Aloof Pegasus

New one for sale, a summer bowl this time. See separate listing for more pics/details.

Bowl is now on hold.

I don't know the age for certain. I do have another Raku bowl with an inscription on the inside of the box lid from a monk who died at the end of the 18th c stating that the bowl was thrown by Kichizaemon VII or VIII, I can't remember which. This 18th c bowl has a similar feeling and patina to the one for sale, but more wear inside, that characteristic beige look where the glaze has been stripped away through use. In the first post I said Meiji since no one can take exception to that dating. But I don't believe it is 19th c although I could be wrong. Here also are a couple more pics showing the damage more clearly. If you tap the bowl with yr fingernail while balanced in yr palm it sounds dull from the cracks but it doesn't leak and is used regularly.

I think Steve wants it, Henry. But if he decides otherwise I'll post on the thread to let you know next day or so.

And here's a Karatsu katakuchi which is Meiji and which also came to me without a box from the same Yokohama shop as the Raku bowl which is for sale.

Here's a Shigaraki sakazuki made in 2014 by Shinohara Nozomu. I tend to go into this particular abyss more readily than the more Turner-esque sakazuki in a previous post. Depending on what kind of sake is in it of course. This one is more Blake than Turner. That Iga katacuchi that your friend made Chris is very nice! Btw this afternoon 2 diff J friends, one of whom is knowledgable about Mishima-yaki all chose #2 in your quiz as being made by an American. Too many hambagu maybe. Once sold I'll post so, Brian. A pottery thread! Nice idea!

Agreed Steve, no 1 does look most likely. I don't think the ridge on the lip would occur on a J piece.

Someone told me- or I read, that the koudai expresses the size and energy of the potter's sexual organ. After learning this I switched collecting to lady potters. The guinomi pictured is by a lady living near Shigaraki who mostly does Iga pieces. It was sold as Shigaraki. Note the discrete koudai ???? Some good pieces are appearing in this thread! Nice idea for a quiz Chris! Needs reflection. Can we have pics of the undersides of 1,2 & 5 if it's no bother?

Iga, shigaraki, yes. But let's not forget Karatsu!

Steve Reply sent.

Thanks Chris, fantastic mizusashi in yr profile pic btw. Here's an Iga tokkuri for interest. I like guinomi too.

I hope no one objects to listing a tea bowl on a sword site. I think there is quite a lot of cross-over between nihonto and yakimono. The arrival of a new tea bowl or sake cup is said to impact tv and Internet usage here just the way the arrival of a new sword does. This bowl is full of age and interest and I'd like it to go to someone who also appreciates swords. It's got plenty of ancient repairs and filled cracks but the koudai is vigorous, the 'door' like a hole in a wet rag, the 'skin' as scaly as a lizard's. 294 gms. The mark from the tool used to remove from the kiln shown in last pic. Sound and usable! Box and ribbon are new 11.7 x 6 cms approx US$100 excl shipping with track trace ins from Tokyo 194 0215 Payment by paypal

I actually started with the articles by Boris Markhasian on the Yamabushi website including the one on Early Soft Metal Fittings. It's difficult to find good tachikanagushi tsuba in Japan because unlike other countries they're quite valued here. I think an interesting point made by Jim Gilbert on this subject is that we are able to get an idea about how other tsuba would have looked before the intervening centuries of corrosion by studying soft metal pieces.

Yes that's right, Martin! I wonder if it's dished? Seppa dai does not seem Akasaka style. I think this flattened mimi and slightly 2 dimensional look is more Akao than Akasaka. However I agree the tagane mannerisms don't seem typically Akao. Mariusz what's your feeling about the texture of the iron? It looks soft in the pic. Akao can exhibit; 鉄槌目地 Tetsu tsuchime-ji Iron hammered surface 土手耳 Dote-mimi A rounded raised rim 耡下毛彫 Sukisage KeBori Line carving of consistent depth and width Starting to waver, not sure the quality is there.

Chris Could it be the owner's name? 下原　敏之 Shimohara Toshiyuki Dan Don't be too nervous about it. The peg is just a bit of wood. Similarly the handle is nothing to really worry about. Press the wooden peg out gently from the small hole side. If the handle is stiff swaddle it and the lower part of the sword in an old tshirt, lay the sword flat, handle towards you and use a wood mallet to gently tap on the top part of the handle, the bolster so to say, the part at right angles to the blade. This should loosen it if needs be. The shape of the tang/nakago will tell members about the quality of the sword and as I said it may have a smith's name and date. You ought to do this to find out what it is as from what I can see of the blade it will be hard to tell much from it. There are a number of possibilities. Broadly speaking tanto were made a long time ago and not so long ago. Your's might be an old one. Let's proceed slowly. Check Richard Stein's site for fuller details on all the above and much more besides. Shoot the nakago vertically as that's how the writing will run, if there is any.

Hi Dan Could you push out the wooden peg and remove the handle of the shirasaya and take a pic of the nakago please, especially of any writing on it, could be on both sides. Working on yr trans. btw don't clean any rust off the tang to better read the writing.

Craig Harris also has some great tachikanagushi tsuba on consignment at Yamabushi Antiques. I bought 2 for mounting purposes and after getting them I lost interest in other types of tsuba.

Thank you John. Is that by Yamada Asaemon?

Hi John Please help a beginner; bikô (備考) = "Kokon-kaji-bikô" (古今鍛冶備考) means... remarks/recital??????

Hi Mariusz I agree with your guess and I really like the tsuba.

Hello George, Welcome back. Sounds like a great trip. I was in Hiroshima castle 2 years ago and well remember how much I enjoyed it despite the re-build. The sword collection on the second floor was quite small but I remember a Rai Kunimitsu tanto and a slightly bedraggled Kanesada katana which was full of あじ After your report sounds like a second trip is in order. Hiroshima is one of my favorite places in Japan, especially mitaki-ji the winding mountainside temple on the way to Miyajima. (and Hiroshima-yaki). cheers Philip

Ian That's really interesting! Was it unique to him?

Hi Grey In my limited experience I've never seen katakana on a nakago before. However as we can't read the full word I suppose it's pointless to speculate on why. I said end of Meiji- katakana were codified then, although it's quite right that they have been around a long, long time. But I can't imagine anyone putting foreign words on a sword prior to that time although I could easily be wrong. In any case it should be some kind of loan word, or maybe used as a way to emphasize the word.

re the use of the katakana, I'm wondering if it may indicate special emphasis (the way you might see だめ written ﾀﾞﾒ ) as a way to highlight some sort of injunction connected with the inscription on the other side. Any chance of a better shot? The katakana are post Meiji but what about the sword? Maybe the katakana were added later?

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