopfu’’y his son will step up in his place.

Maybe try "Kofu ju Tatsutoshi"

Nice mount darcy! Brian does great work just like your other tanto mount he did for you. The sageo is fine, I think you don't need to trim it at all! My 2 cents worth. Mike

These have been seen, but are good for this topic. Good examples from the Mito Kinko school. One is Juyo with matching mount.

While in Japan, i also ran into a friend from Europe, and he told me he recently received a Tokubetsiu Hozon attribution on a Tsuba to Kanshiro as well. I think this enough info for all to study.

As promised, here are a few pieces of evidence that the NBTHK did in fact attribute Higo pieces as high level attributions if the item seemed to meet the standards. These kanteisho, plus the pics of the prior tsuba that I had posted on a different thread should be enough for those interested to be able to understand that if an item is indeed judged to be of the calibre or have enough characteristics required to achieve a higher classed attribution, it is still done until this day. If one received a "Higo" attibution, there is most likely a very good reason for this attribution, and should be looked at as a case by case study. I am only posting as I wrote that I would for education sake. Mike Kanshiro Hikozo Kanshiro Rakuju

Thats how it should be! Love to see the menuki!

Curran, what is your opinion? or anyone else.

As far as this "Black Swan" thing, I think you do not see enough pieces to make an accurate judgment, you have to know who to see in Japan and have them show you what they have (even in their own collections). The remark about if the NBTHK will ever paper a tsuba to Kanshiro again is an unfair one, as you have not done enough research or not even contacted the NBTHK to make an accurate statement. If you feel this way, then submit a tsuba that IS a Kanshiro by classic standards and top condition, not a maybe one.

Curran, that's all I found for now with a quick search. I think you have no idea of how many pieces we shinsa every year. you can only think of your own items. I wondered about a few things after reading this post very carefully. First I wonder if you understand the criteria for judgement of the NBTHK. Second, I am wondering why you flatly refuse to post examples of this "Higo" only designation even though it would be beneficial to this post. Is it because your own items that you believed to be a "Kanshiro" or "Hikozo" or "Matashichi" only papered to "Higo". If that is the case, then you should go to Japan if you will not post examples for discussion and speak directly with the piece in hand to someone like Hagihara Sensei, Kobayashi Sensei or Iiyama Sensei or anyone else on the team. then maybe you can have a true sense of what Higo is and can be. Similar isn't always the same. That's the difference between an amateur and a professional Personally, I submit many items for my own education, then if I have a question, I ask them in Japan.This is part of my education. Being closed minded doesn't help, as well as disappointment. Through the years I have started to understand , and it has helped my submissions for Juyo blades and fittings very much. Books are necessary, but not enough. Proper guidance teaches me quite a bit, if I may ask, who teaches you? Just for the record, if you hold Sasano Sensei as a valid authority, then you should speak with Hagihara Sensei as he was one of Sasano's best students and is well versed in Higo and Iron.

Curran, why do you keep asking me for proof, when you have show none at all? All you have done is write words, but not a single example. So how can we tell if the call is conservative or not? This is in answer to your question Brian, how can we know what is exactly being discussed or even if it is true without added evidence. For me. hearsay is not enough in this case is my point. I know of several pieces that have passed in either 2013-2014 and 2015 as one of the three discussed - Hikozo, Kanshiro and Matashichi. I do not need proof as I have held these in my hand and saw several of them pass Juyo in 2014 and 2015. For me I do not need evidence, I know the proof lies at the NBTHK. To hear the records Curran should call himself if he does not believe. I can put him in touch with someone there. I just do not have the time for hearsay, there is nothing to learn. I do know that many tsuba do get the "Higo" only attribution as there are more of those type than the examples done by the masters. To see even 10 of the so called 33 examples and have them discussed would be worthwhile for education. But to question the NBTHK without accurate information is wrong in my opinion. Do we know how many tsuba post 2014 were passed of any/all Higo schools? I sure don't.

Curran, then you have no proof and this whole post is worthless without ANY proof from you. It is only words. Explain why we have to post , but not you? where's the proof in that? Where's the education? No evidence leads no where.This discussion is worthless.

