shan

Hi, Firstly i am no expert ,but will try a strange kind of logic. I have trawled through some volumes I have and a database of smiths and i cannot find a SAKUSHU TSUYAMA KANEMITSU that signed in that way and used that title or those Kanji groupings. SAKUSHU TSUYAMA is a limited Title and i have searched all that Used it ans just the Sakushu, as well and i only find Mitsu as the nearest Kanji to yours and the Tsuyama is one Kanji not the Two shown in yours. It does not look anything like Mitsu really (unless a variant but then thats not how they signed either)and as the other Kanji all conform to the usual expectations (mostly),seems "wrong" to me. I understand that there are some different readings of the kanji ,so can only guess that this mei was done by someone who did not feel comfortable with writing this mei. Its not much help but the smiths mentioned with that similar name were i believe 15pt smiths. Perhaps another can confirm regards shan

This is the tiny 25cm scaled down wakizashi in Miniature scaled down wakizashi mounts that I have. Its not a boys day sword (confirmed by a BDS collector of some standing)and it is defiantly a wakizashi. I do not know what it is, but as samurai were the only ones allowed to wear a daisho, it opens some difficult questions. Please let me have your views on the Blade and activity and again perhaps a rough date and school. Regards Shan

Its returned and i think is looking good. Can anyone place this in a period and possible school? How would you describe the activity you see? Its hamon changes at the point of Yokote on both sides. I would love to know what you think of it, so have run off some very quick pictures. Regards Shan

Hi Ford, I think you are right........another wasted $150. I must stop wasting money. I must stop wasting money I must stop wasting money I must stop wasting money I must stop wasting money......... shan

Porblem is its worded "age unknown but it is an old thing" which due to translation can mean anything. Its too Tricksy for me. On a good note the item was packaged brilliantly and the seller seems a nice person.I expect some of his deals are good and some are bad. However i still believe that they know more than you give them credit for with that many traded items. I am not opposed to tourist pieces if well made and from the late Edo or early Meiji but this is a yestedays buit item and badly done at that. regards Shan

Hello all, I know its a very poor comparison and nothing like yours but: The reason i sugested fire was that i have a Plain Tsuba that has about a third that looks like that shiny textured surface and the rest looks "normal" i have always thought that this was subjected to excessive heat or fire rather than just rust as the area affected was specific and rust to that degree would mean the area was exposed for a long time.The back is not affected,so i would guess was protected by the floor (or table). If the item was say part buried in the earth at that area then both sides would be effected. if the tsuba was buried in protective material and the effected area was exposed to the elements to corrode then again,both sides would show these signs. My guess is is was on a floor and the fire got very close and scorched the steel but did not actually make contact.The Tsuba was not badly effected as it is a 6.5mm plate. But i am probably completely wrong. regards Shan

Hi, I like it,I think it was on ebay or somewhere i saw it,maybe a book. Its has some tekkotsu seen on the mimi if i am not mistaken, so it will have some age unless they are contrived bones. It for me is hard to tell if its in good or bad condition, but i would hazard a guess that it has been subjected to a fire at some point which resulted in the shiny oily look and the irregularity of shape(maybe) if not just badly rusted. If i had to make an uneducated guess (and it will be) i would say Edo period (17th century) in a style very similar to Yamakichibei works of that period. I am sure i am going to be ridiculed for trying but i have to start somewhere. I really like it though so well done and happy Xmas from you. :D shan

what worries me the most, is that I am sure that some artists wanted to Project a certain naiveté to there workmanship in some cases for effect, It seemed to be a desired result rather than a lack of skill.(you know...a bit like the saying that its hard for an actor to act like they cannot act...or a singer to try to sing like they cannot sing, there is always an element of the “unbelievable” in the performances that makes you say" no they can act" or "they can sing" and maybe that’s the case with some artists. I think we judge the artists intentions based on our own expectations and to a degree experience of the artist or there "usual works" but in order to progress we must all stretch the boundaries of art and craftsmanship to reach a new level. Has there never been a discovery of a particular artist that was so unlike what they would normally do that we felt it was “tampered with” or “not genuine”. Perhaps another expression was a “study piece” or “Prototype”? If they all followed the same patterns and styles that tradition dictated, we would have items that were all more or less the same. Artistic license cannot play a great part in the shape of Tsuba or Fuchi kashira or even Kozuka but the artistic expression and experimentation can be imparted to the subject material and its method of translation. Yes its fine to judge workmanship as being a high level item,but sometimes the artist was the desirable factor in the selection of the attachments.A fashionable artist versus an undesirable artists work.Like Picasso paintings,who actually likes or understands that work?? to me its wierd and naive in its execution.( but thats just my opinion,I prefer the works of John Constable) .......Or maybe I am way off the mark. Regards Shan

