kissakai

Thanks for your replies Jean is there shortcut answer to why the dimensions are incorrect? Thanks Mauro for your opinion I had not heard about this possible reason for the mei on the 'wrong' side, although it is poorly cut I know there is little value in this item but it has taught me a bit more. I'd love to be able to spot a repatinated item but as usual exerience, handling & good reference material is key I will re-read about Tosho tsuba Grev UK

Hi Christian I think you have said all there to say Poor mei I wasn't sure of the patination and still find it difficult to be sure (more experience required) This was the main reason I posted it on the site Thanks Grev

Hi A really basic tsuba that may be by Kiyoshige (swordsmith) Does it look OK? Grev UK

Thanks for the info I'm happier I know the difference Now I'm usure how to use this information If I use the stroke count to find the translation and it gives me loads of variations I'd be stuck to know which to use As I've said many times before I only started collecting tsuba 18 months ago so probably no easy answer to my question and just down to experience Grev UK

Hi I have recently purchased the Haynes index but I have a query I'm learning the kanji by stroke count but I wonder if anyone can tell me why on the stroke list some names are in upper case and some are in lower case? These are a couple of examples: 3 strokes SHŌ ko o sa chiisa sasa 5 strokes SHO SO sumi tokoro fusa 5 strokes SHŌ yo yotsu hiro mochi 5 strokes Ō nakabiru Can it be that the upper case denote actual examples in the Artist list and lower case do not appear in this list Maybe that lower lower case are examples of the kanji that are correct or seldom/never used Once I understand this distinction it will help we with my translations With thanks Grev UK PS I would welcome any NMB members tips whilst using the Haynes index For me it's a bit overwhelming

Struggling with these mei I would like the kanji if known for these tsuba 1) Chōshū, Tokioka 2) Nara, LH Yoshinobu 良宣 with kao. RH unknown 3) Tembo, Sanada 定* (maybe wrong) Tembō 天法. Haynes H07962 Grev UK I've added an enhance image for the mei with a few strokes that I can see Not sure if this helps

These are two tsuba for my research At the moment the Museum have asked me to reduce the image to 72 dpi when these are displayed on the NMB forum and I hope I don’t loose to much detail Both are described as Tanaka but I do not have the kanji so I couldn’t check this I have had a guess at the mei and it is strange that the style is so similar, the kao is virtually identical but appears to be a different smith, so I’m stumped Any help would be appreciated 1) Tanaka Masatake 常剛 * Kinai 記内 shū 州 2) Tanaka Masakage 政景 with kao very similar to 1885M1806.19 - Boston museum example unclear Can the term kao be used for the smith sign? I know it can be stamped, carved or inlaid so looking for a generic term for all I often see the terms kao and kakihan used ------------------------------------------------------------------ This is one of my tsuba – pretty bog standard Kunihiro but I can not read the kanji on the box and wondered if the box goes with the tsuba? My tsuba Grev UK

One more kanji missing Would you help again with these mei? This is as far as I can get so can anyone add the missing kanji? It would be great if you can add the type character for the missing kanji so I can build up my reference notes Also if there are any errors please let me know 1 School Sōten Sōten 宗典 saku 作 Soheishi 藻柄子 * one more kanji to find 2 School unknown Haynes H10905? Tsuneshige 常重 * - one more kanji to find 3 School Chōshū Tomokatsu 友勝 saku 作 Chōshū 長州 (*) ju 住 - one kanji unknown 4 School Umetada Umetada 埋忠 Aki 明 * - can't find last kanji Grev UK

Wasn’t sure whether to put this on the translation or tosogu page but as it was interesting it has been place here I would like a translation but it was interesting as they are so similar but in different material and mei Any other comments are welcome as I’ve never seen two tsuba unless one was a copy 1) Cira 1800 by Uchikoshi Hironaga with kao 2) Cira 1800 Awa Shōami Hironaga with kao Love the eyes on number 2 Thanks Grev UK

Thanks again for all your help Trouble is the more I see the less I understand and its frustrating at times I agree that the twisted tendril is a nice touch Koichi Moriyama san You have said the 1st tsuba is: 1. 武江住 - Buko (=Bushu Edo) ju 金辰 - Kanetoki If I break the Buko term down can I assume that ko = Edo? This is a term I've not seen before and looking at my Haynes there are only two listed Kanetoki so not much help there Grev UK

A couple more that I have had a go at 1 Kane* 金 * Bushū 武州 ju 住 2 * Būshu 武州 ju 住 3 Masa* 正* Bushū 武州 ju 住 Thanks gain Grev UK

Hi These are two apparently Bushū tsuba but I have two queries I have used the JSSUS website but the mei for Bushū appears to be different I’m also confused when a tsuba is described as: Bushū Ito Bushū Ito 1) Masatoshi 正寿 Bushū 武州 ju 住 2) Mitsuyoshi 盈善 Bushū 武州 - 房州 Bushu - Ito = 伊藤 ju 住 Haynes H05599 I use the JSSUS website so I can cut/paste the kanji. Are there any other websites for mei where I can cut/paste the kanji Grev UK

