Curran

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?

This was sent to me the other day. Posting here unless someone has a reason for me to take it down. (see below) Good afternoon, Orlando Show friends, I hope you are looking forward to our June show as much as we are. If you have already reserved your table(s) and booked a room for your weekend stay – THANK YOU!!!! If not yet, then please don’t delay. The show is growing over past years, thanks to your continued support and from a few new faces from around the country. We are laying out the sales room now because of this higher interest, so if you are coming you MUST let us know. I am trying to have all tables sold by the end of April so I will be taking payments in Chicago if you are still deciding. A few announcements. 1. The show will close a little earlier on Sunday so that we can depart the hotel for another group. As such, we will not plan for special activities on Sunday and will be promoting Friday and Saturday as the core public days. 2. We will continue with our Friday night welcome hour for table holders and are proud to present this year’s special demos and exhibits as: a. Etiquette in handing a Japanese Sword – Joe Forcine b. Orlando Toyama ryū dojo demo – Sensei Bob Lampp c. Exhibit on swords of the Yamato Tradition – Ray Singer d. Florida Tosa no Kai Hōzōin-ryū spear demonstration e. Shaolin weapons (sword) forms – Sifu Marlon Pillisoph f. Ikebana International Chapter 132 Orlando-Winter Park g. Central Florida Bonsai Club display 3. Everyone coming to our show is important, but I’d like to mention here a few new names who will be joining us for the first time to our show this year – Billy and Debbie DeNoia from Long Island, NY, Roger Robertshaw from Texas, and Jack Frost and Stephen Kunemond from Virginia. We expect a good representation of armors, swords, tsuba, ceramics, bronzes…. and Asian collectibles. 4. Remember to book your hotel rooms stay early directly with the hotel either by calling, thru our website, or the link here. https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/mcohndt-90k-1ac36892-11d1-4cc4-af3e-b772cd3f518f/ 5. It has been requested that a secure ground floor space can be made available to hold merchandise on Thursday evening instead of leaving it in a car or lug it up to an upstairs room. We will consider it, but only if you let us know you’re interested 6. For you first time attendees the hotel charges us for parking at a very reduced rate ($7.00 for overnight or $5.00 daily). Please note this is a gated lot with physical security and it accesses directly into the convention center. 7. FYI, for those flying in - the hotel shuttle can take you to anywhere within a one mile radius at no cost. We are located centrally and less than a mile from the Orlando International Airport and plenty of restaurants Thank you as always for your support of Florida’s only Japanese sword show and we are looking forward to another great weekend of Budo history

I always admired these guys, with their well positioned gold dewdrops at the temple and cheeks. The facial expression is rich. I would struggle to draw the faces that well, yet alone pull that off in metal.

It is rare and interesting to me to see the menuki signed on the front like that. Cool exception to the rule.

Yes. Gold in the eyes. [very oxidized] Silver mane, tail, and eyebrows.

This thread unearthed a lot of interesting examples. There are no Goto ones so far. I only have one Shi-shi and it is by Goto Kenjo. My particular shi-shi seems to have the Zoomies.... Dog people will know what I mean.

You beat me to it. Shinno: Chinese God or Early Founder of Medicine. Probably George can lay down the true info bomb, if the information isn't reliable on the Internet. I was just looking at a kozuka the other day that has him depicted. Still on the fence about buying it. He often seems depicted with those little horns or nobs on his head?

Probably you have seen this: https://wakeidou.com/pages/640/ Ichijo work. His student Ikkin could do this sort of design even better, though he kinda worked to the level he was getting paid. Thus, some stunningly detailed Ikkin works, and some kinda mailing it in. This is an example of "mailing it in" : Is yours Ichijo school? Hard to know. I would say No. I understand @Rivkin point that it might be Meiji work. The focus is more on decoration, less on detail. That does point more towards Meiji.

The fittings would either get attributed to "Kozenji' (late Edo high level Owari Kinko) or Umetada. They only distinction I have ever noticed in the NBTHK attributions to Kozenji vs Umetada work is that the Kozenji work often has a trace of silver or shibuichi. If I were to second guess the NBTHK, I think they'd go Umetada on these fittings. Beautiful sword, and some very exceptional lacquerwork too. Imagine the challenge of doing the keyfret in shakudo on the fuchi, kashira, kogai, kurikata, and kojiri, Heavens, that is a lot of work.

Cool thread. I was thinking that you were hinting at the Egg shape of the tsuba, but it isn't that unusual given the maritime and foreign influences. I didn't think to look through the sukashi. I thought it might have a goldish backing, but I would never have guessed the other side was was fused brass sukashi.

That is shitte. @#$%^&! Sorry. Busy week traveling, and I'm thinking about work tomorrow. I figured I would check in on NMB before bed. This is ____ news. Brian- Thank you for letting us know. Yet, I'm angry about it. We've had some painful losses over the years, including Jeremiah last year. I cannot believe Brian (Winchester) is gone. He and I had some fun correspondence and too much in common. We traded a few things, just to play. I have two Benchmade pocket knives from him- one for home and one for car/field, that I traded for a tsuba just to have some fun. I didn't know that he was younger than me. This is wrong. Condolences to Sarah. He is certainly missed by me. He was fun, and correspondence from him was welcome any time. I will miss it.

Why? If he wants to shotgun sell it, maybe. If he wants to learn more about the pieces, he'd do better here or with the help of some of the private forums that exist around. Ed is more likely to help him than Bonhams. I have the greatest respect for Jeff Olson at Bonhams, and I have sold with him both there and when he was at Christies. When you walk into an auction house to sell something, you should really know before hand what it is that you are bringing in.

agreed. Like the offspring of a Haguro tsuba and a Namban. Definitely more on the Namban side with that seppa dai and general execution.