Curran

It looks that way. Very different from the tsuba signatures.

Eh, magari. You have no idea how much my Italian has declined in the last 35 years. Even then, if my Italian or Japanese were ever as good as your English??? Non ci credo.

Man.... some serious collectors came at me fast on that one. Me'thinks I underpriced it. Thanks all. Maybe a Kanayama up in a few days. Curran cur@irontsuba.com

And SOLD.... in less than 30 minutes. Unfortunately, not on NMB.

And ON HOLD....

We have Goto Kenjo and others going up from Edo over to visit the Maeda. We also have abumi workers form there sort of teaching the reverse technique to fittings makers. Quite the artistic commune back in the day. My thoughts were more... what artists hitched a ride to the art commune back in the day? Colin's tsuba has the feel of someone familiar with Chinese painting style or screenwork, and the placement and zogan from Kaga works starting sometime in the 1600s. My thought is that there is at least a year or two there where he must have been up near Kanazawa and learned a trick, ... or five... Just it feels like a lot of Kaga influence in this. Given the supposed production period of the artist, gotta think something is missing from his bio.

Mega sized Ono of Tokugawa Crest. 17 sizeable tekkotsu, and weighs in at 161 grams. 6.5 to 6.7mm thick x 7.65cm x 7.5cm $1250 This is my favorite Ono and has everything that defines Ono as the steroided cousin to Kanayama. Comes with fitted box. Take my best as I build funds for another Juyo tsuba. (Cur) Chris Campbell irontsuba.com

Thanks Steve. I didn't see this post until now. I had my head turned by a Hoan the other day. We'll see if I end up on target in April, or coming back with something else. I have to halt this listing, as the -sho just papered in Japan. Got to get the -sho back, and consider listing as a Dai-sho set. The Dai- came from Ito-san. The Sho- came from a pre WW2 collection in Massachussets. How do we know they were a Dai-sho.... well, not 100% confirmed, but looks like they are recorded back in the 1800s Kamiyoshi Ehon records of Hayashi tsuba. Off to post the Mega-sized Tokugawa Ono next.

Wow! That is earlier than I would have thought for some of the techniques used on the tsuba. Kinda like seeing a Boeing Jet and thinking it is 1969, only to learn the image is from 1869.... I am aware of some Kaga area Abumi artisans transferring some of their style of workmanship to tsuba around the 1650-1700 era, But I have to admit that I would have dated this tsuba closer to 1800.

This was RKG : https://www.rkgphotos.com/about.htm I believe he was in his late 50s. Has there been an obit for him? @Grey Doffin how did you hear this? I'd hoped he would get through his surgeries.

Last sword I bought was a few years ago. Double mukansa blade (from province D) that was made for the head of the LDP (also from province D). Blade, habaki, and shirasaya were made in 2002. I admit part of the appeal was the price included a double gold habaki. In hindsight, it looks like I bought a habaki with a sword attached to it.

The last time we spoke, he was undergoing fairly complex invasive stem cell therapy. This had been the sci-fiction goal back in my university research days, and fast forwarding to Richard's situation- I was surprised by the high mortality rate. A long time ago RKG and I were good friends. We would have a bit of a falling out in 2008. Yet I mourn his passing. His photography became his passion, and he advanced tosogu photography significantly. He shouldered a lot of responsibility for his family. I hope his soul finally gets some rest.

Well- 1500s iron, signed. If that doesn't happen, there is a very short list of other candidates. If any of them pop up, then one of them. They are rarer than 1500s signed iron. Got to hit them whenever those unicorns appear. Anyway you slice it, a tsuba probably in the low to mid 5 figures. I'd probably balk at anything costing more than the car I currently drive. On the flipside, most every tsuba I own was worth more than the car I drove up until April 2025...

Given: [1] the height of the birds, the bridge, the treasure bag design elements on the front, [2] the high sheen polish on all the design highpoints [3] lack of evidence of any carving other that that achieved by the madman using the punch for the nanako [4] the details on the birds, the bridge, the treasure bag, etc... were all finely done into the high sheen polish, probably at the end of production My opinion was: cast into a mold, endured some sort of super polishing, and the finishing details added by hand. Yet... I've never seen another like it. So either it proved too labor intensive to do it this way, OR it is a one off by some ko-kinko worker. I would add that the nanako puncher feels like a different person's work than whomever added the fine details to the birds, bridges, etc. Much gentler work.

Well, I hope to show it in April 2026. Consolidating up to Juyo level iron takes sacrifice.

Hozon Hayashi Shigemitsu for $4750 https://irontsuba.com/shop Not Higo, not Hayashi. Direct Hozon to Hayashi Shigemitsu. Theme is Yoshinogawa [Sakura in the River Nets]. Ex-Ito-san. More pictures to follow. Please contact via email at my site. Nidai Yamakicihibei, Kanayama, Tokugawa Ono, and my favorite Kyo-Sukashi to follow later.

I've been sending from phone to a computer and using a photoeditor to trim them down. Then saved them. So, it isn't that unless it is the photoeditor. I can try a different photoeditor.

I believe it was (i) cast, then (ii) polished, and (iii) worked by a ko-kinko style artisan. They definitely had a punch, though they were not 100% skilled in using it. My dating was late Momoyama. My opinion is that it was Korean design influenced. In my eyes, too much similarity to some Koryo (Goreyo) pottery designs and Korean bronze mirrors. With the wonders of supercameras, you can zoom in and follow the ko-kinko type nanako columns into crowded areas which were effectively 'trenched' or worked to the point of crudely carving out certain areas. But you may see it differently. By daylight, maybe I can find better photo evidence. Yet, I need to figure out what is going on with my photos and how to rotate them correctly when they upload different. @Brian care to share any Grand Master Correction Codes with me?

Got it. Much love @Tim Evans for helping here.

Better images of my one example. Not sure why it rotates like that. I've always enjoyed the Korean influence and nanako on this one. I'd date it to 1600-1615? Naturally, I prefer the pre-1600s ones. The earlier the better. Those like Les' don't seem to appear very often. The last Muromachi one I saw, a few guys ended up in a bidding war at the end of the auction. Though under the radar of a lot of people, they are still very hard to catch.

Yes. Ditto. I too would appreciate it more than a little.

Very well said by Colin. Though not something that gets me to put down my beer, the flashy post Edo stuff has found an appreciation base the last few years. Several of us had noticed the recently over the 100 year mark had been gaining a fanbase at the auction houses. Maybe tech-bros and crypto-kings be searching for bling?

I hadn't really looked deeply at the offerings. Someone I trust said there was a lot of "lipsticked pigs" (from the phrase, "To put lipstick on a pig."). A quick look seemed to confirm that. Decent things do come up in Auction Houses now and then. I did pick up a good Hayashi Shigemitsu at an auction house last year.

Yep. It is more pleasant than obvious in the photo. The patina is particularly nice. I'd rather own this one.