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

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

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

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

Hi Jeremy I was the recipient of the wakizashi from Australia and it arrived with no problem There are circumstances when importing into the UK is are acceptable. I can't remember them all, you need to look on the UK customs website for the full details: You can import if you are a Martial Arts instructor which was the case with me. I am in an association recognised by a UK Governing body and have insurance You can import if you have an antique shop If you or the recipient complies with these criteria or know someone who does then all OK I imported a Katana & Wakizashi from Japan and this was held in customs until I could prove I was a Martial Arts instructor then it was released Ok Grev UK

Hi Stephen On an earlier post someone had a problem when they tried to reword a previously submitted sale so ideally I was looking for someone who had actually successfully sold a katana/wakizashi on the UK EBay site I did a NMB search using EBay UK-katana but it returned was 14 pages! If I get no reply I will try the wording you have suggested Thanks Grev UK

I wish to sell a katana and wakizashi - They were put on the NMB a few months ago and although there was some interest they did not sell I believe my only other options are an auction or EBay and have decided to try EBay I know not to use Samurai sword, an earlier post also stated to put it in the Asian arts section. Can I was the word 'sword'? Before I did the description I wondered if anyone would let me know what terminology to use that would attract the attention of a Nihonto buyer and stay within the EBay selling rules Grev UK

An update, thanks to David and Koichi Moriyama With such a long mei which are common to many Soten tsuba I’ve added in all the Kanji so others if they wish can use this for reference. I looked in Hayes but Katagawa was not listed, but as a family name it is shown under Soten H08942/3. In Markus’s book of Genealogies the Soten school is listed thus with reference to Kitagawa: Soten 1st gen ...|... Katagawa fam. (kitagawa 高多 * using a different last kanji) ...|... Moved from Kyoto to Hikone in Omi province aka Soheishi There are four other similar references to Kitagawa I wonder if is Soten 2nd generation because it is a domestic scene rather than warriors --------------------------------------------------- 1st side – LH – Nyudo Soten sei kore with kao 1 Nyu 入 2 do 道 3 So 宗 4 ten 典 5 sei 製 6 kore 之 7 Kao 1st side – RH – Soheishi Kitagawa 1 So 藻 2 hei 柄 3 shi 子 4 ki 高 5 ta 多 6 gawa 河 ------------------------------ 2nd side - LH side Need to see this in hand and will post the results later May be something like Omi 2nd side - RH side – Goshu Hikone ju 1 Go 江 2 shu 劦 3 Hi 彦 4 kone 根 5 Ju 住 Grev UK

Thanks John for the final translation I should have got Sei and kore I've seen a couple of Soten tsuba but none with a makers name so I would not have got these kanji Grev UK

Thanks John This is all I can get at the moment If the 1st side – LH kanji No 7 ia a kao is it possible that No’s 5 & 6 are the makers name? 1st side – LH – Nyudo Soten * * kao 1 Nyu 入 2 do 道 3 So 宗 4 ten 典 5 ? 6 ? 7 Kao 1st side – RH – Soheishi * * * 1 So 藻 2 hei 柄 3 shi 子 4 ? 5 ? 6 ? ------------------------------ 2nd side - LH side 1 ? 2 ? 3 ? 5 Ju 住 2nd side - RH side – Goshu Hikone ju 1 Go 江 2 shu 劦 3 Hi 彦 4 kone 根 5 Ju 住

I’m trying to translate the following tsuba but this is as far as I can get Can anyone fill in the gaps? LH RH. Can’t read anything 1 – 2 Nyudo 入道 1 3 – 4 Soten 宗典 2 5 3 6 4 7 Kao 5 6 Opposite side LH side I can’t make out any of the kanji LH side. Can’t read anything RH side 1 1 – 2 Goshu 江劦 2 3 – 4 Hikone 彦根 3 5 Ju 住 Grev UK

Hi Thierry I wish you didn't make it look so simple - I've been looking at this mei for weeks! Anyway your help has been great Using the links it states the mei as Seiryuken Yeiju (Hamano Norishige (Edo) from the Tetsugendo school The kao = Sei and Ei which was changed to Eiju meaning elderly I hope I'm not pushing it to ask for a bit - overtones of Oliver Twist (no smilie for a boy holding a dish Looking at Seiryuken = H08098.0 I can then see Masaharu = H03923. CA 1850 So is the correct mei for the LH side Seiryuken? Is the RH Tetsugendo ju Grev UK

I have tried to translate this tsuba kanji and this was my best guess Masaharu 政合+ kao Bushū 武州 ju 住 sosho maybe 2 kao I struggle with kanji so no real idea with sosho Any help would be appreciated Grev UK