Grevedk

Sesko Swordsmiths have changed hands and allegiance - they will be studied. Super items, cared for and well kept . Very safe shipment. Thank you Jussi 🤗 /Soren

Hi Jeremy, Suggestion: don’t involve or ask your wife - just do it /Soren

Good afternoon Jussi, PM for Markus Sesko - “Sword smiths of Japan” if still available? All the best. Soren

Gentlemen, Certified Mei from Bungo Takada Fujiwara Yukinaga (3gen) for possible comparison: All the best and Happy New Year /Soren

Hi Peter, A very interesting study with a rather cool scientific aim. Downloaded and first read done 😎👍 Thank you. /Soren

Good evening Grev, Could it be “Denison Museum”? https://museumcollec...on-detail/?dataId=37 Best regards Soren

I can also second that. Very professional, reliable and responsive service. And - the “make offer “function works very well 🤓 Really fine quality in the offered Tsuba. No comments on the OO-agent comparison but for the cool website 😜 /Soren

Hi Jean @ROKUJURO, You are absolutely right - did the check, and it is magnetic (e.g. iron), and not bronze. Now I wonder why I didn’t check that before 😳 Apparently it has been coated in some kind of varnish which I think accounts for the slightly brownish look. Regarding the inlay I think it probably is brass. Not the prettiest Tsuba I have seen, but fascinating in its own right. 😎👍Thank you - I really enjoy tapping in to the combined knowledge of this board. All the best /Soren

I have a similar tsuba - bronze and probably not cast. A guess could be the Higo school and the Azuchi-Momoyama period (not certain and no papers), 0,45 x 7 x 7,6 cm, 128 g that could also need a “little repair” 😎 /Soren

Evening Okan, I will second Colin - pretty amazing and a rather cool study - thank you for sharing 😎👍 What tricked your curiosity on that perspective? And - maybe there’s even Japanese wood block prints somewhere of samurai wearing rapier’s. /Soren

Good evening @Deez77 and @SteveM, Thank you for your responses and time used. Truly appreciated. It is quite incredible how many slightly different tsuba that have been made over the same design. Every tsuba found by either you or @Spartancrest so far could easily have been made by the same artist or school except for either Mei or attribution. The workmanship however on all pieces must truly have required both time and skill. Quite happy with this acquisition 😊 All the best /Soren

@xiayang Thank you - much appreciated. All the best /Soren

Dear kanji experts, I have this, so far, anonymous tiger who needs a name. If you can help - thenit would be greatly appreciated. Tsuba dimensions: Design: Tiger and bamboo 🐅🎋 Seize: 6,5 x 0,4 x 6,0 cm Matriel: Bronze Period: Probably Meiji period (1868 - 1912) Mei: ? Best regards Soren

This is again what makes this forum so useful and in so many ways unique. It is really a fast track in getting different perspectives on a subject matter, and learning something new. Attribution to several schools (Kinai, Shoami and Bushu) underscore the points made by Jean @ROKUJURO, and you Dale @Spartancrest. If a design had appeal why not make copies. Thank you all 😊 for taking time to look and respond. PS “Mary-gata” was a “fault 40” and not a hint to our Danish / Tasmanian princess 😜 All the best Soren

@Brian Thank you for your quick response and feedback. Appreciated. @ROKUJURO Jean - with your experience, what would your opinion on school and age be? Are we talking Edo period (early, mid or late) or maybe even Meiji period? I find the Sukashi intricate on this one and with signs that might indicate both iron bending and welding. I might be wrong on the welding but could that as a technique be a tell on age? All the best Soren

I have a very high regard for Brano @Brano as I have previously bought a sword from him. Very professional and full of integrity in his dealings. So - you could tell your wife that you actually invested in another kind of honest “jewelry”, that actually could be worn as such 🤓 She might understand and accept that. You might however end up in trouble, but no gain without a little risk 😜👍 /Soren

Dear NMB friends, You probably know the feeling when you make a bid on an auction, win the item and then think, hey - did I just miss something. Something that other bidders (more knowledgeable than you) saw and just decided not to continue to bid on. And the inner voice saying “How come I won that item at so low a cost - what did I miss?” And then you receive the item, and the feeling of it is just right. The Tsuba below has that feeling. It came without any real background or solid information. My own guess: School: Echizen Kinai Material: Tetsu-ji (iron surface) Form: Mary-gata Design: Sukashi with Omodaka plant (Sagitta Trifolia) and grasses Size: 8,1x8,1x0,45 cm Mei: Mumei weight: 88 g Price: <100€ (incl. fees and shipment) My question - Am I wrong, and did I miss anything? 🤓 I will appreciate any of your comments. All the best Soren

Good evening Colin, Fully understand your attraction to that tempo school tsuba. Beautifully yakite finish (heat treatment). Very forceful appearance and very nice “stamp” work. No idea what impression the artist wanted to install in our minds as onlookers or the age - but I believe I can see both the head of a dragon and some clouds 😜👍 All the best Soren

Hi Dale, @kissakai made a superb write up on Sado School Tsuba in the attached PDF. A double “lock” design is described and shown. Your Tsuba could might well be considered to be of a triangle “lock” design 🤓 All the best /Soren Brian @Brian just beat me with the same link 😜👍

Good evening and welcome to the board Marco, The honorary title of “Sagami no Kami” is comprised of both a province (Sagami) and the word for a deity (kind of protective guardian), and could therefore probably be seen as “ protector or guardian of Sagami province”. I believe it was also bestowed on provincial governors or samurai in higher office like military commanders. The link shows many of the different honorary titles that where bestowed during the Edo period. http://www.sho-shin.com/titles.htm Some of our more knowledgeable members might be able to either correct or expand on this post. All the best Soren

Good morning Okan, Nice guard. A fellow NNB member once send me the following reference pictures of verified Hamano Mei taking from a book. And - to my untrained eye it looks as if small variations in script size isn’t unusual. The difference in script size on your piece looks more pronounced. Last picture is from one off my own guards with a probably Gemei Hamano signature. All the best. /Soren

Good evening Jeremy, Very nice work and beautiful patina. I would also love to hear how you came to that result. By the way - are you really certain that this is a “Cloud dragon” and not a small “Sea dragon” 😜 All the best Soren

Good evening Jimi-san, FWIW my guess would be Higo-Jingo as first call. Form of Hitsu-Ana, patina of plate material (iron), and the heavy inlay of brass on one side. But - just an uneducated opinion @Spartancrest might have one in his archives and a more real confirmation 👍 All the best Soren

Hi Giuseppe, Wow - that is really an awesome catalogue. Fantastic photos and very cool items. Well done 😎👍 All the best. Soren

Gentlemen, Just to add to the collection. Have just received an identical iron tsuba with a truly beautiful color patina. Shown mounted on a sword made by 1st generation Hirotaka around 1655 and together with an equally nice quality Koshira. Pictures taken by seller. /Soren