Bob M.

Item No. 39 Iron Tsuba with gold , silver , copper and shakudo highlights and details 6.95 cm x 6.74 cm x 0.52 cm A Jakushi tsuba with moon in a cloud , temple in the distance on the mountain , an old hermitage by the pine trees and fisherman on a boat. Signed Jakushi , but which generation ? Bought nearly 20 years ago from a Japanese seller on Ebay. Not in bad order for a Jakushi...

Item No. 38 Fuchi Kashira in shibuichi with gold , silver and shakudo . Monkey and trainer with all the accoutrements . Inscribed Myochin . Another set with a questionable signature ? Decent quality work , although not outstanding...

Hi Geraint , Thanks for your observations . I am finding it very difficult to make out the signature on this piece , even with trying different lighting / angles , rubbing etc. There is always the powder method of highlighting marks or indentations , but I am reluctant to use it . The pictures do show up the signature somewhat clearer than looking in hand , but I have had to rely on information from when I acquired the tsuba , some years ago . I must compliment you on being able to decipher them - sharper eyes than me ! Regards

Item No. 37 Iron Marugata Sukashi Tsuba 7.00cm dia. x 0.43 cm thick Subject of Maple leaves in positive and negative silhouette. Signed Yoshikuni , unknown school / era.... Simple but effective motif especially when viewed straight on against a light background , as second pair of pictures.

Hi Bruno , Hi Dirk , Many Thanks for your contributions above . It is great to be able to expand knowledge with each others help... I must admit the Otter Festival is a new one on me.

Item No.36 A Kozuka in pale shibuichi , with copper and shakudo , gold and silver details and inlays. Subject of an otter with a captured catfish , next to a stream with bank and sluice gate ( ? ) . Signed - Kikugawa Mitsuyuki saku - school ? Ex : H. Seymour Trower collection Ex : H. G. Beasley collection Ex : Naunton collection - this is claimed by Sothebys when the piece was auctioned in the early 1980's - I cannot find it in the Joly book of the collection . Is there another book / part to the Naunton collection or were Sothebys misinformed ? The otter and other detailing finely carved. The shibuichi has strong ' tiger ' striping when viewed in the right light - I have taken a few pictures at different angles to try and show this. Is this an encouragement to the values of persistance bringing their own rewards , as the catfish is notoriously slippery and difficult to hang on to ?

Item No. 35 - Iron Tsuba with Gold Mei and highlights 8.00 cm x 7.84 cm x 0.55 cm at centre , 0.58 cm at rim. Signed Shigeyoshi Plain iron tsuba , laquered at some time , with the gold outlining of the hitsu-ana really standing out against the dark background. The fukurin is part of the piece , not a later edition . There is however an undercut along the edge of the fukurin which makes it look as if it is a later addition. In order to facilitate this ,the outer part of the tsuba plate all the way round has been carved with a tapering profile. The hitsu-ana shape is ornate - Chinese influence ? Can anyone help with likely school attribution ? Bought on Ebay from a Japanese seller about eight years ago...

Doing some digging about on documentation for Item 34 - It has been given a classification of Reijyu - zu Tsuba by NBTHK. Is this the term for its shape ? Have never heard of the description before.

Item No. 34 Iron Tsuba with gold silver and copper inlays 9.01 cm x 7.21 cm x 0.41 cm Signed Front - Yamashiro - koku - jyu Kanyosai Back - Nanban - tetsu - kitae Yoshitsugu - sei Subject of - Dragon and Tiger with quiet appearance on rear and fierce on front. Is there a name for this shape of tsuba ? School ? NBTHK papers attached A most unusual design , any ideas as to why , or do we need a reason ? Acquired direct from Japan approx 8 years ago.

May be mistaken , but I seem to remember references to broken koto bridges as a theme on tsuba . The bridges shown on No.33 are incomplete as required by the design , but not necessarily broken - anyone remember this theme also ? I was wondering if the flexibility meaning was another of these Japanese word games or puns ( or is this just a western misconception ? ) referencing the need to be able to use/move the bridge to suit any situation , as well as being able to switch between matters military and matters artistic . Moving of the bridges on the koto to suit the music , being analagous to the use of tactics on the battle field...

Seems to me that the information I have for this tsuba is a mishmash of both 04584 and 04585 . This was the info. as shown with the ebay lot , as I said ,from a Japanese seller . Just goes to show how difficult it can be to unravel the facts , even for native Japanese speakers. Once again I have to thank you all for your input and insights - I would like to call upon your assistance with future items , where it appears that there are questions and observations with nearly every piece... The next tsuba , Item No. 34 , will be posted tomorrow ( Friday ) . It may raise a little interest...

