Steve Waszak

Hi Aldwin, Interesting tsuba. Sorry, I can't quite make out the mei from the photos. And without examining the piece in hand, it's difficult to take a stab at identifying period, workshop, etc... However, from this vantage point, I would venture that this is an early-to-mid-19th-century Myochin guard. The iron appears to have been folded (I THINK I see some evidence of this in the sukashi walls), and the mokume treatment of the surfaces (including the mimi---I don't think what we see here is tekkotsu) would also point toward later Myochin. Interestingly, the guard also seems to have been given a yakite shitate finish. In fact, it may have been done post-signature, a la Yamakichibei, thus yielding this less-than-clearly-readable mei... Just a quasi-educated guess here... What are the dimensions of the tsuba, Aldwin? Cheers, Steve

Three whole days may be a bit much, especially since it's so close to Tokyo. If you're a good walker, you can cover much of the town in one, FULL, day... If you're a real explorer type, though, you'd need more than a day, I expect. I've never been to Kanazawa, but I hear good things about that town, too. I imagine there are good spots in Kyushu as well, since that was a particularly martial area, even during the relatively pacific Edo period... I can't recall very well if there are any great spots in Tokyo proper for hole-in-the-wall style antiquing... As you note, Brian, there are many places which have high-end items and have posh addresses (Ginza, especially)... Perhaps some of the forum's more experienced travelers could chime in here... ;o) Cheers, Steve

Hi Brian, I lived in Kamakura for seven years, and would recommend it HIGHLY. It's only an hour or so from Tokyo by train... It's got several little cool antique shops, superb old (OLD) temples and shrines, the Daibutsu (must be seen), etc... Cheers, Steve

Greetings Ushio-san, There were indeed several generations of Heianjo Nagayoshi. The generations of the late 15th and early 16th centuries were well-known for their omi-yari. I, too, have an omi-yari attributed to Heianjo Nagayoshi by the NTHK (IPO). I would be happy to exchange information, ideas, and photos of our omi-yari if you like. Please PM me and let me know your e-mail address if you would like to exchange information or photos... Best, Steve

Malcolm, I am really sorry to hear of this. Terrible. I will keep my eyes peeled here in San Diego. I'll see you tomorrow at the club meeting; we can discuss this more then... Best regards, Steve

Hi Milt, Myochin? Kind of hard to tell from the photos, but it may be worth investigating that possibility... Steve

Itame-mokume hada, dark steel, gentle tanago-bara nakago, hira-zukuri... My initial thought would be, as Jacques speculates, Shitahara. The darkness of the steel, combined with what seems to be some real age to that tanago-bara nakago, plus the hada...all this points to the bungi era Sengo, Shitahara, Shimada "group," I think. Of course, there were some Mino interactions here, too... I can't make out the hamon well enough to offer an opinion on that aspect... It's a nice blade, though, Kitsune (what's your actual name, please? )... Would love to see it in fresh polish... Cheers, Steve

I must have been more tired than I thought last night when I first posted to this thread... Now, in the light of day, looking at how close the sukashi are to the mimi, it seems quite likely that the tsuba has been cut down (thus eliminating any raised rim the tsuba might have had...). While the "mystery" of the hitsuana remains (for me), the small size and lack of raised rim no longer cast doubt on a Katccushi attribution, I think... Rich's thoughts on Saotome are good, too, though I'm not sure I've seen any with such wall-to-wall sukashi as this piece shows. Interesting info on the theme of the six gourds... Cheers, Steve

Hi Milt, An interesting piece to kantei... It presents several "conflicting" traits (at least according to notions of what constitutes a classic representation of a particular school or tradition). On one hand, the thinness of the tsuba suggests early Muromachi (maybe mid-Muromachi) katcchushi; on the other, the small dimensions and lack of raised mimi of any kind point away from this attribution. The profuse ko-sukashi, again, seems to indicate katcchushi, but perhaps of a later time than the thinness suggests (maybe late Muromachi to Momoyama). The hitsuana is a sticking point for me---too self-conscious and "artistic" for early-to-mid-Muromachi, or for early work of any kind that I know of. This feature would lead me to think late Momoyama or Edo... The tsuchime is suggestive of tosho or katcchushi work, but as you note, Milt, ko-Shoami also give evidence of this sort of tsuchime. I have a bit of a hard time seeing a tsuba of this size on the larger, two-handed katana of the late Momoyama and early Edo period. Too small, too thin, and too light (especially with all that material cut out). All considered, my humble guess would be a late Muromachi tsuba, perhaps meant for use with a katate-uchi katana. Though the hitsuana size and shape doesn't fit classically speaking, all else does, I think, at least to some degree... I'd enjoy reading other thoughts on this tsuba, too. Thanks for presenting it for us to consider, Milt... Steve Waszak

