Curran

My first thoughts were Jakushi(?) https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1246932497437445&set=pb.100063621186223.-2207520000 or Hizen (?) . This to say: Probably from a Kyushu based school.

Then travel well. Most here certainly wish you the best. --(Enjoy the kid. We wanted and never got them. My college fencing team captain and Lowell House roommate just wrote me today to say his son graduated HS. ____. )

I agree with Brian. Any summarizing might get accused of auditing / censoring.

It would be Italy's loss, but maybe you consider Japan a bit more long term? Heaven knows I wish I had tried harder in some of my academic pursuits that would have taken me there in 2021. Personally, I'm stoked by the level of works coming from non Japanese. We see Issei Naruki pieces in many books, and now they get NBTHK Hozon papers. I've owned one or two and seen many Issei Naruki. I'm more impressed by your tsuba.

Locking threads should probably be reserved for when things totally go off the rails or get too troglodyte and troll. This thread has gotten very long at 21pgs. My personal opinion is that it has become a time sink hole. I'd appeal to the fellow members here to move onto something else.

While good at dating patina and age wear on metals, I am very bad at dating the age of wood. This was proven long ago with my antique sword kake. For years, I thought it was circa 1850. Then looked closer at the bottom and realized it was signed n dated underneath. [ink was a bit hard to see contrasted with the patina]. Turns out it was made 1754. Your saya does remind me of the "pretty one" were I think I was more in love with the shirasaya and the feel of the blade than I was the appearance of the blade. Beautiful tightly arranged yet symetrical growth grain on yours, as on mine. Very good blade, but extra lovely shirasaya and feel to the who elegant thing. Those ivory mekugi rings cannot make the trip in and out of the USA anymore. The last blade I bought was former property of one of the prime-ministers of Japan. It had to have the ivory removed from the shirasaya before export/import.

Got off my lazy arse and actually started reading "The Honami Family" by @Markus (Markus Sesko) -published 2012. "Sen no Rikyu was visited by Oda Nobunaga.... (Nobunaga gifts Rikyu with a Masamune)" and "The sword only came in its storage shirasaya, but Rikyu wanted a full mounting..." (top of page 48). Earlier in this thread, I thought the topic was sayagaki on shirasaya . I don't know when that started, but have seen preserved sayagaki on shirasaya from late 1700s or early 1800s, kept nearly as valuable as Honami papers. So, for now, safe to say shirasaya were at least around in Oda Nobunaga and Sen no Rikyu's time. After all these years, a seemingly simple question can throw me. I have no idea when shirasaya came in to use, but it sounds they were common enough in the late Muromachi to early Momoyama period.

Sanmei with its retro site, not to different than when it came online 25 years ago. https://www.sanmei.com/enter.html This shop can be very hit or miss. Show you a clunker or two and then show you something very exceptional, possibly produced from the storage space under the couch on which you are sitting. Also, just go to https://www.meihaku.jp/en/ and see what you find from there- Or the Tokugawa Museum (in Nagoya) is always a classic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Art_Museum It has been a while since I was there, but discussion with them lead me to one or two local dealers nearly unknown. Got a great tsuba from one of them.

Good very old school multi generational shop. 4th gen now? Several of you are giving very good advice. So far, I agree. Nagoya >> Kyoto > Tokyo More shops in Tokyo here and there, but you sort of get that greasy used car lot feel from Aoi Arts. They are not as they were 20-30 years ago. Some of the very very best, and a lot of the worst, are located in Tokyo. @MEENag good luck. Though it may be confusing, the others are trying to help. It is a shame there isn't a strong central organized club in Texas these day. Things shift, so you will have to rely on internet groups a bit more.

I feel a disturbance in the Force, ...ahhh. I think it was @Jussi Ekholm brain exploding somewhere in the distance. Jussi, it you are still in Japan- then maybe a quick trip to the Osafune Museum.

I'm not as versed in the Honami family as others, but I can confirm that I've seen swords with their previous shirasaya preserved. Some of the shirasaya dated back to the late 1700s or early 1800s, so @KungFooey Deanna's reply joshes well with what I have observed. Also, interesting to observe the evolution of the shirasaya with a particular sword. I once had a sword where I felt the shirasaya was as equal or better artistry than the sword inside it. *Groan*, maybe it is time to get off my lazy arse and finally learn more about the Honami.

