ROKUJURO

Robert, if we do not live this life in a way that fits us, in which life could we do it? I understand what you are saying, but it is probably not for everyone. You need to have a certain sense or sensibility for that. To me, it happens from time to time that I see a place in the forest or a hand-made item with age and use. It is as if there was something like a connection, but nothing you could really grasp. Perhaps it is only a form of mental condition?

I agree Robert. Better quality KIRIBAKO are designed that way.

Robert, what you describe is not the fault of the KIRIBAKO, it is the humidity around.

Easy to spot as fake. - There is no HADA, that is a form of Damascus steel - tha characters are chiseled upside-down in the blade

.....That is my kind of tsuba, old and rusted!.... Maybe you really don't understand? Rust is the enemy of iron. It is not a decorative feature on TSUBA, it even does not necessarily have to do with age. It is not a layer on top of the surface, it is the material itself, turned into oxide. Rust is eating up a TSUBA and should be removed or at least reduced/inactivated. If one can understand this process and has a minimal feeling of respect and responsibility towards an antique, handmade object of art/craft, they would want to preserve it in an appropriate way. This is not done fast with chemicals, it is a labour of love and care - and time. It also requires a basic knowledge of how an iron TSUBA is made, and how they are traditionally preserved and stored. Being a caretaker of an antique object has nothing to do with personal taste, it is first and foremost an obligation to learn, the more if the object is belonging to another culture with possibly different value perception and appreciation. In case you care to read about the WABI-SABI concept, you will find that Japanese appreciate objects (often of simple character like traditional household items) that show respectful, long-term use. Not neglected, not just "old". There is a form of love behind that, of deep understanding and respect. And also - perhaps - a feeling of thankfulness towards the ancestors who preserved the item so carefully. Did you know that in SHINTOISM, it is believed that handmade objects ( as well as old solitary trees, rocks, waterfalls a.s.o.) used by many hands (e.g. a good DEBA knife for the kitchen) over many years, can carry a KAMI, a good spririt who is nourished by the good intentions, respect and care of the people. When, after generations, the knife-blade is used up so that it cannot be sharpened any more, they carry the knife to a priest in the SHINTO shrine and have him release the KAMI from the knife in a ceremony. Only then the remains of the knife can be recycled. I am sorry for going off the path, but I wanted to underline that we have to accept that in another culture things may be seen differently in comparison with what we are used to. We are requested to learn and respect that. We do not need to become Japanese citizens to be good TSUBA collectors, just showing a minimal respect and awareness for what we hold in our hands.

John, the only one close might be TSUNE ( 常 ) on the TSUBA. The experts here will help!

In the first place, preservation has nothing to do with the value of an object. Any antique iron TSUBA will turn into oxide earlier or later, but with a proper protection treatment (which can mean rust-removal and new patination) and good care (e.g. not hanging it on a nail wall...), it can survive more centuries. But that has to do with some understanding of the processes and the necessary responsibility.

John, that is absolutely true. And if we talk about gold content and today's price of it, we should also look at the making of TSUBA. Assuming you could find TSUBASHI capable of producing TSUBA in the work-quality range of your above pictured nice TSUBA, what would they charge you? In this context, gold remains a small factor, I think.

Merci Bruno!

Lou, welcome to the club!

Piers, AOI described the design as "hooks", but tools and very simple elements are often found in TEIMEI TSUBA, so I took the definition from another source as it seemed much more plausible to me. Do you have a different suggestion?

Brian, you have a large carpenter's square at home ?

Yesterday, my Christmas gift to myself finally came. It took almost five weeks from AOI Arts to me, though the shipping time was less than two weeks. It was accompanied by a better quality KIRIBAKO which did not fit the rather smallish MEKUGI-ANA (!). I am quite happy with it. It is a typical TEIMEI/SADANAGA TSUBA (unfortunately MUMEI) in acceptable condition, featuring two carpenter's squares as motif. These TEIMEI TSUBA are often very simple in design, showing sometimes unusual motifs, but are very well made and were reliable accessories for SAMURAI.

Hector, unfortunately, the photos are really bad, specifically because of the white background which does not allow a good contrast. In additition to all the corrosion, the surface and patiine cannot be seen properly, so it would have been a risk to put much money in it.

Yes, probably Autocorrect. But we are no victims to a foreign power, we can read and re-read what we have written before we shoot it out. But in this case, it is more funny than a problem, I think.

TSUNAMI on a sword? That sounds really dangerous! Did you mean to write TSUBA? That one looks a bit like JAKUSHI style. I cannot see the MEI properly which might be TOMOKANE (not sure), but the writing is not the typical JAKUSHI grass-script style.

Chris, the tip of the blade is the point (= KISSAKI). The end is the NAKAGO with the NAKAGO-JIRI, so all those photos are good, but upside-down. In these photos I can see that the damage on the KISSAKI is not severe and the basic shape is o.k. It looks like a mistreated, partly hand-made/machine made military blade, so not a NIHONTO.

Some well focused magnified photos of the NAKAGO (oriented tip-upwards) might clear up if this belongs in the MILITARY section, not NIHONTO. With these photos I get the impression that the KISSAKI is damaged/ out of shape.

Max, traditionally, a raw blank was cast and hammered to the desired size. Then the design was cut/sawed (= later technique) and chiseled and filed and polished - quite some work! But you cannot detect if a soft-metal TSUBA was pre-cast in a mold and then worked on and finished. This was done in an extent with later TSUBA when Western technology was known in Japan.

Richard, your longer blade is signed TACHI MEI. I am not sure if it can make a DAISHO with a WAKIZASHI in the precise sense of the term even if they were from the same smith. But that depends on what you want them to be when both swords are mounted with similar KOSHIRAE. In any case, a very nice pair!

Oh, you mean the big stamp Thomas? In mass production, that is done with a punching machine when the steel is red-hot.

Viktor, I have not compared 1.000 SOTEN TSUBA, but I have seen images of really good ones and less good ones. I think there is no doubt that many TSUBA were made in the SOTEN (or HIKONE BORI) style when they were in fashion, that had nothing to do with SOTEN or their school directly. I posted my comment mainly because the auction house Zacke compared this TSUBA to one that was sold 10 years ago at Bonham's for an equivalent of € 5.800.--, and I don't think the above TSUBA is in that range.

I am not of great help in the field of militaria, sorry!

It does not seem to have ORIGAMI which is a red flag in my eyes, specifically with SOTEN TSUBA. There is the saying that "from 100 SOTEN signed TSUBA on a table, very likely all are copies". Depending on the price, I would look carefully and compare. If it was cheap, then it is probably safe to assume it is a copy. If it was expensive (> € 600.--) I would ask for a certification paper. Just my 2 YEN.

It is a KANZAN HAKOGAKI, I think, and perhaps for an OWARI TSUBA. 尾張 Mauro is an expert on these and will certainly be able to help.