Hi Brian, I can understand your tact and yes, maybe the item did not sell for a vast amount, but then i do not know who is going to outbid me anyway,so until the hammer falls (so to speak) no one knows what the sale price will be. I bid $350 on what i thought was a period piece or "an old finely carved ,high grade item" (even if tourist targetted).what i got was something knocked up in a sweat shop in thailand or Hong Kong around last week.(or similar) I know its always a risk and i know the people who will say "you get what you pay for" and "caveat emptor" but we can only judge people by our own beliefs in whats right and ethical values. If i were to sell 5 good items for every 1 clearly fake item,would that make me a good seller and reliable and honest? (no, it would make me cunning) The seller has enough knowledge to put very high "buy it now" prices on the other items he sells as well as high starting bids so they are not "novices who know nothing" they just try to make you believe they are. Its like i have always said.the sellers that Claim that they "Know nothing" about an item are not being totally honest. In almost all cases they know exactly what they have for sale and exactly how to get the best price even if this involves inacurate descriptions. It took my Wife (who knows and has no interest in my Nihonto) exactly 5 seconds to say "its modern isn`t it...... its not very well made..how much did you pay for it? (GULP!!! £20 dearest) well send it back its crap!!!.(i rest my Case,your honour) It looked ok in the images, but the seller had it in hand and knew it was modern Junk.that in essance is my problem. "its an old thing ,a high grade item ,finely carved,but look at th images an decide" does not work, as we all know judging by images is very hard to do,the metal looks different and the colours and detail we tend to make Excuses for.(must be the flash) No IN MY opinion this seller is Knowledgable and if an item turns out to be complained about they offer return policies that are not advantagous to the buyer in the hopes that they wont bother to return the item. After all its the sellers description that is incorrect here.........perhaps i should offer it up to a shinsa panel. P.s with a feedback score of 14802 i would guess they know more than most do about Nihonto and related items regards shan

Hi Reinhard, Could you possibly tell me what Knaji the translation relates to? There is a character before the Chin that is barely discernable but is there that is Myo. so thats Myo-Chin,then Fuji wara according to you(thats the first 4 Kanji then) then there is another character a bit like this Then another one that i as yet cannot see very well. Does that make any sense at all? regards shan

Hi, I have just bought an item that was classified as the usual "its an Old thing" and " a high grade item" The item was not " a old thing" it was NEW and It was not "a high grade item" nor does it have "finely carved and inlay of silver" that is clear once in my hands. The item is a New and Very very Badly made "Samurai koshirae" and the parts are of very very Extremely poor quality. It does photograph well though. I am sorry that i bought the item and will not buy again from this seller. The responce was: "Hello. I feel sorry for your disapointment. we will accept your returning the item. Please send it by EMS Only (EMS is not a UK operating company) We will refund you your payment. Please afford for the tax and handling." I guess this means ,In my translation, Please Pay even more to send it back with a courier EMS who does not work from the UK,When we get it ,we will deduct the import taxes and customs handling charges and give you whats left from your original purchase price,Then we will sell it to another unsuspecting buyer! It cost $200 of which $60 was shipping and non refundable (leaves $140) and the return costs by UK mail to Japan will be $70 (leaves $70)and the import costs in Japan may be (well if it was anything like i paid here for this item.)$80 so thats Minus $210. for a return of $60. Why On Earth would i bother to send it back? Just another Tricksy seller hiding behind the odd good deal and a very poor description and False Professed "lack of knowledge" IMHO. I will not buy from the seller again. I will admit they are polite and offered a sort of refund(if thats what you call it) You would not believe how nasty this item is Close up. regards Shan

