TETSUGENDO

Stephen, On the positive side, the one good thing about drooling and dreaming is......dreams seldom disappoint. -S-

Thanks Ed, a thought provoking paper, there are many points of contention here. -S-

Well done Eric. -S-

Thanks for the Pics. Actually Piers, context is always important, after a direct listing becomes elusive. We should always remember that many artist used contracted signatures, even though a record may not exist. Considering style, age, material, can help us eliminate, or entertain the aforementioned possibilities. Nice piece BTW. -S-

Hi Ryan, Everything looks real, the best thing to do is send/take it to a polisher for assessment before investing a great deal of money into restoration, looks like near a couple of thousands of dollars of work is needed. Unless the blade is something special, unfortunately, the cost of restoration/polishing, greatly outweighs its value. Good luck, -S-

Piers, To put things in context, would some pictures of the piece be possible? -S-

-S-

I believe they are Eijo, followed by Kenjo....if my recollection is correct. -S-

Hi Eric, Nicely done panels, these date from the late Meiji to Taisho periods. This style of work became so popular that the sources are many, both Shibayama family members and official school affiliates produced pieces, as well as scores of artisans with no connection to either. You should place a photo of the inlaid seal in the translations section, it may turn up something relevant. Also, I wonder if the frames are original? They look as if they could be replacements necessitated by damage, or by the cutting down of the panels from a larger work. -S-

Lately, this place seems weirder every time I log in. -S-

Jean, Not being polite, I do find the exaggerated elongation of the birds, and the compactness of their form rather elegant. I dont think it's new, just in very good condition, looks Meiji to me. -S-

That's a fine one Jean, very elegant and restrained, love the stylization of the birds. -S-

Hi Russ, The mask on your piece is Hannya, a jealous woman transformed into a demon, she is featured in the Noh play Momijigari (Maple viewing) which is the motif of your f/k. Your fittings are not very early, they are 19th century, perhaps Mito school.... attractive pieces. Cheers, -S-

A little time spent studying the school, its branches and affiliates, offers vast rewards......just look at all the variety displayed here. Often dismissed, on account of the huge quantity of late undistinguished works produced, there are also lofty heights and a large body of good 'middle of the road' pieces of great variety. As noted, this school is often a dumping ground for unidentified orphans, this leads to misattributions...in both directions. -S-

I'm in the Chinese toggle camp although, through use and reproduction, they became Japanese by appropriation. -S-

Hey Jude, you say your piece is missing two of something and a lid, if this picture appears similar to what your piece looked like it is an incense burner(Koro). Malcolm is correct on the date being very late Meiji. Also, the link he provided will allow you to partially identify your mark. -S-

Call me an optimist, I'm hopeful he would figure it out unassisted, but thoughtful nonetheless. -S-

Speaking of the obvious, after 3,059 posts Chris knows it's a dragonfly, obviously! -S- p.s.- as for date, looks 18th century to me.

In case anyone is confused by my posting one statement pro cleaning and one no cleaning, let me clarify. There are more people who can potentially work mayhem with an attempt at 'simple' cleaning than there are those who will succeed, wether brush or tacky adhesive, the outcome is dependent on the Fates and the individual at hand. Since the odds of a poor result are not insignificant, erring on the side of prudence and recommending the do nothing approach is most sensible.....as there are instances in which either method discussed here can cause damage, absent of the knowledge of the specifics. If your not certain, don't do it. -S-

I really enjoyed this, of course I'm rather weird, so for other inquisitive individuals.....highly recommended.

Ad omnes, cleaning is a topic that has been discussed here ad nauseam. It is an extremely complex subject that, for the most part, should be left to a professional. It's understandable that most would like to 'improve' their things, but this is the honest answer....I know, no fun, but there it is. A vast number of people will, of course, ignore this and tinker about anyway, that's what keeps conservators/restorers busy. Many of the same people who casually grind away at rusty iron tsuba, will recoil in horror as from a suddenly appearing Bakemono, at the mere suggestion of dirt removal from a soft metal piece. From my experience, common sense is a rare commodity indeed, so since there are so many instances in which any amateur intervention is inadvisable....the soundest reccomendation is to do nothing. BTW, dirt and patina are not the same things, except when they are....not the 'riddle of the Sphinx'...just the truth. -S-

Robin, I'll check it out, that's a striking before and after. Knowing how meticulous you are about things, I'm sure you would not have suggested it if you were doubtful about it's safety. If you'd be interested in a product that's a bit gentler Google RODICO, it has been used by watchmakers for many years and is safe and reliable, I recommend it. Cheers, -S-

Robin, Your birds have distinct long crests at the rear of their heads, the maker emphasized this, as Japanese cormorants don't have this feature they must be something else. What, is not clear to me, perhaps they are 'composite' birds that the artist found pleasing? I can understand the confusion. -S-

Interesting John, you should talk to SAS about it...sure he'd have some thoughts on the subject. Cheers, -S-

Thanks for sharing Robin, they are charming. The rules that apply to proper orientation change according to category, you are correct as per animals. The last thing we'd want is a fearsom Tiger or Dragon running away from the action. Your idea of the business end of the paddle facing the action seems sound, but whichever way you choose to mount them they'd look great. Cheers, -S-