Bob M.

Item No. 94 - Iron Tsuba 64.0 cm x 53.5 cm x 0.45 cm Iron sukashi tsuba for tanto - evidence of being mounted on numerous occasions Has a ' feel ' of a 17th cent. piece Item No. 95 - Iron Tsuba 9.21 cm x 8.83 cm x 0.35 cm One piece iron tsuba thin plate but heavy because of large size. Signed - Yatsuhiro Third Generation Jingo Made This tsuba is made from a single piece of iron with the dimension at the centre the same as the mimi. The metal has been carved away in order to allow the mimi to stand proud , rather than forging a lip on the edge . Quality piece of work as you would expect from the adopted head of the family . Haynes 02039.0 name - Nagayoshi ( 1691 - 1777 ) NBTHK papered

Item No. 92 - Iron Tsuba 7.22cm x 7.12 cm x 0.50 cm Almost circular Sukashi tsuba with theme of waterwheels Any suggestions re school ? late 18th cent. ? Recent Acquisition. Item No. 93 - Iron Mokkogata Tsuba with inlays of pale gold ? and silver - sahari ? 9.22 cm x 8.31 cm x 0.58 cm Heavy tsuba with inlays of Mullein / Verbascum ? in what looks like pale gold and also silver - maybe Sahari but without any ' blowholes ' Very fine detailing for the subject and materials used - very few losses . Nicely worked raised rim . No indication of age or school , showing evidence of multiple mountings. Part of an auction lot about 4 years ago

Just to say that I am taking a short break from posting to this thread - will be back to normal in a week or so... Thanks for all the interest ! Regards Bob

Item No. 91 Iron Sukashi Tsuba with Shakudo liners 7.17 cm x 6.93 cm x 0.50 cm Akasaka tsuba with theme of Chrysanthemums both in background and foreground . Hitsu-ana both lined with Shakudo. A classic Akasaka design , probably dating from late 18th cent. Mumei. NBTHK Hozon papers. Bought direct from Japan eight years ago.

Mid to Late 18th cent. Akasaka ?

Hi George , Many thanks for that - in Genealogies , there is a Masatomo shown as part of the early Bushu-Ito school . Is this possibly the same artist ? Regards

Anyway , back to the work in hand - Item No. 90 Iron Tsuba in kakugata shape 7.12 cm x 7.00 cm x 0.46 cm Raimon ? Sukashi signed indistinctly Kofu ju Masatomo + kao Simple almost austere design , competently handled . Can Haynes or Wakayama throw any light on to which school / generation this Masatomo belongs to ? Purchased from Japan 9 years ago.

Thanks to everyone for their kind comments - I will try to keep this thread going with hopefully a few pleasant surprises along the way... Bob S - for my sins , yes, I do own the tsubas in the Hallam videos .Your question has prompted a thought - How would it be if at the end of this thread , ( admittedly some way in the future ), pictures of groups of fittings were posted together for ease of comparison / study? I am thinking of subjects such as Tigers , Shoki and Oni , Iris , birds etc , or maybe grouped by artist / school . Everybody , please let me know what you think and any themes arising... Grev , I think you must be referring to my alter ego , Bob the Terrible , he and I don't really speak much these days.

Aw shucks , George... and Barry...

Hi Glen , Thanks for the link to Darcy's page , I had never seen that tsuba before or the fact that he put a link to the Utsushi video . This is the bit where I come in, as it was me who commissioned Ford to make a replica of the missing piece and get the process documented for future interested parties to see. I don't know if you have had a chance to see the documentary , it is only about 25 minutes long - perhaps it is even something that might be worth using in school ? There is also another video - called Yugen , which documents in a slightly different way , the making of another tsuba with a millet theme. I commissioned that one from Ford several years after the tiger... Give me a shout if you want or need any more info. Regards P.S. to find the relevant videos ( Utsushi parts 1 & 2 ) and Yugen , just go to Ford Hallam's You Tube channel.

Re Item No. 89 Have had some discussion ' off board ' about this piece and the thinking is that it is probably right for workmanship and signature - I was not really expecting this. Any thoughts or comments from Board Members ? Regards

Surfson , You are most welcome - the more the merrier ! Regards

Item No. 89 - Kozuka in shibuichi , with gold , copper and shakudo Subject of a Nio temple guardian in typical pose , signed Katsuhira A well crafted kozuka featuring a ferocious Nio warding off evil spirits . The nanako in regular pattern and spacing , the inlays ( including the teeth ! ) all well executed. Tree engraved to rear. Bought from auction about seven years ago.

