Curran

A+ topic. Most cool.

I saw that one and appreciated it for being very different. Your linking it to Starry Night is brilliant. I wish I had thought of that first.

To add: During WW2, The Gifu area in Mino Province was the largest center of WW2 sword production. Many smiths there signed Kane+the second character of their name.

We have members with full sets. If you search NMB, I believe one of them posted images of his full mounted daisho. It is one of the most impressive fittings sets I have seen posted on NMB. It isn't a style I personally like very much, but it was quite the Bentley of its day.

Not Akasaka.

Japanese like their poetry. Basho and his banana tree. https://seetheworld.travelforkids.com/poet-basho-haiku-tokyo/

Thank you Steve. I should have read that as Noriyuki. The Moto character of Hiromoto was beyond me.

Ciao Ciro. Come e' Stuttgart oggi? The first kozuka is signed _____yuki. Probably it is signed Naoyuki. Certainly of the Hamano school, but there are a lot of forgeries. If you remind me later, I will look it up and give an opinion on the signature. The second kozuka is signed 'Joi'. It is a very famous name. It is extremely likely this is gimei (false signature) The tsuba is signed 'Hiro____ (I cannot see the second character).' This form of Hiro character was mostly used in the 1800s, often by the students of the Uchikoshi school (a Mito sub school), but not entirely. When I can read it, I will look it up later. Curran

Nice tsuba. I've seen all sorts of mon configurations on tsuba, up to somewhere between 5 to 7 on one tachi tsuba. With this Edo period one, the NBTHK could probably put it to several schools I'd guess in northern Japan. If they are being lazy, they probably would just say tachikanagushi (as Jean said).

As per John.

He has had two of the non Sahari ones from the Owari Blue Book sell before. Whatever his source, they cornered the market on the non Sahari Kunitomo.

Hi Charles, Putting together a koshirae is often a fool's errand. I know because I've done it 1.5 times. I'm impressed by your results.

Interesting explanations. --I always took them to be the two blocks used to hold scrolls open when reading or writing. See any Korean or Chinese historical drama whenever anyone is reading, writing, signing anything. Also good for knocking noggins.

I can't. To add to the complexity of this art or hobby interest, the difficulty of passing Juyo has changed over the years. --There are some Juyo that I think would barely pass TH. Conversely, there are some tsuba that would barely make Tokubetsu Hozon these days that are Juyo. Omissions like why no Juyo Saotome? There are a few incredible ones, but I've been told "There are no Juyo ones, so the NTBHK won't make any Juyo" And so on. Incredible work by Jussi.

Gwyn, Does it really matter? Here, now, this object has this value to my existence and identity. To borrow a very ancient quote, "You never step into the same river twice" As Jean says, " I have a suspicion that many TSUBA nowadays are sold very cheaply. Most of them could not be made today at their actual sales price" The level of craftmanship for the price, somewhat ridiculous. Then again, it was very different in the 1980s.

Your reading has been impressive for a while. I doubt I could have ever figured out that 繁 (shige). Interesting tsuba, far away from the schools I know the most about. Decently executed, so Steve is probably right on his attribution to the Edo artist.

I didn't realize the menuki were that large. I considered bidding on them myself, but am fighting with myself to save up money for another purchase later this year. Doc Kyle's writeup is spot-on. My first thought was Ezo, but the longer I look at them the more I agree with Edo revival. --Still, nice posts on the backside point towards older. Nice set.

Seeing this thread, my though was "Gorinto". It seems you guys had the same thought.

Both flipping impressive, and rare as unicorns. I and another NMB member were late to that Khorin. Congrats on getting it. You know me and love for Ko-Mino.

Going from a good little show of Akasaka and turning into an interesting display of Namban. Nice to see collections not as concentrated in Higo and Owari as I have been these last few years. Happy New Year to All. May 2022 be -Strong like the Ox-

Ford's imagined response, "I'm a doctor... not a necromancer!" (Ford in the voice of Dr. Bones)

He's dead Jim. (-Star Trek, Dr. Bones)

Most excellent tiger tsuba for 2022. Personally I love the rendering of the pine tree and rain above.

It was a busy year with not much time for Tosogu, but I came away with 3 or 4 things that I will enjoy for a while. I do not currently have photos of the ko-goto kogai, but it came from a friend... as most of my pieces seem to do these days.

Start with Jim Gilbert's article linked by Dale. Antler vs Ivory have their different advantages. I have old scraps of both. A little ivory shard or pencil like sliver lasts a very long time, and can be had from old busted piano keys or old scraps from knife makers. Note: I cannot remember the last time i boiled a tsuba, though I did try that long long ago when I first read the Jim Gilbert article. As Ed said, that can lead to a lot of other things. In general, Less is More or Keep It Simple . Don't overdo anything. Harder to un-do it.