Curran

This is too impossibly good of a film. Mind boggling project. Having only seen an image of the original, I had not realized the striped were inlaid. Brian, okay to cross link it in the Tosogu section? (Done - Admin) I almost missed it in this section.

Yes, many of us waiting for pictures. Won't be able to afford the book for a while, but doesn't mean I cannot appreciate it. Hope someone brings a copy to the Tampa show.

You are right- that would be pretty strange. I don't know what to make of it....

I believe he is referencing this one on JSA: http://www.l-wise.co.jp/super-jsa/aucti ... ode=detail

No more problems for me, after trying to clean up everything on my computer and waiting a day or so. Very strange problems. I couldn't post to a particular thread or PM anyone directly from the existing posts in that thread. Then two days later... back to normal. Curran

Someone in this thread linked to the Boston Museum collection. That should be a thread unto itself, given the collection is so huge and there are quite a few master works in there. However, the attributions are not necessarily correct on a fair number of them. Also even in just canvasing the collection, the signature of a few is not correct (ie. gimei) in my opinion. The cataloging of this great collection should be greatly appreciated, but not relied upon. ---Seperate thread, I suggest--- To answer Chuck's Question #2: By looking at it and by experience. In the photo of the tsuba, I see all sorts of signs of rust that need cleaned. Knowing Norisuke iron in general, it does not develop rust that easily. However, when it does- it seems hard to aesthetically minimalize. The Norisuke tsuba you showed has rust bloom all over it, and it would require significant work between the flower carvings to clean it up. Chuck's Question #1: Rarer. Carbon content may vary. Read up on ko-tosho / tosho tsuba and on ko-katchushi / katchushi tsuba. Yoshikawa NTHK papered example: Very Hard. Very thin: About 2.75 mm.

Couchman (please use a proper name), For good tsuba: Aoi Arts can sometimes be okay, but with the Yen becoming so strong you are paying +50% of what you would pay for these tsuba 2 to 3 years ago. I recommend Nihonto.com (california) or Nihonto.us (minnesota). Authentication of NBTHK or NTHK papers is good, but both those sellers are extremely honest and knowledgeable. Some Japanese resellers dump flashy but not so great or gimei tsuba on eBay. More than a few are modern tsuba antiqued a bit and sold as Edo period. Be careful of ebay. Good luck and welcome to the hobby. I would have purchased that Norisuke on Tokugawa if it were in better condition. Norisuke work is very desirable to some of us, as he and his adoptive father (Norisuke I and Norisuke II) are very well documented artists. I have two books dedicated to their works. Curran Sarasota, FL

I cleared out everything myself. I still seem to be able to post except in the one thread mentioned earlier. Now I get the message "Internal Server Error"..... yada yada. Weird.

Brian, I am now getting this: "Oops....there seems to be a temporary glitch and you don't have permission to perform this action. Please try again in a few minutes, or notify the admin and we will do our best to rectify the issue." I am only getting it in the Tosogu "Couchman : Newbie looking ...." thread. After posting there once, I cannot post again. I seem to be able to post in other threads. Will try cleaning out cookies later.

The third one is an NBTHK Hozon tsuba papered to Norisuke (Owari-Nagoya work). Not sure why he asked for comment on that one. I like the second tsuba and, being a fan of Norisuke, the third one. However it is sort of middle of the road for his work, and it needs some clean-up. I think this is reflected in the price a bit, but might seem a tad expensive to some since the USD$ has gotten crushed by the Japanese Yen rate these last few years. Unlikely to get any cheaper though unless the Euro implodes. Even then, not much. Probably long gone are the days of 120 to 130 yen to the USD.

John, At this point, better photos for the Goto gurus might yield more knowledge. I nervously circle the Goto mountain, but haven't attempted to climb it until I have considerably more time and opportunity to read the books and speak/see a vast number of goto pieces. It was either Rich T or someone from the KTK that showed photos a few years of getting to observe "hands on" a long line of near identical works by many generations of Goto: that would have been worth a pretty penny to me. Difficulty for me is the time to get to Japan.

You weren't kidding about the resin. My advice is under no circumstances should you try and remove that. Many years ago Jim Gilbert once advised me how to do so, and I removed very similar from the back of some waki goto menuki. I regretted doing so. Just shooting from the hip, I suspect these were made with a negative mold. Maybe finished thereafter. People like Peter K and Rich T know more about interpreting the finish of the edges on the menuki. From what I can see without being able to expand the photos, it looks like the edge (lip) of the menuki are fairly complete and complete all the way around. Maybe they or Boris can date them better.

John, Any images of the backsides?

John, Thank you. I took several of the Goto books in trade for a tsuba, but they remain the least familiar part of my Nihonto library. I don't own any Goto or waki-Goto works, though you know my appreciation for the occasional Kaga Goto piece. Going to pull that book today and give it a review to see if I can't commit to memory more of the Seijo information.

Until John posted those reference mei, I would have assumed the signature was gimei. John, what text did you use to research the Seijo mei variations? I remember trying to verify a Seijo signature years ago, but not having the necessary reference texts at the time. Incidentally I have seen a very nice fuchi kashira matching well one of the examples you posted. The f/k has a Yoshioka signature that doesn't look quite right and may have been added later. Interesting to see its twin as a reference example of late Seijo line work.