Hi John , That is too spooky for coincidence - perhaps we are being told something... Best , Bob

Hi John , Re Item No. 83 - looks like your tsuba and #83 could be a daisho pair between them . To me there is some variation in quality with the other examples you have posted , most obviously in the Boston and Bonhams where there is some misalignment of the punches - not great perhaps but noticable. Interesting research on the man behind the signatures - possibly a fitting that needs to go to shinsa. Thanks !

Re. Item Nos. 87 & 88 Additional photos taken at more oblique angles - maybe a little easier to see detail...

Item No. 87 - Iron Tsuba with shakudo , gold and silver inlay 7.15 cm x 6.90 cm x 0.52 cm , 0.90 over inlay Subject of the sea and beneath showing an octopus and a grouper type fish under the waves . Early 19th cent. ? Very difficult to see and photograph , but there are numerous silver dot inlays spread amongst the waves , the octopus and grouper both in a lustrous black shakudo. Acquired 3-4 years ago as part of a larger auction lot. Item No. 88 - Iron Tsuba with brass inlay 6.85 cm x 6.56 cm 0.39 cm Subject of vine leaves and tendrils on a hammered ground . Tendrils possibly gilt. 17th/18th cent ? Heianjo type tsuba on relatively thin plate. Inlay appears 100% intact. Bought at the same auction as Item No. 72 ( buffalo ) , for a pittance - nobody else interested. Will try to post some better photos on both of these.

Hi Grev, Have deleted posting - On second thoughts , not a good idea . Thanks for your response ! Regards

Re Item No.86 Some photos of the box as featured . This is made from over 1000 year old Japanese Cedar and still has the classic cedar fragrance. I understand that trees of this sort of age are classified in a similar way to ancient monuments. It is illegal to use any wood from them unless it is as a result of storm loss or natural death. This means that the wood is greatly sought after...

Re Item No. 86 Additional views

Item No. 86 - Set for Daisho pair in mixed metals Related themes on a recently mounted set of fittings by Ford Hallam These were made approx 18years ago as a commission for a U.K. collector and show themes or associated subjects such as tiger and bamboo , dragon and rain ,the chinese ' four gentlemen ' , autumn leaves etc. I will post some additional views of the fittings seperately , also of the box.

Hi Glen, Private Message sent... Regards Bob

Hi Mauro , Re Item No. 85 I am sure you are correct about the scenes being Lake Biwa - you have reminded me that I did a little research when I first bought the tsuba , about 15 years ago , and Lake Biwa was mentioned then . I had completely forgotten about it . Re Item No. 84 Ko-Shoami was the attribution given by the auction house at the time ( it was part of a larger lot ) . Heianjo would perhaps suit better... Thanks for your comments !

Item No. 84 Iron Tsuba with brass inlay 7.68 cm dia. x 0.50 cm Attributed as Ko-Shoami mitsudomoe design with vines and tendrils , early 17th cent. Nicely made iron tsuba , in good order with all inlay complete. Acquired at auction over nine years ago. Ex Clarence McKenzie Lewis Collection Item No. 85 Iron Tsuba with pewter ? inlays and gold decoration 8.32 cm x 7.85 cm x 0.46 cm Iron tsuba with a total of eight different scenes on inset plaques thought to be pewter , possibly illustrating part of the tales of Genji . Ichijo School. NTHK papered. Smooth , well worked iron tsuba , very tactile . The piece shows a few signs of having been mounted at some point . I have seen a number of these plaques in the past , mainly with tsuba , but these are the freshest that I recall. I think that they are little stampings ( rather than carvings ) which were produced in sets , but these were probably made when the stamps were new and still retained their original fine detail.

Re Item No. 83 Is there sufficent similarity when the high resolution is viewed , to assign a known artist to the kao ? Does having a different kao necessarily take away from the authenticity of the tsuba ? - and if so are we putting a kao above the evidence of the workmanship ? Just a few thoughts , and after all there has to be a first time for everything , even Japanese art signatures / kao.