Bugyotsuji

Someone must have been reading the old thread recently Colin and maybe they reacted with a sticker(?). Not realizing it was old, I read through it thoughtfully and found myself wanting to add my own experience to it. Serendipity!?!?!

One has to imagine that all of these factors discussed above and probably more have already been considered by previous owner(s), and the math(s) and economics run and rerun through the calculator. So the question remains, can we, or could we, or should we take a gamble and take this a step further into the unknown and make a new breakthrough? I tend to vote yes on these things, usually willing by the same token to take it on the chin if things go pear-shaped. We can buy a complete polished blade package with NBTHK papers, Koshiraé, Tsunagi and Shirasaya, but sometimes a little project and a flutter can provide a different type of entertainment.

Mei = Endless variations on a theme. Some artistic license acceptable. The old Koku/Kuni 國

Following on from Dale above, Colin, have a look at this karakusa-wa 唐草輪 or karakusa-guruma kamon. https://www.google.com/search?q=唐草車　家紋&client=safari&hs=w58p&sca_esv=04a6da60a81ec2d8&hl=en-gb&udm=2&biw=390&bih=699&ei=Mvk9avzMOOah1e8Pq4TsiAo&oq=唐草車　家紋&gs_lp=EhJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWciEuWUkOiNiei7iuOAgOWutue0izIIEAAYogQYiQUyCBAAGIAEGKIESPCmAlDWDFjvoQJwEHgAkAEEmAGZAaAB0yKqAQUyOC4xOLgBA8gBAPgBAZgCNKACwR6oAgDCAgUQABiABMICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgUQLhiABMICCxAuGIAEGNEDGMcBwgILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwHCAhQQLhiABBjHARiYBRiZBRieBRivAcICDhAuGIAEGMcBGJgFGK8BwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYBMICBxAAGIAEGATCAgYQABgDGATCAgoQABiABBixAxgEwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAgoQABiABBixAxgXwgIHEAAYgAQYF5gDAYgGAZIHBTM1LjE3oAfubLIHBTIyLjE3uAecHsIHCTMuMjguMTcuNMgHjwGACAA&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img

As to the wheel aspect I can see what you are saying. It gives me flashes of another one about the same size that came this way recently.

Nicolas, nice design! Can you get a clearer shot of the Mei?

Generally this kind of arabesque vine pattern is loosely described as: Karakusa moyo 唐草模様 Definitely unusual though and a goodly size.

Probably the same year, even though you’ve cut off the important part above.

Dang Jean, I did not want to answer that here... grrr... Over the phone: I asked him if it was easy to remove, and after a moment's thought he said "Yes." He said to use 'a sanding eraser', but without actually seeing him doing that I would not like to encourage anyone here to try any such procedure. I suggested to him hopefully that such work should be done gently (yes/no?), and he agreed, saying that one should be careful not to expose the iron/steel surface of the tsuba. Well, that sounded pretty obvious, if not exactly easy to perform smoothly. The above answer will self-destruct in five minutes.

Been doing a little digging around as I have a nice tsuba with a wet black appearance. A friend looked at it and immediately put it down. "Ibota," he muttered. "How can I remove it?", I asked. It seems that over the years there are some people who continue to apply this 'Chinese wax', or 'Japanese wax' to protect tsuba etc. from rust. Exuded by insects on the leaves and branches of Ibota no Ki, Ligustrum Obtusifolium. Also known as Chuhaku-ro (虫白蠟 Insect white wax, 雪蠟snow wax), イボタ蠟Ibota-ro.

Perhaps I should add a word for Pietro too. I remember when he first appeared on the INS Netsuke scene as an eager youngster, and how he devoted himself to researching netsuke, walking the museums over the years, searching out netsuke collections and linking them electronically for people to experience, building up a vast knowledge in the interim. Still maturing! Never met him personally but generally I trust his judgment, as too that of Colin. Ron reminds me though of a grizzly Canadian frontiersman, who has seen much, bitterly forged by harsh weather, his thriving business shafted by fools in high places. What an incredible background he has had though, and what stories he has to tell, as Brian says. Needs to be heard by a glowing fire with a pinch of salt and a glass or two of whisky, all judgement suspended meantime!

Peter never came back?

From a discussion on another forum re AI. ”Apparently Chat GPT and the like are liable to teach themselves to be dumb. As they work on a learning loop if they regurgitate incorrect information they also consume that information as truth and around the loop they go. This is said to be the reason why AI companies with huge efforts try to harvest old pre-AI internet and media content, that is free from copied and loop-recycled AI fantasies.”

Some genius smiths appear in every generation to transcend the tradition. One such is Henmi Toyo (Chik-kansai Yoshitaka) from late Edo and early Meiji. Not only did he make fantastical blades but his carving was superlative, for Mei and horimono, and in other materials. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hs=52n&sca_esv=04a6da60a81ec2d8&hl=en-gb&udm=2&q=逸見東洋&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwip_a3cu6GVAxWBgVYBHdGsBPcQBSgAegQICRAB&biw=390&bih=699&dpr=3

Ron, these are simply two individuals who pop into the NMB and enjoy heated discussions. Many others are reading and learning from every post, while they suspend judgement. Some posts do have little barbs or triggers in them but the majority of participants really do try to avoid posting or getting caught on those. Colin and Pietro will challenge others, as you will challenge them, but you are all three of you quite strong characters who definitely add colour to the world! I have learned much from all of you. As to the NMB itself, it’s a little like a kaleidoscope, never the same from one year to the next.