Ford Hallam

Hi Fellas, As you pointed out Milt, the gold is done in standard nunome-zogan. The copper is actually applied in the same way. As you know, annealed copper is pretty soft so working thin sheet into a cross-hatched ground is not particularly difficult. It looks as though the copper used was a bit thicker than the gold, it's a lot cheaper :lol: , and so has not worn as much as the gold. The fine lines engraved around the edges of both the gold and copper is merely to help define the shape and is typically done after the nunome is completed. Copper nunome is not all that common though. Hope this helps to clarify things a bit, cheers, Ford

Hello Bob, thanks for sharing those 2 with us. Both very interesting and attractive pieces. The Katsuhira tsuba is a very fine bit of metalwork in it's own right despite any uncertainty regarding the mei. The fact that it is on the obverse may indicate that it is an 'ato-mei",and rather than an outright attempt to deceive be more of a wishful "attribution". Although personally, I would have chosen Shoami Katsuyoshi as my attribution. The only way to remove the mei would be to inlay a plate of the same material into the ground over the area and repatinate locally. I wouldn't recommend it until you have exhausted all avenues of research into the validity of the mei and taken advice regarding removing it from the NBTHK. The issue of the mei aside, I feel that the design is extremely well conceived and executed. It obviously follows a particular style but never the less is still strongly individualistic. The tiger licking it's paw like that, for instance. The shakudo stripes are also some of the most sensitive and delicate I've seen. I've worked on at least 4 Shoami Katsuyoshi pieces, 2 with tigers. This work is in no way inferior. There are so many aspects of the work I could go on about but that would run to an essay. This in itself makes me feel this tsuba should not be dismissed as "just gimei". There is much more here. Thanks again for sharing, Ford

I must agree with Ted. I think the actual workmanship is not too shoddy but there is definitely something fishy about the look of the carving. The water under the bridge in particular, seems "unnatural" in relation to most Japanese work, pre-Taisho period. Perhaps this is post 1950's amateur work. regards, Ford

I would tend to agree with Koichi on this one. The mei does in fact appear to have been engraved, ie; actually cut into the nakago. Genuine mei are chased, this is more of a matter of pushing the metal out of the way of the punch rather than cutting it away. The edges of the kanji strokes are generally slightly raised as a result. Obviously much older swords may have this feature worn down but you may still see the characteristic overlapping, elongated punch marks in the groove. cheers, Ford

Hi Rich, the green corrosion product on your tsuba is actually mainly composed of Copper(II) Acetate, or more commonly, verdigris. There will be other "pollutants" present but we need not concern ourselves with them. Verdigris is soluble in water and alcohol, not the good stuff we drink though If you want to reduce or minimise the deposit I'd suggest gently rubbing, or even stroking, it with a damp toothpick or something similar. This won't affect the more stable patina which you want to preserve, they're not water soluble. I wouldn't use oil as traces may remain and in fact contribute to further discolouration. Sorry Milt, although chanting may help. The chemical reaction that has produced the verdigris is similar to rusting on ferrous metal but as long as the piece is kept as we generally keep our treasures, the ongoing corrosion being very minor is probably not anything to worry about. In more serious cases you may see bare, pink copper spots/specks or even nasty craters showing underneath the crust, this is the layer where the copper metal is being converted, by means of an electrochemical process, into Copper(II) Acetate. Arresting this sort of, more aggressive corrosion, is a specialist job, for a trained conservator. Hope this helps a little, regards to all, Ford

Hello Chako, first thing I can tell is that it's upside down , and the fish should be on the right when viewed from the front. The design of carp swimming in swirling water is a fairly common one. This style and treatment makes me think of the Yoshioka school. I'd suggest quite late Edo period. Iron tsuba from this school are not too common so there is a strong chance this one is "made in the style of" by an independent artisan simple working to order. It's a fair enough tsuba though. Perhaps others can add more or different opinions. Hope this helps some, Ford The brass or gilt copper rim is a later addition.

