Ian B3HR2UH

This is an interesting observation that deserves to be treated seriously . I haven't seen such a thing before . Ian brooks

They don't Gerry . I was offered some of these pieces ie newly polished blades in shirasaya with an accompanying mount . I obviously couldn't put the newly polished blade in the old saya to see if it fitted but I could see if the tsuka fitted over the nakago . It was no surprise that none of the handles fitted the blades they supposedly went with . It was just a mount thrown together to put on display . The lack of respect for their own history staggers me . The NBTHK must bear some responsibility for this , I think , as they seem to provide no incentive not to part things out . Ian Brooks

Dealers can make more from selling the parts than they can from selling the whole sword so they separate them out . Westerners want a koshirae to display with their blade so the obliging dealer puts one together for them from his left over parts. Ian Brooks

In about 1970 when I was 15 years old I owned a few non Japanese swords . Each month I would attend the Antique Arms Collectors Guild meeting at the Hawthorn Band rooms . There was a signed Japanese blade in a gunto saya on sale for Eight dollars . That price was way too high . Each month the asking price would come down by a dollar and when it got to five dollars I bought it ( from underneath my good friend Barry Thomas's nose ) . I couldn't read the mei at the time but later was able to read it as Tojiro Hisakuni a famous koto maker . Gimei ,I am sure ,although one Japanese who saw it was pretty keen on it . It is something that I still own . Ian Brooks

These are so obviously metal and NOT wood

It doesn't look like it is even tempered . The hamon looks like the acid etched or scratched fake hamon that they put on parade sabres . If he won't let you take the handle off then he is probably hiding something . I would walk away from this piece. Ian Brooks

Dale , you are showing pictures of tsuba by TOMOhisa wheras the question concerned TOMIhisa. Tomo and Tomi are two different characters . My tsuba is by Tomihisa and not Tomohisa who, as you have shown , is prolific. Ian

Attached is one of my pieces by Choshu Tomihisa . I have never seen another tsuba by this man Ian Brooks

Yes that's it Dale . So if anyone has the Vever catalogue illustrating this piece I would love to hear from them. Ian Brooks

Hi Dale , it is number 3682 in Hawkshaw and is illustrated on plate XXVI . The subject is three namako or sea cucumbers . Ian

I have a kozuka which was in the Peter Hawkins collection . His catalogue says that it was in the Hawkshaw and Vever collections . It is indeed illustrated in the Hawkshaw catalogue .There were five Sotheby's sales of the Vever collection between 1972 and 1974 . I have the catalogues for the third and fourth sales and my kozuka is not in them . Does anyone have the catalogues for the first ( 1972 ) , second (1973 ) or fifth ( 1974 ) sales who would be happy to look for my piece in them. Thanks Ian Brooks

It seems foolish to display the blades naked and open to the atmosphere . They are traditionally stored in saya for a reason . Ian Brooks

Hi Anthony , I also purchased a few items at the auction and am really pleased with them . I don't think that there has ever been a bigger or better auction of fittings in this country . I understand that the vendor lived in London at one time and purchased items from Sotheby's and probably other auction houses in the 70's . I have a few Sothebys catalogues from this era and a lot of the pieces auctioned last night are in them. Lot 317 is in one of the Sotheby's catalogues and it gives the maker of your piece as Umetada Chikashige . The seal on the back is his according to Shosankenshu . The other interesting information is that according to the catalogue this piece was in the Seymour Trower collection . My quick look at the Trower sale catalogue didn't pick it up but with a little more time I hope that you do. Ian Brooks

HI Mark , meeting Barry Thomas was the first big step . Regards Ian

I doubt that this is Japanese Ian Brooks

HI Bob , 1969 Regards Ian

Hi Bob , I came across your Ikkin tsuba in the Fahrenhorst collection book and thought you would like to see it Ian Brooks

Here are a couple of mine Dan . The " hook " fitting is more typical of Army belts but I am sure it is just a choice of the manufacturer . Ian Brooks

I have a sword that a previous owner loved so much that he took it to bed with him ! Guess he fell out of love . Ian Brooks

I hope I didn't give the wrong impression . These are not pieces that I am wanting to buy . The owner asked for an opinion on values which I gave him . I posted here so he would get alternative views. Ian Brooks

Thank you all for your opinions . It is interesting to see the range of views from 2500AU to 6000 US . There is a comparable piece on Jauce at the moment for 800,000 yen ( g1116642310 ). Of course it may sit there unsold for ages at that price . I said to the owner that if it was my sword I would be pretty disappointed if I couldn't get 5000 $AU for it and pretty happy if I got $7000 AU for it

Yes Bazza , you may be right but what say you, as an occasional cataloguer, about its value . The blade itself has some real quality about it and I think you would like it . Ian

Sorry for the delay in posting these photos . The photo of the nakago doesn't do justice to this piece , it is a beautifully cut mei and the patination on the nakago is a lovely dark chocolate brown . The strong impression I got was that the blade was was correct . I haven't checked the mei but the workmanship in the blade is excellent and I would be really surprised if it wasn't shoshin . The horimono may be added . Thanks for your comments to date Ian Brooks

Could I thank members for their input and advice on the last piece that I posted . Can I ask for opinions on this piece . It is very showy and probably quite late . The blade is however shinto , of good quality and in good condition . I have little doubt that the blade is genuine although the horimono may be added later . What do members think this might be worth . To some extent I am asking so that the owner will get a feel for the accuracy of the prices that I gave him . Ian Brooks

Thank you all for your comments . I said to the owner that if it was mine and I put it in an auction then I would be pretty disappointed if it only made $ 1500 AU and really happy if it got to $2500 AU . To some extent I based this on a Kai Gunto in the big Lloyds auction which sold for $3500 AU . That sword had a good old blade and superior mount on it and was, I thought, a far more desirable piece than this . I was the underbidder . I also recall a nice Kai gunto with a Koto Sukesada blade that despite being a reasonable price sat in the for sale section here ,unloved for a long time . I might however be showing my bias towards old blades and my disdain of Showa To here . Steve's assessment might prompt the owner to test the waters on this site . I will post the other one soon. Ian Brooks