Item No. 33 - Sukashi Iron Tsuba by Masatoshi Ito - 7.22 cm x 6.86 cm x 0.46 cm at centre , tapering to 0.32 cm at rim Subject Koto Bridges Another tsuba that feels and displays better in hand with the discolouration as seen in the pictures nowhere near as visible . The Iron is smoothly polished , giving a lovely tactile feel - the sort of enticing piece that you could put in a pocket and carry around all day. Signed , I believe , Kofuju Masatoshi ( Ito school , Edo ) , a pupil of Masatsune. Can anyone find a Haynes ref. or other text to verify this ? Can't find an entry for Kofuju Masatoshi in Sesko Geneologies. I bought this approx 10 years ago direct from Japan for a song - it was on Ebay , but the photographs , obviously taken with flash , made the piece look very poorly. In the end it only got three bids...

Hi Dirk , Many thanks for the Wakayama info. Never too late to join the party - we are only just getting started ! Hopefully see you again when we can hold meetings safely. Regards

Hi Grev, Ford's the one with the good eye ( unsurprisingly ) , me , I'm just bumbling along . Acquired this direct from Ford , I think about 13/14 years ago.

Item No. 32 Iron Tsuba with gold and silver dot inlays 8.06 cm x 8.00 cm x 0.50 cm Subject of ferns An early Ford Hallam piece , made about 25 years ago.

A delicious sea cucumber , of course . What else could it possibly be ??

Item No.31 - Iron Tsuba with gold highlights 7.50cm x 7.41cm x 0.47 cm Modern made approx 10 years ago by Ford Hallam. The piece shows much better in hand than in a picture. The apparent simplicity of the classic shape hides the workmanship where the form of the tsuba follows the graining and contours of the metal. I personally think that in this ' homage ' , Ford has hit a sweet spot...

Hi Robert , I think that it can be difficult to tie down this style of work to a particular school - I do not think that the NBTHK have given you a firm answer to this on the papers . This is not surprising when you consider the overlap or fusion , to use a modern term , of styles from Choshu , Bushu Ito , Haruta etc. If you look at the later flourishing of the Art Nouveau movement , you can see some of the contributing art developing in these pieces... A combination of expressionism and realism makes for some very pleasing imagery and your tsuba is , in my opinion , a good example. I hope that you continue to enjoy it. Regards

Item No. 30 - Iron Tsuba(s) Choshu style Orchids with gold highlights 7.32cm x 7.01cm x 0.41cm ( 2nd 0.48cm ) Tsubas signed - Inshu ju Suruga Takaoki - ninth master Haruta school - died 1856. He also worked in Bushu Ito style . Haynes H 0.9304.0 Two , on the face of it , identical tsubas ( apart from thickness of iron ). The closer you look , however , the more differences appear . Different surface finishes , one appears to be lacquered , different treatment of gold highlights , also there is very little detailing on the leaves on the second compared to the first , where the leaf veins have been carved all over the piece. Have posted same faces together for easier comparison.

Hi George , Re your Item No. 29 background information post , Thanks for all the explanations - I for one, had never heard of this game . Presumably all Japanese adults know it.... I wonder if the gestures get used much. Best Regards

Hi Grev, Thanks for posting - this must be the first and earliest evidence of the' Mutant Ninja Oni' cult then ? Best Regards

Hi Michael , Thanks for posting your ' Joi ' fittings. I really enjoy Shoki and Oni pieces , just see my avatar... Have never seen oni trying to hide under an umbrella/parasol before - really nice workmanship. Regards

Item No. 29 - Fuchi Kashira in Shakudo with highlights in shibuichi , copper and gold. Subject - not really sure , two comic figures - is this another version of Kanzan and Jittoku ? Quite nice detailing especially on Kashira. Inscribed as Joi. The figures , I think , have quite a way to go before justifying the signature . Comments anyone ? Acquired as part of a group of eight fuchi kashira.

Hi Pietro, Yes, using the design on both sides was done quite often , or a mix of designs . From what I have seen recently for sale , usually in auctions , I would say it is about 50/50 between single sided decoration and double sided. These pieces were not just made for western knives , but often ended up for sale to tourists in Japan with an inexpensive kogatana fitted. As they were made in large quantities ( and are possibly still being made today ) it is not surprising that they turn up so often. Regards

Hi Bjorn , Thought I would reply with a few thoughts - The fact that you have not had any replies to your post , says that it is difficult to make an honest opinion from the pictures . I do feel however that if the kozuka is real or not , it will prove to be a little disappointing . I may be completely wrong , but it reminds me of the kozuka that were made to be fitted with a western style knife blade and were produced in large numbers to the same pattern , often being pressed from sheet metal. I am glad you have not paid a lot of money - please take a little time to look at something like the Aoi site ( link in the commercial 2 column on NMB frontpage ) - I have just seen , for instance , item nos. F20694 & F19411 , which although a bit more expensive are the real thing and would be more satisfactory as a start for a collection. There are lots of other dealers to look at also - Aoi just happen to have a wide variety of pieces at pretty reasonable prices in my opinion. Best of Luck ! Regards