Bugyotsuji

Took it to our local NBTHK meeting and elicited opinions. They took the blade in hand and compared sides. General agreement that Sue Bizen particularly can look better with traditional sashikomi. So that is what I went with, dumping the hadori.

No, I can see all of what you are saying, Rob, the brightness of the red, the unusual tiger, lack of foxing in the white etc., but the writing looks legit. Unless someone is copying from an original somewhere…(?) I was just curious as I have had several of these flags in the past, in varying materials and states, and I was wondering how everyone judges these, whether the fakes had any recognizable features in common? Good condition ones do sometimes come out of people’s boxes or drawers.

What makes you say that, h?

Stag antler. Finally, various stag antler netsuke examples. (Closer shots possible. Please feel free to add your own antler pieces.) Top row from left: 1. Pomander containing something fragrant, but also resembles an upright brazier(?) 2. Sho upright flute, alleged origin of the Western pipe organ. 3. Three examples of Obi-Hasami netsuke, to clip behind the obi sash of standard width. The middle one is Bakumatsu Edo work, signed. The second row are sukashi manjū style netsuke, with an unworked antler base on the right for comparison. No.1 and 3 are carved where the antler bifurcates. Third row. Mushrooms, stone pedestal, katchū Haramaki dō cuirass, and daikon root with leaves. Bottom row. Silk seal, head, with quality control hole and personalized seal underneath. Well-aged Shishi with ball. (Stomach?) Chinese sage with peach. Ama diving girl with small sickle.

This first lot of nine netsuke are: 1. Top left. Signed grotesque female head in Tagua nut ‘vegetable ivory’. 2. Lower left. Two bone Netsuke designed to look like bamboo. 3. Top right. Baleen netsuke, w/marine ivory. Wrote an article for Euronetsuké magazine outlining some theories about this one. 4. Second down on right. Walrus tusk manjū netsuke, two Edo travellers. 5. Mask and Jurojin in spermwhale tooth. 6. Bottom right. Two narwhal ‘ikkakuju’ or ‘unikooru’ slice ‘senbei’ netsuke. One is cut away, grated for medicinal purposes(?). The other has a silver central fitment with ‘kugi nuki’ kamon on front, and ring attachment at back.

Having mentioned ivory earlier, here is a little drawer of elephant ivory Netsuke that I decided to keep. Legally there is not much I can do with them, but they are fun to take out just to admire the carving and to remember the stories behind them. Today I was sorting out a larger drawer. Following this post I’ll show some of the ‘other’ ivories.

In Kagoshima there is a company boss called Yamauchi (or Yamanouchi?) San, I have heard, who has devoted one whole floor of his company building to his Satsuma sword collection. In fact one of the reasons it is so hard to find anything is that he buys up any stuff that comes into the market, it is said. There is another collector friend who is creating a museum or exhibition rooms in the southwest of Kyūshū for his wonderful collection. He too sucks up anything Satsuma related, as I have painfully discovered, but he is a rather quiet and private character. Personally speaking I have a few odd bits of Satsuma material which I would be afraid to mention to these two magnetic characters! Reading your post, Moriarty, makes me rather envious when I see someone with a clear aim like you! Wishing you luck, and hoping we can learn more about what you have so far and what particularly you are searching for, and why!

Mark, since you brought this up, I had a papered Sue Bizen mumei Sukesada, which was polished in hadori/kesho-togi. Out of interest, I asked a Togishi if he could rework just one side in sashikomi, in order to see the difference for myself, before deciding which way to finish it. (Now to go back and read this whole thread!)

If Koshiyama is the correct reading of his family name 越山, it means '(Mr) Koshiyama placed the order for this' or (Mr, etc.) 'Koshiyama requested/ordered this'. Motomu is from the verb motomeru, 'look for' 'ask for' or 'want', and kore is 'this'. At the request of (Mr) Koshiyama

Good point, Luca. What is dust, and what is original material? I’ll have a closer look at it. (Liking the strong handwoven feeling of your Shingen tsuba! An early example?) Edited Yes, after brushing out the dust, it looks like some kind of pitch has been used in the weave. 3.3 cm x 4.3 cm x 1.7 cm