Well, from what I know, the hitsuana definitely speak to Higo. I'm not especially familiar with Nishigaki wave design, but based on the ana alone, I would be thinking (late) Higo. I know you say this tsuba is brass, but it appears more like copper to me. Are you sure it's brass? In any case, it is a beautiful piece... Steve

Hi Mike, Just wanted to say that I think that sword rack is beautiful. Did you make this yourself? Really nice... Steve

Hey Jinsoo! Welcome back... ;o) I'd wondered what had happened to you. Very glad to see you alive and well...and with your site back up. Very good news... ) Steve

I heard that bird often when I lived in Kamakura. It is a bird of the summer, rather than the Spring (as I recall). Kurosawa often used this bird call in his films... When I asked Japanese friends what sort of bird made that call, I was told it was an uguisu (the Japanese bush warbler). Steve

Sounds terrific, Christian. I am in a state of anticipation already! Cheers, Steve

Hi Christian, Any idea how soon we might expect your site to be up and running? I'm sure many of us are excited to see it! The gorgeous blades I had the privilege of seeing at your home have only whetted my appetite for the opening of your site... ) Looking forward to it! Cheers, Steve

I am very enthusiastic about the prospect of this group taking off... What Christian describes here sounds like an absolutely terrific time. I've already had just a taste of Christian's hospitality, so I can only imagine how much fun we might have at these meetings. I think Christian has an inspired idea in suggesting that such study groups might spring up in other cities. Why not? They can be informal and fun, but still educational, inspirational, and excellent for networking... Good stuff, Christian. I shall see you soon, my friend... Cheers, Steve

Greetings everyone, Just wanted to post a few thoughts on a really wonderful visit I had with Christian Chaffee in his San Diego home today. I hadn't realized that he lived in the same city I did, but when he posted here the information about his coming website, and mentioned he lived here, I immediately contacted him. He graciously invited me to him home to talk blades and tsuba and nihonto in general. Among various fascinating nihonto pieces (including two spectacular menuki), he showed me two truly beautiful blades which, due to recent outstanding polish jobs, positively glow with activity. Their quality was exhilarating to behold. Christian was very generous with his time and knowledge, and I very much look forward to visiting him again. I'm writing this post because I think it's important to acknowledge the help we beginners receive from those whose experience and teaching we learn from. I very much appreciate all the help and guidance those with much greater knowledge than I have give me, and Christian is one such person. Here's to wishing him the best of success with his website (which I know I'll be visiting often!). Gambatte, Christian...! Steve

Hi Christian, Nice to know this will be coming. I look forward to seeing the new site. Incidentally, I happen to be in San Diego, too. Maybe we could meet over a coffee some time and talk nihonto a bit... Whereabouts are you in San Diego? Steve

Congratulations, Rich, on such a superb result! Well done. I admire your vision and faith in believing the blade was reparable. Fascinating post, both for the nakago...and for the achievement of the toshigi. Congrats again... Steve

I agree with Rich on this ebay piece: Edo period (18th-century) Myochin, based on the masame and the shape. Looks like some nice iron from here, though...

Thanks, Ludolph. A very useful photo reference. The Yagyu-Ono connection is a murky one, I think...but it would certainly seem there is a link between the tsuba in your photo and this one. Thanks again. Steve

Hi Henry, Alas, I am unable to post a photo... I believe the tsuba to be of the Ono school, but I'm wondering if it might not be an armorer's tsuba. If you'd like to see it, and are a member of the nihontostudy group in the Yahoo Groups, you can find it in my photo album under Steven_88_2000... I have two photos of it posted there... Thanks! Steven

Greetings guys, Any thoughts about the school that produced this tsuba? I've got an idea or two on this, but I'd like to get your views. Thanks, Steve

Many thanks, Rich, for this excellent introduction to these books. I'm sure they won't last. Gotta rush to get mine...! Thanks again, Steve

Hi Pete, I am of the school advocating "leave it alone." Appreciate it for what it is, I say. Jim Gilbert has an outstanding page on his site on (not) cleaning tsuba. You may want to check that out... Steve