Bob M.

Thanks to everybody for their positive comments - I will carry on posting every other day or so till I run out of fittings or until we all get fed up . As I mentioned earlier , there will be a fairly wide range of styles and quality , so please comment , educate or call out the crap... I will provide such information as I have about each fitting . In the case of the more generic items , this will be very little , I have not attempted to read signatures on some of the pieces ,some help with this would be appreciated. If there is anything that anybody wishes to talk about ' off board ' please feel free to p.m. me. Specifically , Barry, I will see what I can do about a large high def. picture re the Tsuchiya Takechika kozuka , as you say it could make a nice piece of framed? art. Don't suppose you know of anyone who could have a stab at translation ? Also glad to hear that someone else has some modern Hallam pieces - it sometimes feels a bit lonely... all will be revealed in due course. Regards

Hi John, Yes , it's a bit tongue in cheek , maybe I should have added ' but acquire an accumulation '. It wasn't intended that way , it's just happened...

No. 10 - Sukashi Iron tsuba 7.3 x 7.0 cm of plum blossom and branches . Hayashi School - attributed to Hayashi Matahei , fifth Hayashi Master. Gold double scroll nunome appears almost completely intact.

No.9 - Iron tsuba with gold highlights Bushu Ito school. 7.7 x 7.5 cm x 4mm . Signed Bushu ju Masakatsu. Purchased over 12 years ago from a senior and esteemed board member... Design of Japanese Irises , a precursor of Art Nouveau , this tsuba dates from the second half 17th century (1600s) and is therefore approx. 350 years old. This information from Haynes #04085.0 ? I do not have the Haynes book . In the Markus Sesko Genealogies book , however , page 112 , shows him as a later generation artist. Can anybody please make some sense of this ? NBTHK papered and published October 2007.

Hi George , Thanks for your input , once again. Other side of the Masayoshi fuchi as requested

No. 8b Fuchi Kashira signed Ishiguro Masayoshi featuring Gama-sennin and his toad together with another sage , Tekkai ? before having to take the beggars body ? Very fine and detailed work - very difficult to photo without a full set-up. Any ideas about the second sage ?

No 8a - Fuchi Kashira in shibuichi from the Ichinomiya school , signed Nagatsune with kao. Subject of an Ayu fisherman , with fish swimming towards his net. As he holds the net rope in his mouth , with his right hand he is putting a fish into the wicker basket at his waist.

Yes , Brian - It's a Hallam...

No. 7 - a modern piece ...

And post no. 6b - from the same auction lot as the previous tsuba , eleven cranes in flight - pattern book again ?

Post no. 6 - iron tsuba , bought as part of an auction lot some years ago. With floral theme and Tanaka style ? sekigane. Attributable or just pattern book generic ? All comments welcome.

No.5 Kozuka by Issai Hogen ( Tsuchiya Takechika ) Reverse with signature and 2 line inscription in grass script - Help !! Please... Ex. Hartman Collection Finely worked fitting from Late Edo period

Next ( No. 4 ) a commission piece by Komai Yoshitaka , for Ikebe Shigetsuna , dated April 1870 . This tsuba measures 8.2 x 7.9 cm and is decorated with clouds and dragon theme. NBTHK Hozon papers.

Continuing the theme of the first tsuba, another iron and gingko example - this also has applied Kanji signs - possibly for teahouses ? Unsigned , 7.3 x 7.3 cm , not submitted for shinsa.

Thanks to both of you for your efforts on the Naokatsu . Seems pretty convincing that it is Hamano , I will amend my records accordingly. Regards

Thanks for the info. George and Barrie , and yes , Geraint I hope to post a number more pieces as long as they appear to be of interest . From the Jolys kaos it would appear that my tsuba has a combination of Nos. 103 and 104 ? although I guess closer to 104. Thanks for pretty well confirming the maker . The tsuba is papered by NBTHK to (as far as I can remember)' Naokatsu but not Inagawa ' which is a strange almost non attribution. I do not have the translation of the rest of the paper and this has been confusing me for a while. I was hoping that someone would take a fresh look at it , without my disclosing the papers , which you have both done - Thanks ! Will put up another fitting shortly... Regards

Another small tsuba , shakudo with gold silver and copper inlays. Theme of ' horse from a gourd ' with the wizard Chokaro. Size 6.5 x 6.1cm signed Naokatsu , but which one ? Inagawa / Yanagawa ? Hamano ? Any help with this would be appreciated . Thanks !

Hi George , Thanks for your interest and comments , all useful background . I was unaware of the tsuba being shown in Haynes as you mention . I do not have a copy of the book , would it be possible to post a scan of the relevant page ? Have also realised that I omitted to say that this tsuba was papered and then published by the NBTHK in the October 2009 magazine. Many Thanks !

Iron Tsuba signed Edo ju Umetada Masatsugu size 6.9 x 6.3 cm Beautifully shaped , thinner towards centre , very tactile , design of gingko leaves

These were also some of Darcy's earlier pieces - although they bear no relationship to the items he currently has for sale.

Of course a few of you might remember this - one of his earlier offerings...

Hi, Understand this to be Ko-Goto from Muromachi period - oldest in my collection - 9.6 x 1.33 cm

Again a tsuba that Ford is very familiar with -

Couple of quick 'archive shots' taken earlier this year. As ever a balance has to be struck when cleaning , between clearing away dirt etc. that obscures detail but not leaving the piece looking new - it is after all, over 400 years old now. Another sympathetic example from Ford.

Umetada it is... Signed and dated - Joshu Nishijin ju , Umetada Tachibana Shigeyoshi , Keicho jusanaen ( 1608) The tsuba is ex Henri Verver collection (possibly a good fit as he was known to collect more unusual pieces) Pictures posted by Ford are part way through cleaning , after removing many years ( centuries ? ) of dirt / crud.