Hi, I don`t know whether its just me but the Nails look like a later addition to the Tsuba. Its difficult from an image though. I am not sure i like the tsuba. What do they call that Crosshatch then thin overlay method of decoration? regards shan

Thankyou all for your help with this item. as usual you have excelled yourselves. all the best shan

Can anyone tell me if they recognise the style of this work at all. It is in Iron with Mixed metal carvings inlaid and overlaid. It is not signed but looks well done. I would appreciate any ideas you have. Many thanks Shan

I got this Today and i must admit it looks very very old compared to most (if not all) of my other tsuba`s. Its inlaid with copper and is a large round 8.5cm diameter thin plate. Its shiny because it is oiled and needs a clean. What school might it be.Yoshiro? would it be Edo or muromachi? Many thanks Shan

HI, That second Kanji looks "messed with" its not the same stroke pressure for the lower aspects of the character. I am also less that sure about the blade itself from what i see and it looks very loke the "buffer idiot" has been to visit. can we see the whole blade? regards shan

Hi Milt, Thanks,very nice collection you have there. Couldn`t see anything like the 3 rd Kanji but a lovely mix of periods and styles. Many thanks Shan

Hi Guys, I think we are getting there. I have had another look at the Mei and i can see the Myo chin characters and then another character then mune then something that looks alot like Suke. So i now have Myo-chin-(something) Mune-Suke. Can anyone shed any light on the middle Kanji? I think this is a 5 kanji Mei. regards shan sharp.jpg]

Hi Guys, Well thats a lot further than i got.Brilliant work guys!! So it says Myochin Mune XX does it? Are these Myochin school works considered good or just ordinary? Any known Myochin worker that had Mune as his name If you wish to see the images smaller then drag and drop the pic to your desktop and reduce or enhance as you see fit. You have me permission if that is whats needed. Its a plain Mokku Gata tsuba with a textured surface and a part of the bottom of the "moon" in silver colour on the top? Its on both sides anyway,the silvered bit. Needs a good clean i would guess. Regards Shan

Hi, I have had this Tsuba for ages now and whilst looking at in in an Odd light saw what appears to be a feint Mei. I honestly cannot see this if i looked at it head on so i have used my thumb and a little soap to gently rub the area. Its still very feint but you may be able to see and translate it for me. I hope you can help. regards shan

Hi, I had this sword arrive that i bought and it has what appears to be a silver Tsuba on it and silver Seppa and silver Double Habaki fitted to account for the blades "fuller". Think its any good or just another average item? Patterned one side and random "pine needles" the other side. Also a Fuchi that looks OK . It has a Gold Tiger on one side and a rock engraved with "texture" on its surface and 2 bunches of Grasses either side. Any views as always much appreciated. Many thanks Shan

Hi Brian, Thats nice. I agree that it looks to the untrained eye "wrong" in some way. cannot help you but i like it. No kashira i guess? shan

To be Honest,From what i have seen, All of fords work has an air of elusivness that to me bestpeaks of a calm inner self. All of the work i have seen has an almost ephemeral feel to it,Like its there to look at and admire the cratfsamanship and May make you feel you want to touch it, but if you do, it might just dissapear in a wisp of smoke,into thin air and be gone forever. (Probably can`t explain it very well,sorry) Great work Ford , i like all of the other works as well as the Tsuba you make. I would be proud to own anything you had crafted,tsuba included.

Hi again, Re the other blade Rich posted of the shunga theme. I think the mounts are quite possibly a very late themed item but i cannot judge the blade from the images as well as some. I could see a cut down Naginata having a sori as great as that and even to a lesser degree a variant of degree an Osaraku tanto. It worries me a little that from a poor ebay image the blade does not look "that bad" at all. It would be the mounts i would be put off by as i don`t think the theme consistent with Samurai. On ebay that blade on its own would get good bids i think if the Fake patination (Paint?) were cleaned up a bit to "end" tidily under the habaki area. regards Shan

Its still with customs but i have some small images from the web. I think it is a tourist piece that never got out of Japan.......until now. It seems fairly well done and as i have a need for a koshirae will do for now. Until i see it i will not know how well done it is for sure. Regards Shan