As far as the NBTHK goes, Curran if you have a complaint or doubt, I can put you in front of Hagihara sensei if you will meet me in Japan. Just have your evidence ready if we do this and I'm sure he can answer all of your questions, just ask Michael C as he attended out toso study group in Japan that was held by Hagihara sensei. Any NBTHK member if they attend our study meets in Nov can ask the sensei a question if done politely of course. To the rest of the NMB, my apology's for the intrusion and remarks, and will try to help when I can. Mike Yamasaki

On Topic- Curran again I ask you to post evidence of the "Higo" only attributions, I have posted 2 examples for everyone to see. Where is your proof of 33? (Haven't seen even one yet)Then everyone can see and compare to understand why this attribution was given, otherwise all your words are empty, and just hearsay. I don't doubt that there were many "Higo" only attributions, but lets see what they are to discuss and learn. And you do not understand again what I wrote about waiting to go to Japan to see about the Kanshiro papers? If not, I cannot help you any more. I think my time will be better spent elsewhere. For everyone else, top level items such as real Hikozo are not that common, so this attribution is not so easily given out. The last time I personally had a Hikozo attribution was about 3-5 years ago (I can produce the paper for this tsuba), And if someone was a serious true student of Higo tsuba, they would have recognized the tsuba that I had posted pics of on this post as being in the Higo Kinko Taikan, and belonging to the Hosokawa family. My friend bought all of one branch families (Hosokawa) collection. There is records of what they are and proven provenance. So use them to compare against the "Higo" only attributions, since we cannot see what they are. Need I say more? I cannot without seeing pics of those tsuba papers in question. Brian if I am out of line, feel free to let me know, and remove all of my posts. On a different note: beware of papers that say "Hirata Hikozo" this designation is false - the NBTHK never gives this attribution as far as I know. It is either "Hirata" or Hikozo". If you see Hirata Hikozo, someone added the Hikozo part on the paper underneath. This is not the NBTHK's doing, but a person who is cheating the system. Mike

For now I have only this and have no other time for now, but this is 2 more , plus the tsuba I posted than what I have seen from you besides words. You are correct, "evidence' is important, not just words. Please check 2015 juyo passed tosogu, and then you can see which items of higo passed at that time that I had posted. I guess you can ask the NBTHK for a copy of the Hozon or Tokubetsu Hozon. We do not keep the tags or cards because there are way too many to keep.By the way,do you know how hard it is to get a Musashi designation these days?

Curran, I thought i made it very clear - When you pass Juyo for sword or fitting, you have to turn in the Tokubetsu Hozon or Hozn paper. The kanshiro may have a paper, and I will check when I return to Japan. What i think is needed more at the moment is the PROOF of the items in question from you. I did not see ANY examples of items with the "Higo" designation posted from you unless I missed them that you wrote about. Out of 33 reported by you papers, how many have you posted to show the item and the attribution? So I say , let start with you as you were the one that posted this originally. Maybe these items are subpar, maybe not. But without evidence, none of us can tell. Only your words have been posted and that is not enough as you did not issue the certificates or see all of the items in hand. Lets see your proof of data for educational purposes, other wise it is only hearsay, and we cannot learn anything except your confusion. I wait for your evidence of the 33 pieces for study on this post. A post of the papers should suffice. I for one would like to see for study myself.

Curran,Well, you can check the Juyo zufu for 2015 for those that passed the 2014 shinsa, and I know the others passed last year and were on display at the NBTHK because I saw them, And like I stated earlier, I'll ask if there is the Hozon or Tokuho for the 2 that may not have passed Juyo or that were not submitted. But, my question for you is , you are asking me for this, what about you posting the papers of all the examples that you have talked about? I would like to see what the evidence of what this discussion is about. That's all I can do until I go to Japan, and I don't have that much free time to spend on this post - so someone let me know when Curran posts examples of all the items he has been talking about, so we can se the examples of what was called "Higo"

Ooops, Curran, to be clear as it seems I must be here, "not pass" for the Kanshiro means to my knowledge it did not pass Juyo or wasn't submitted yet. I haven't watched the NMB for a while as I am busy studying or teaching. People, please remember that just because a piece only papers to "Higo" doesn't mean it is a bad piece, but there is a reason for that particular attribution. For example how many out there can actually make an educated call on a Higo tsuba made by Takatada? The people that I learn from in Japan about Higo are some of the best, and I find that I have much to learn. The true way to learn is by having the items in hand, and someone of quality to show you the "WHY". At the next show, I would like to see in hand some of these "Higo" only attributed 2014 pieces, so please bring them and show me. Curran if you will attend, I would be happy to have this conversation with you at that time. I am not defending the NBTHK, but I am trying to show that there is a possible difference in items of Higo.