Curran

Piacere. What is the attribution of the blade, if we may be so nosey?

Q80: Mitsuoki, (of Otsuki school) eh? A popular name that is often forged. Without checking, my instincts looking at the signature think it is gimei. If you can provide a close-up, I will give a better yes/no on whether signature is legit. Never the less, the tsuba looks like a good nara-derivative work. If unsigned, I would think it from the Uchikoshi school of Ichijosai Hirotoshi and his many students. When a tsuba is nicer like this, I wouldn't mind owning it even as a gimei...but value is diminished. Q84: Will look at Haynes Index later. Nice enough tsuba, and description seems correct. Just the name is a bit of a mystery. Q86: At a glance, it seems correct to me. Nice well made little thing.

Veny & Morita-san, Horimono looks interesting. If you have time, could you provide an better image of the ken horimono? Especially at the tip of the ken from any angle that illustrates the depth and angle of the carving? I am wondering if the nakago is shaved for WW2 mounts? Have some patience with me, but dare are I ask is this another 'what is it?' and then gets flopped on ebay? Seems to be so much of that, even I have begun to be annoyed by it.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2482&hilit=sword+oil

Yeah, Henry and I look nothing alike! (Meant as a joke.) By Edo Higo, the emphasis is Edo. Ie. NOT Higo.... but rather later work done in Edo by artisans trained in the voguish Higo style. Without going into it in too much detail, the proportions of the tsuba are largish and slightly clumsy. The tsuba design is also a mix of Higo subschools, loosely imitating Jingo work with dashes of others. You might consider purchasing "Tsuba an Aesthetic Study" from: http://www.ncjsc.org/publications_for_sale.htm A softback but good sized photocopy of the original, at $25 it is one of the best bargains in existence and will serve as sort of a field guide to anything we say. I don't know how many fittings you intend to show, but if more that a dozen.... then get the book and settle in. ____________________________________ Moderator Brian forgive me for thread jumping, but I'm in a rush this morning.... The other thread you posted: Top one signed Masatsune- That would probably be Bushu Ito. Sub school could easily be looked up, though Masatsune is common name. Bottom one: Edo generic kinko without distinquishing refinement. Interesting only in the lining placed in nakago ana.

#89 Edo Higo #90 Uncertain. Probably 1800s Shoami. #85 Ko-Kinko. Nice little one.

Quoting a friend's recent help on a hakogaki from one of my tsuba: 寒山誌 - Kanzan Shirusu with kao = Kansan Sato

Thierry- the two tsubas are relatively identical, but have some distinct differences in certain details. Different designs at the end of the radial spokes, etc. Tom- that is a rather popular Namban design that I've seen in different sizes and shapes. I don't think it cast, though iron isn't very nice. I've held Namban I thought cast but weren't (ahem.... no comment, live n learn.) I have seen NAMBAN that I more certain are cast, but they have all been either distinctly dock work grade, or those heavily of Indo-China influences and possibly materials. I believed Dr. L has mentioned the importation of tsuba into Japan, if we were to review his book. Personally, I would expect some pre 1800 cast iron tsuba to pop up. In experience, I just haven't seen any outside of the Namban group that were pre 1800s. I can't say they don't exist. I can say that there is an almost entire 'lack' of those with age on them outside of the Nambans.

One look at the sori and shape- quick conclusion is that it is ancient. Might very well be unsigned or signature lost to age, if the sword is not preserved. Who do temples ask to preserve such works? NBTHK, NTHK, or sword shops? Or do they just ~leave well enough alone~ until it reaches a tipping point?

Yes. C'est la guerre. Thanks Peter and Piers. It would be a great piece that my wife and I both appreciate. But I cannot reward such behavior.

I agree with Grey. Nihonto has such a long history. It is necessary to have a very good foundation before trying a restoration project. Otherwise there are so many small mistakes you can make in having an item restored. Years later, you will see each mistake as big as the moon in the night sky. At present, your risk vs reward is very high. But at least you are asking for advice and sound open to hearing it.

Matsumoto-san and Moriyama-san, Thank you for the information. It is a shame. I am sure it has happened to me before, but this is the first time the seller seems so obvious and greedy. Peter: I understand, but neither time was the auction pulled. The first time the 'other bidder' and I went back and forth adding about 40 minutes to the auction until it finally ENDED. Not pulled. Same with the second time. We dueled and added about another 20 minutes. It ended without being pulled. It takes pleasure away from owning it. At this point, the seller would be lucky to get from me a bid now MAX at 50% of what I offered in the 1st auction.