I thought so too.

"Arrampicar(si)" . New verb to me. I'd say "arguing with yourself in the mirror". [or beating yourself up in the mirror?] I've long been tired of this thread. I'll consult with Brian about locking it. For now, posts stay up. I don't want to be censuring any more than I must. --- Everyone go back to their corners and sit down ---. Don't make me power up the cattle-prod.

Chrysanthemums: ah, then- flower of death, funerals, and respect to the deceased. Something like that (says the gaijin)? The split of the ko-kinko kozuka is unfortunate, but it evidences an earlier construction technique. I would guess early 1600s. The condition wear of the early works is very appealing to me. Especially Ko-Goto work. Sometimes Ko-Kinko have shakudo nearly as good. I have two Ko-Goto kozuka (one of wild boars, another of arrows in a quiver) with half their 1000 year life worn away... yet the shakudo has such a luster at this point- ---any time I think of selling either, I put them out for a few days--- then back into the tansu and say I will sell them in another 1,3, 7, or 15 years.

If possible, please show the "mouth crack" on the second kozuka. Personally, -I prefer it to the ikebana vase kozuka. My initial thoughts are that it is a nice pleasant "ko-kinko" kozuka from the late 1500s or early 1600s. The flowers are meant to be Chrysanthemums? Others feel free to verify. Chrysanthemums have significant meaning in Japan and Korea, especially at that time in history.

As far as I know, -there is no English translation. It is one of my favorite books outside of my primary interest in Owari and Higo tsuba. I own a few Kaga Goto pieces and hope to travel to that part of Japan in October 2025 or 2026.

Manuel, 'e veramente un piacere di vederla. It is a powerful work with conviction. I love the fine yasurimei on the front. The prayer along the mimi must have been very difficult?

Thanks. I learned something new today.

Anyone get this one: I'm hoping one of our members did. I've got other fish to fry at the moment, but I probably should have picked this one up for study. I understand why it went for so low, yet think it is probably a good tsuba. What some might see as defects might be something else.

And the Predators built the Ziggurats? Just so we are clear on the matter. The topic is more interesting to me. Then we can all mostly get along with terminology and parameters. (Just in case it isn't clear, I'm trying to make a joke. I know I would starve if my career were 'Comedian'.)

Might be an Akasaka book, but the rubbing and the text next to it do not give it to Akasaka. I won't mention their attribution, as I don't agree with it. @lonely panet Hamish is right--- it is not Akasaka. While I owned an Akasaka of similar waterwheel design, I don't think I have ever seen an Akasaka of this specific waterwheel and bridge design. I've seen A LOT of Akasaka. Too many. This design gets pegged as Kyo-Sukashi about 75% of the time. The other 25% depends on various things. I have seen it in a very Owari execution at a few times.

okay then! Having to delete a post or two. I'm going to leave Dan's last one up. I don't really agree with him, but do feel he is entitled to his opinion and I shouldn't edit the thread very much. It has not my favorite thread, as I find the topic very subjective over the last 25+ years. Please keep the disagreements civil as possible.

As reliable Mauro says: NTHK papers with the mark of the 4 judges. Don't ask me which. I don't read chops very well, though I was given one by my family in Japan. Those "noodle bowl" chops are beyond me to read at this time. This NTHK one does seem pertinent to the old discussion thread. Hagihara-san was part of one of the NTHK shinsa teams for a long time. Up to 2004 to 2006??? , the papers were solid. I papered a few items with them back then. Since then, I know little of their shinsa team. (edit) Papers look recent Reiwa era. Ie. They are relatively recent papers.

@ChrisW and @Rawa . Thank you both for this. Chris' explanations helped me on one or two things I was wonder, and Marcin's image posted will be helpful in remembering the new-to-me terminology. I now understand the leather cap on the top of the saya is missing, hence the patina shift between the covered and uncovered part. Yes to Chris's comment on what type of sword it maybe once carried. By the tsunagi and other measurements of the inside of the saya, I suspect it was made for an older sword. What?- we will probably never know.

Ah! I should have seen that. Interesting idea.