1. Pilgrim’s or priest’s incense container hanging from a small brass ashtray netsuke. This is the smallest example I have; you would put a pinch of fluffy tinder in the bowl when starting a fire with flint and steel. 2. Wooden cylinder with compass under glass at one end. That’s the metal part of it! (Single Himotōshi hole not visible in these shots.) It has been said that travellers used these old compasses to avoid certain unlucky directions. You might choose two sides of a triangle for example, instead of a straight route to Kyoto, if that afforded ‘feng shui’ (Ch) 風水 fū sui (J) protection. 3. Chased brass netsuke which opens to contain dry tinder. The sagemono strings also acted to keep the top on firmly. Sometimes called Gamaho-ire, because one of the best forms of tinder was the fluff from the 穂 heads of 蒲 bulrushes or reed mace. 蒲の穂入れ

Yes, very spidery eccentric writing but it looks like Kunisuke! 国助 In homage perhaps…

国貞 Kunisada? 国助 Kunisuke? Maybe the hidden Kanji is one of those? PS Yes, the handle is referred to as a Kozuka (literally ‘small hilt’), but by extension this word is often used to include the whole package, blade included.

Wear tough, grippy gloves, I reckon!

The blade has been pushed into the Kozuka handle too far, covering the last kanji of the inscribed name. (Upside down btw) The smith name is Kuni + something Title is Kawachi no Kami

Colin, I’ll put up a description after recharging the old batteries!

Dang, the site just lost all the text for these next shots. Posting without, as I am not feeling the energy to do it over again. More fool me for not saving it before trying repeatedly to push the Submit Reply button. And

Metal Continuing with fun objects, here are five (or six) metal Netsuke. The first three are 1. a hollow copper fan with a dark ladybird/ladybug on it, 2. a heavy teppō Netsuké (not a ‘netsuke-deppō’) and 3. a woven copper basket with two eggplants/aubergines inside. The basket has holes or gaps in places between the strands, showing that it is actually woven copper wire, i.e. not a single, solid cast piece. Reversed

“How did I do?” As Dale mentioned, it does depend partly on how much you paid… vs what your budget was, etc. As a tsuba, a decent shot, I reckon.

You'll be putting A$50 on that then, Barry?

Bushu would have been my second choice. Those water droplets...

It reminds me of tsuba created in the Nagato, Choshu area. Bit rusty, but personally, I like it. Any sizes available?

Hi Libby, this is another tough one. Where did your uncle come back from? I have not seen anything quite like this, but it is within the realms and could indeed be Chinese or Korean. You say it is heavy for its size. What size is it? Does it generally fit in your hand, for example? If it's small, a powder tester is quite possible. Does it have a touch-hole somewhere at the top rear? If it does, can you see light, or blow air through it?

Hi Tom, From those photos it looks generally ok for a teppo. The style is 80% Sakai, Settsu no Kuni, i.e. Osaka. The barrel definitely looks old, though I am mentally holding on to the possibility that the stock/butt woodwork and brass metalwork may be younger replacements as the muzzle is atypical for Osaka. The large crysanthemum plate on the right of the butt looks as if it was added later, stuck on rather than embedded. The positioning of the foremost mekugi ana is more typical of Sendai. It is in relatively good condition, but will obviously need a new pan cover/lid to start with. You may need to make a new ramrod. Looks like a fun project. When you have some time, please consider removing any mekugi pins and taking out the barrel to see if there is anything inscribed underneath.

Quick answer, I hope, yes Colin, all those miniatures I found in Japan. Actually a couple of them I had wanted for many years, always on display at the same stall, but the dealer would not yield on the price and I could not justify the cost. They continued to appeal, however, and I even told some of my collecting friends about them. Imagine my horror when I got back to Japan one autumn and a friend handed them over. "I did a deal with him, and now you can have them for only XYZ!" he said. Although he is a friend, he is not really that close, and I got angry with him. "Never do that again!" I said, "buying stuff without asking me first." I paid him a wedge of cash somewhat reluctantly, but secretly I was quite chuffed; he looked miffed. Today I am happy to have them and there is no pain. I never met Sydney Moss, not consciously, but I became aquainted with Max R through visiting their shop in Mayfair, taken there by collector friends. I sold a coiled ivory dragon there which did exceptionally well. Start collecting again.... ???