Curran

Skip was an esteemed collector, mentor, and friend. I found him to be an old style gentleman of sharp perception and soft manner. His technical understanding and aesthetics were very high. He will be remembered and missed by many of us who were able to know him. I wish the best to his family.

Thanks David. I haven't done much with the website other than 'hang a shingle' out there. The website host is a bit antiquated. With time, I will work around some of their quirks. Probably after tax season is done. It looks like the Auction is winding down now. I'm watching final prices pop up.

VERY GOOD POST BY COLIN> This is my favorite _half gimei_ Purchased in 2007. Now Tokubetsu Hozon NBTHK. Signed on the front by shodai Norisuke. Signed on the back by nidai Norisuke with his early signature "Norishige". It bounced around Europe for many years as a gimei. I bought it and studied it. Over time and with Tanobe-san help, I came to feel that the 'gimei' mistakes on the front were consistent with the nidai's handwriting. This design was known to be one of the last ones done by the shodai. There is a dated one on record. As the shodai lay ill and dying one winter, it seems the nidai finished the work and partially forged his adoptive dad's signature. Thus, it passed shinsa as a daisaku finished by the nidai. If we didn't have extensive records of the shodai and nidai, this one would have been declared "GIMEI' by the public at large. Judges things by the workmanship. Some people collect signatures, but sometimes you just have to appreciate a finely made piece and ignore the signature. I too like the kozuka of Kansan sweeping. Some of the gold inlay, [on his leggings] is the work of someone very skilled. Nice kozuka. Workmanship is good. --You get sick of it, I will trade you something for it.

Gimei happen. They happen a lot. Sometimes the false signatures are on otherwise beautiful works. I've love two or three for the workmanship, knowing the signature wasn't authentic.

Joi signatures are usually 11 out of 10 gimei [false signature]. You have some very nice Nara works, with what look like fairly false signatures. I'd be surprised if either passed a shinsa, but I have been surprised by shinsa more than a few times.

Yep, as Ken said, word has been that they are not shipping to the USA. There is still one I want to bid on, but USA bidders face some serious headwinds for now.

Multi-tone Kaga works like your #2 are getting to be very rare. When you do see them, they are often rubbed damaged due to the raised shape of the seppa dai. Please take good care of it. On my very short bucket list is a trip up to Kanazawa area for a few days to take in the spirit of the Maeda lands. A really good Kaga Kinko or Kaga Goto tsuba is on also on my tsuba wish list. That and a good Nobuiye of design that suits me.

Thank you. This was interesting. I looked up Tachibana Akimasa and found him listed in the Haynes Index. The tsuba style fits the description that he was in the Awa (Shoami) family. Given when he lived, this use of Qing iron seemed very unusual. I wonder whether it was somehow through the Dutch or some other form of trade?

This one is beyond me to translate. Seller says it reads as, " This iron tsuba is inscribed with the signature of "Tachibana Akimasa" and engraved with the words "Made of Qing iron." Is this correct? Made of Qing iron? We've seen lots of Namban tetsu and Namban tsuba, but Qing tetsu is a new one to me.

Interesting one Les. I came here to post something I thought unusual, but a copper tsunagi is also a new one to me.

Cool! They went TH to Owari Kinko on that one. As I said before- usually they go Owari Kinko [aka. Kozenji] or Umetada. Sometimes I think it is just a coin toss between the two choices.

Exactly. I work part of the year as a CPA. Giving out SSN these days is a no-go. I didn't like them asking for your SSN. The site also seems to have an issue with my USA govt ID.

Great thanks to you for posting the entire page. I've also been finding registering with their site a bit problematic. I'm only really interested in one tsuba.

Some great tsuba popping up in an old thread. It is a popular theme with me, so I have (or had) a few. Being a Higo lover, I'm loving MIchael's two Jingo.

Am I missing something? --What is their auction house fee?