John, Chris, Henry, Thank you for the follow ups. Takase-san's website was interesting. I didn't figure out where she is in the USA. I will put it on the mental back burner for a bit and visualize what the saya would look like resting as it does with sayagaki. Personal aesthetic is to keep it simple as it is, but a basic well done sayagaki might make it more of a visual bridge point for others who visit our home. Decisions big and small. John, thank you for the lead to Takase-san.

E.V. I live just north of Venice. You live anywhere remotely nearby? Been a while since I have come across another collector in the area. There is a fellow up in St. Pete too. My interest is mostly in fittings, but still enjoy seeing a blade now and then. If in the area- come visit. Otherwise, be sure to attend the Tampa show. Curran

Grey- I certainly understand and agree with you about poorly done sayagaki. I knew two Japanese gentlemen that I felt nihonto qualified to do it. One was a friend and artist that I believe may have permanently retired back to Japan. I would have liked to ask him to do so, as he was a mentor to me for a time. The other is very knowledgeable, but his writing is very robust artistic- I think you can imagine what I mean. For a slender koto blade in shirasaya, it would look mismatched. So I figured I would ask. One could hope that Tanobe-san would take some time in retirement to come to the Tampa and San Fran sword show to do a few and pay for his trip, but I also know that is what they call a pipe-dream. Conflicts of interest and what not. I don't agree that there is no-one qualified in the USA. But both "qualified and good calligraphy skills" are quite something else. Others may have the calligraphy skills, but not the Nihonto knowledge. So once again- anyone know anyone??

Previously I've never felt much need for sayagaki. My opinion on that seems to be changing a bit. I have one koto sword that is in nice very well done older saya with horn reinforced mekugi area and particularly tight straight grain and good workmanship to it. It has decided it likes resting on the little c. 1754 kake I found years ago. Together, they make quite the display. I like the sword very much and begin to feel it merits a proper sayagaki. But it is already papered and I see no sense in sending back to Japan for a sayagaki. Is there anyone in the USA with good Japanese calligraphy that does sayagaki? Given the long slender nature of the blade and shirasaya, I'd hope for someone with a tighter writing style like Tanobe-san's. I'd greatly appreciate recommendations on this topic, either public or via PM.

Micha and Barry, Sincere _Thank You_ for all of it. Saved it down to file and printed out. I've absorbed discussion on the workmanship and nakagos before, but that is the first time I've walked through an explanation of the various signatures I've seen. Interesting observations on Aoi-Arts listing. On hold now, so good luck to the new owner.

Like the tsuba design and John's read is spot on. Nice write-up by Haynes on him, and John beat me to posting a Wakayama reference signature. I would have expected something stylistically different from this tsuba in execution by an Otsuki school artist, but there are no hard rules on that. It was not too long ago that I learned about a Goto artisan who decided to work in his interpretation of the Bushu Ito style. Also, Otsuki school was not so small. Anyone have images of Kishin tsuba to compare?

Jim, Barry, Eric, Micha, I'd like to ask some questions here if you guys can field them. My intent is purely to understand, as I have a harder time with blades than fittings. I have a particularly hard time being sure of the authenticity of signatures.... mostly with some shinto and shinshinto swords. Not sure why my brain is so Yin vs. Yang on why the ability to reliably vouch for signatures in fittings doesn't transfer over to blades. I've hesitated to ever tackle the topic of Muramasa signatures, due to the sheer number of gimei out there. Q1: Are the Aoi Arts tanto and Barry's suppose to both be the same nidai signatures? If so, can you explain to me the differences in the signature? By this I mean some of the atari appear to me dramatically different. Are there several accepted verions of his signature? Q2: I like Barry's tanto better. In the Aoi Arts photos, it looks like the hamon runs clean off the blade for a stretch in the middle, even the nie gone in that region, but that it has been painted for continuity. I'd heard or read that the hamon often ran off before the hamachi and that this was to be accepted in some Muramasa blades? But in the middle? Anyone else think the hamon runs off the Aoi Arts one? If I'm just "talkin crazy", it is fine to say so. There is also a Muramasa up at Ginza Choshuya now. These do seem to come in waves. At one point I would have liked to own the Muramasa house yari Darcy had. Koshirae was a dead match to a tanto koshirae I own and love, and legend of Muramasa blade in a house yari had added aesthetic appeal. Hozon papers or not, don't know what to make of the Aoi Arts tanto.

Don't think I read this thread years ago. Looks like a rather nice ko-kinko piece. The theme and fluidity of tree and monkey are what make it stand out. For those reasons, I probably would have conservatively called it earliest Edo. Wish there were some better texts in english on kantei points of ko-kinko. I've always hoped for a scholarly comparison or explanation of their nanako work vs. what we see in the ko-Mino / early Mino. Hard to imagine Lorenzo fighting with anybody. Yes, a shame they don't let Milt out of his cage anymore. I suspect he's been kidnapped across the DMZ and doing dental work on the military elite in North Korea.

Stumbled on this while looking for other things: http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d112831885 Good book. At opening bid, looks like it is going for about 66.6% of book reseller's price, but not sure how much overhead expense in buying from Yahoo!Japan. For anyone interested.

Craig, I was not aware it was still for sale. Certainly not at that price. Thank you for the link. Having nearly made a card filing cabinet of my first set, I'm tempted to pick up a second set for the future. No more from our student? I would have been interested in seeing what else the museum had. Not that the student would have had time to share, but if it was an older collection- if would have been interesting to dissect.