I'm 97.5% sure I've caught him shilling his own auctions. I am far from a clever patrol officer, but he has had an item I really wanted, and apparently it keeps coming back. 1st time up: No Reserve.....I dueled with another buyer, driving all the way up to price X about 60000 yen higher than the 3rd place bidder. Then I let it go. *Pop* it was back on the market within 24 to 48 hours. 2nd time up: No Reserve..... I am a bit more cautious, but I still want it. Towards auction end, another bidder magically comes in and we duel it up to price Y about 25000 yen higher than 3rd place bidder. I back off and let the 'last minute dueler' have it. Price is lower than round #1. *Pop* back on the market within 48 to 72 hours. 3rd time up: Initial Bid is set high. Interestingly enough, it is set almost exactly to my highest bid in round #1. I feel like a big fish that has been hooked twice and gotten off the line both times. What is the old phrase... "Me thinks there is something rotten in Denmark, and it isn't the fish!". Anyone got a good explanation for this that doesn't Fuji_5005 shilling his own auctions?

Yahoo!Japan: Fuji_5005 Anyone know this seller or dealt with him before? I have a question about his auctions. I'd like to determine if he is doing something legal of which I am unaware, or if it is just blatant shilling.

I don't see how the mirror maker cast tsuba is relevant to the discussion on cast iron tsuba. Please explain further.

I emailed E-Sword about an item and have not heard back after several days. Unfortunately, I had to ask them questions about the item that are more complex than I can ask in Japanese. Maybe they were confused by my English? Has anyone experience with them and can comment or advise? PM is fine, or post here.

This would be the one Larry has for sale at $5500 in the For Sale section? Stolen photos? No mention of the nasty weird deep groove in it. What the heck is that? I'd like think it was just a camera reflection, but looks like someone cut quite a nasty groove in it with some sort of power tool.

Is the Wichamm book that much more significant than the Lambourne book? As tight on space as the apartment is, that is one of the large books I refuse to give up. We're old fuddy duddies in that we still believe in having silverware and have an Art Nouveau pattern. In addition to Nihonto, the only things we collect are Durgin Iris pieces. It took us years to assemble a serviceable set without spending a Juyo worth of money. It is great to eat with Artwork nearly every day.

Yep. Japonisme -> Art Nouveau Good Bushu-Ito tsuba and such right over to Western interpretations. You have a non Japanese tsuba in that group of photos. I assume this was on purpose. Why?

Rich, I no longer get the magazine. I should, and don't have much excuse not to do so any more. As mostly a fittings collector, I am always disappointed they don't post the fittings very often. I scan read it with my limited Japanese and don't really understand the implications of the "graffiti" Mitsu. This is certainly a less than perfect blade and well beyond me at the current price yen-USD rate. But it is one of those areas where I find myself looking when an example comes up. I don't know if I agree with concretely sticking this work in the Motoshige camp, at least not from what I see of workmanship.

Grey, Thank you. I had missed it somehow.Oshigata isn't very good, but there it is. Jacques, I hadn't thought to break out the Fujishiro. I will look in there later tonight. I can see why he might be grouped in with Motoshige. Do you guys think that is shintetsu? It is highly likely my eyes are shot and not seeing the obvious. Given the early bizen construction, I see it as an old sword with many a polish where the grain develops ripples similar to the sand on some beaches. Fred Weissberg had a comparable juyo for sale at one point that was of this sort. I think the relation was 1 or 2 steps removed from Mitsutada. This blade seems to me sort of a half way point between the fine quiet of that one, and the jigane of ko-motoshige.

Can you point me to any book he is listed in? If he is in the Bizen Taikan, I missed it.

I have found I sometimes enjoy the quiet well forged works of lesser known Bizen smiths between Mitsutada and the Nambokuchu period. This Mitsushige interests me: http://www.choshuya.co.jp/sale/gj/1107/2_mitushige.htm I have no idea who is this smith and cannot find him even in the Bizen Taikan. The best I can read the Japanese, his work is similar to Motoshige (ko-Motoshige) or he is somehow related to Motoshige, but not his father or teacher. Coincidence had me looking at two Juyo grade Motoshige this past weekend, and I can see similarities in the sword to the ko-Motoshige I was studying. What is Mitsushige's relation or place inside the Bizen school?

Moriyama-san and Justin, Thank you. That was exactly what I needed and makes perfect sense as a description of the tsuba theme. Justin, that translator program is very useful to my needs. I appreciated the link and might download the full version this weekend when I set up a new computer. I use Grey's Flashcards to practice kanji when at the gym (oxygen to the brain, higher attention :lol: ). I use the Japan auctions to work on mei readings, and sometimes I run into a real challenge either deciphering handwriting or getting the meaning. I remain impressed by those like Mr. Stuart who have learned to read well over a short span of study. Moriyama-san has solved more than a few riddles for me.

I am translating a hakogaki and having trouble with one character: 橘 What is the correct stroke count on this one? Possible readings? I am not finding it in the books I am using, and am probably overlooking it.