For what it's worth ( possibly only a couple of Yen), I'm not sure that seal could be accurately identified, it's that poorly "written". None of the characters really makes much sense to me. This, with the very poor quality of the workmanship ( I'm using the term loosely ) leads me to believe it's the work of a hobbyist working sometime in the last 50 years. I daresay there will be other opinions though :D regards, Ford

Hi Reinier, as Rich says, there is very little available in print. What is, is in Japanese, and, frankly, probably not all that clear in terms of illustrations. You may find some material that might be of help on The Carving Path. Check out the metalwork section, here's a link; http://www.thecarvingpath.net/forum/ind ... owforum=16, We've been building up a resource of Japanese metalwork technique and materials. It's new, and a work in progress but we'll slowly be adding a complete range of tutorials. Regards, Ford

Hi Martin, I don't think there is any question of ever applying any kind of oil to any soft metal fittings and unless your trying to loosen serious rust on an iron tsuba not on iron either. As I said previously, very light wax is customary on soft metal fittings, although gold and silver don't really benefit much, certainly not gold. I can't comment on the special tsuba wax , you've found. I'd want to know how it is that this company is the only supplier of this product and what makes their wax special, or indeed suitable. I notice that their other sword care products are the same as offered by Namikawa Heibei, except for the "special tsuba wax". Perhaps it makes tsuba go faster. :D Rennaisance wax was developed in conjunction with the conservators at the British Museum and is very highly regarded in professional circles. The traditional wax is Ibota-ro, if you can get hold of the solid refined version that is. The usual residue offered isn't much use in this case, but good for putting a gloss on wood, like on shira-saya. Ultimately, the decision to wax iron or not is probably down to you, and I would suggest, the quality and condition of the iron. Really good stuff, and therefore expensive , probably won't need any wax at all, while some of the more " tired" examples can do with all the help they can get. Case by case, I suppose. regards, Ford

Hi Rich, thanks, I always appreciate your thoughts. My "question" wasn't specifically directed at you, although I did post immediately after you so I can see why you may have felt it was, sorry. I was just trying to tease out a more considered appraisal. of form. You are of course absolutely correct about the "look" of old iron that is very old, it's an area of serious work, akin to the sort of thing swordsmiths are after with recreating the feel of Kamakura period steel. I have a few ideas I'm working on.... hello there Paul, I'm afraid there was no catalogue produced but I will probably launch my own site, finally!, in the next couple of weeks. I'll have a number of pieces illustrated in the gallery. I'll let you know when it's live. regards to all, Ford

Hi Brian, I reckon you're right, perhaps I ought to have an alias . I do still have this one, it is actually one of my babies from my "early" days. The brass has developed a very convincing patina now and although these photos don't show it well the iron has a really deep, varied and wet look to it. The images I posted were from an exhibition held at the Birmingham museum in the UK about 10 years ago. regards, Ford

Hi Paul, thanks for taking the time to study the tsuba, you make some very good points. This has never been mounted, as you noted, I've never "tried" to make a piece of mine look old or antique, that's a whole other game . You'll also note that I made this 14 years ago, in relative isolation and before the internet. Trying to "get it" right at that time, without any feedback, was tricky. cheers, Ford

O.K. you got me :D , just keeping you on your toes . Genuine Ford Hallam. circa 1993.Penzance School, Cornwall, England. Mokume steel made by Doc Price of Plymouth, England Next time I'll get someone else to post on my behalf so you'll there will be no hint of my hand. I'm intrigued as to why the irregularity of the tsuba's shape made you feel it was modern though. Have a study of some of Mitsuoki Otsuki's work, although I've always felt he was ahead of his time anyway. thanks and regards, Ford

Hi Henry, the rim is plain iron/steel. No fukurin. Perhaps this egg (shape) is rotten, ho-one cares to comment on it. regards, Ford

Hi Fella's the design if anyone's interested, is that of a "kanmuri", a Shinto priests hat' Like this one. regards, Ford.

greetings all, any thoughts on this tsuba? its mokume iron/steel with a design of grasses inlaid in brass. thanks, Ford

This koshirae over on Aoi-art is from Higo too. This example is a little different from the general type we've been describing thus far but should also be noted as a not uncommon alternative look from this province. The obvious give-away here is the Hosokawa mon on the saya. The tsuba has some sleight Higo traits but I'd suggest more of a Umetada school influence. The gold nunome-zogan on the rest of the metal fittings is typical of that province though. Note also the "inu-me", or boar's eye shaped shitodome ana in the kabutogane/kashira, this shape is also a common Higo trait. It appears on kozuka, bashin and as hitsu-ana on tsuba as well as in many other places.http://www.aoi-art.com/fittings/7200-7249/07216.html cheers, Ford

Hi Stephan, If you have time you could also pop into the Greys Antique market on Davies street ( between Barclay square and Oxford street ). You'll find Don Bayney there, he deals exclusively in Nihonto and fittings so you'll get a chance to get your hands on some blades. He's a decent chap, say "Hi" for me if you do go. The running horse above, is good for a pint too. cheers, Ford

Hi Martin, Soft metal fittings are generally waxed when they are finished so I see no reason not to reapply a light touch when it needs it. The wax should'nt be visible at all. It will enhance the depth of colour and provide a little protection to the patina from handling. regards, Ford

Thanks for that Koichi, I'll buy you a tokkuri or 2 of something nice next time I'm in Tokyo, perhaps autumn. kampai!, Ford

Hi Paul, just so you don't feel all alone and vulnerable :D , I'll join you in your opinion. I also think there is a very fine line between subtle, and boring. Just because someone tells you, you don't "get it" doesnt always mean there is anything worth getting! Ultimately though, it must come down to personal taste. Perhaps part of the appeal has to do with their place in the history of swords and the fact that they were the last "real" swords made for battle. They have been well documented in recent years too. Ford

Morning Jean, I don't know that I would say this type of kojiri is typical, but they are certainly not uncommon. I get the impression that this combination of kojiri and the full, lacquered leather wrap with the metal band in the middle is more of a late Edo period fashion. That's just the impression I have, I'd be interested to hear what others may think. I must agree with you on the kogai, it does look like a more functional bashin. Koichi, am I right in reading "bashin" and "umabari" both from the same Kanji combination? thanks. Ford p.s. Thanks Pete, that is yet another sword that I must now lust after, my wife is not well pleased!

Hi Koichi, the reference to piercing a head is very intriguing. Could this be to do with the manner of handling severed heads for formal head viewing after battle? I seem to remember a reference to the head being pierced in the ear to provide a handle, so to speak. thanks and regards, Ford

Hi Martin, Alcohol won't damage the patina on your piece, unless you've been drinking lots of it yourself! :D . You can use an ear-bud dipped in denatured alcohol and gently wipe the areas you want to clean. Sometimes gentle work with a toothpick helps too. It may be that the white residue you can see is actually oxidised wax, possibly Ibota wax. Once you've cleaned off this old residue and dirt you may want to re-wax with something like Renaissance wax. You can find it on-line by Googling . Warm the piece with a hair-drier until just too hot to touch with bare hands. I usually wear cotton gloves for this part. Apply the wax sparingly with the tip of an ear-bud ( Q-tip). Gently wipe off any excess while it is still warm. Once the piece has cooled enough to handle again you can carefully rub it up to a soft gloss. Take it gently at this stage and use clean kitchen paper towel. hope this helps, Ford

Hi Jean, yes, I think it's safe to say that umabari were only made in Higo. As far as I know Higo province did breed horses and so I imagine they had a few :D . The classic Higo koshirae look came about after the Sengoku wars, when Tadaoki was in his later years and a little less war-like, but as I mentioned much of the feel of this look came from those earlier times. We must also remember that the main sword of the higher ranked warriors was carried tachi style. The Higo style has more in common with the Uchigatana type of mounting which was worn the same way as a katana. It's a massive subject really! , that's what keeps us all interested I suppose. cheers, Ford