Soshin

Hi Jean C., I don't think anything can be done for my Umetada tsuba short of having the surface completely cleaned and a new patina applied. The end result might not look much better then its current state. I was able to control any active rest on the tsuba surface to prevent pitting. I am not sure about the ko-sukashi design of your Ko-Tosho tsuba. I have two Ko-Tosho tsuba in my collection and one the design was a bit hard to figure out while the other was very clear. Please let me know and I can post photos of them as well. Here is a scan of a famous Umetada Myoju tsuba done in brass with a Genji-mon ko-sukashi design. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here is the Umetada Myoshin who would sometimes sign his work Umetada Hikojiro (埋忠彦次郎) like my tsuba. The second mei on the ura side is for Umetada Myoei who's artist name is Shigenaga (重長) the son of Myoshin. This tsuba was likely made by both father and son. Notice the two large Kodo Genjishiko symbols above and below the nakago-ana. The only problem is the surface of the tsuba has been burned. It was added to my collection like that as I focus my collection on the Umetada school. The multi-layer construction of the plate is also clearly visible because it was in a fire. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, The design is called genjishiko in Japanese. They are symbols associated with different sections of the Tale of Genji. I have a Umetada Myoshin tsuba made with this design. The symbols are for different aroma used in Kodo to tell the stories such as the Tale of Genji. There are many fine Umetada Myoju with this design. I will post photos of the tsuba after work. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ron H., I am thinking more inline with Mino school work circa late Edo Period. I don't see the Omori school characteristics but again I only have books with photos of Omori Teruhide and other master's work. Sorry can't be of more help has this is not my area of tosogu collecting. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Richard G., Found a funny website link http://www.zazzle.com/yaguu_kasa_tshirts-235350744256616393 with bady clothes with the Yagyu Kamon on them. This is just to show that I was talking about the Yagyu family kamon being twin kasa. What would Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami Fujiwara Nobutsuna think? Yours truly, David Stiles

Richard G., I have just about finished my Spring cleaning of my tsuba collection myself. Please let everyone know if you decide to part ways with it. A very nice example of Ono school work.:D The twin kasa design is characteristic of the Yagyu family kamon. Therefore it could get the Yagyu label attached to it at a shinsa. I just noticed something new looking at your photos. Is that a sword cut at the lower left side a facing the omote side? The shape of the damage remind me of a sword cut. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ron H., Having good photographs of both sides of the kozuka is important for the identification. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John L. Yes correct Kanji would not display for "nao". It is missing a left radical. Not sure why it would not display might be font issue or a Kanji similafication issue. The first Kanji might also be Sada it really hard to tell with the photos provided. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Peter, Good question. I am of the general view that all Edo Period Kaneie tsuba are gimei regardless of origin. I am also of the opinion that not all gimei tsuba are of poor quality. I based this judgement on the fact that there is little or no edvience connecting the Saga school in Kyushu with the Momoyama Period Kaneie of Yamashiro in Honshu. Generally people classifity the less quaily Kaneie gimei tsuba to Aizu Shoami school. This general rule may not always be valid as I am sure there are high quality Aizu Shoami copies as well. We also need to be aware of the fact that many mumei Ko-Nara tsuba had the Kaneie mei added during the Meiji Period. This makes spotting a real Kaneie hard because some old tsuba have his mei. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Tony, From the looks of the seppa-dai and mei the first character is likely Nao (直). The second character is unreadable give the current set of photographs. I agree with John L. attribution to the Oda tsuba from the Satsuma province. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Mariuszk, I was not referring to Saga Kaneie school work as BS but the reasoning in my original post circa Jan. 2009. Here is the new photos taken last week. The pine needles are made of iron with a light patina. The dots associated with each needle is inlayed brass. Enjoy. :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, After looking at my post from almost four years ago the only thing I can say what a buch of bull sh-t. I did some much better pictures of my above tsuba and other more knowledgeable collectors have attributed my tsuba to the Saga Kaneie school. In terms of iron it also compares to a papered Saga school tsuba I have. I will post the better photos I did after work. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi John L., Thanks for the correction. Regardless we are just talking about mediocre late Edo Period work at best. Therefore it many be better If don't remember such things. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Allen, I generally agree with Grey but number five is signed Masafusa and not Masamichi and it likely the most valueable tsuba in the small collection at about $350 USD on a good day. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Colin, Nice tsuba. You do see many Nara school tsuba with these types of designs. I wonder what the design is in reference to. Likely maybe some old Japanese folk tale or Chinese legend. Thanks for taking the time to post your new photos of the tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Morita-san, Was this tsubako a master of the Aizu Shoami school? The detail and composition is wonderful. There was a wonderful unsigned Aizu Shoami school tsuba listed on Ginza Choshuya a high-end dealer shop website located in Tokyo. It is no longer on their website. The design was of a dragon. Thanks for starting the tread. Yours truly, Davis Stiles

Hi Henry, Thanks for the information and doing some research in that book. This book is still worth getting and I consider it my next purchase. It looks like the Sai-Hai is a common design for Yagyu tsuba from looking at the photo in Owari To Mikawa No Tanko. The caption also states that Yagyu tsuba of the third period (primarily made by Norisuke and the Futagoyama school) also used the Sai-Hai design theme. I would love to see in the two books sited in the caption as sources of the design if they have some Yagyu tsuba that are ita in place of sukashi tsuba with a Sai-Hai theme. Yagyu tsuba can be both ita and sukashi but in answer to you question I don't think Yagyu tsuba used inlays of any type. Here is a NBTHK papered ita Yagyu tsuba: http://www.aoi-art.com/fittings/tsuba/F10412.html. I have came across another Yagyu with this crossed stick design but it was done in ji-sukashi. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Christian, Thanks for the nice reply and letting me know if the design is in the Yagyu design book or not. That bit of information is very helpful. Hi Rich T., Thanks for the reply as well. Looking at Skip's note again about the tsuba it says Iwata Norisuke who is the second generation Norisuke and head of the Futagoyama school. If you know of anyone selling the book Owari To Mikawa No Tanko by Sugawara that would be great. I would like to have it to continue my study of tsuba from Owari. Yours truly, David Stiles

Very well said by Jean. Congratulation Ford! Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Colin, Thanks for the reply. Grey did tell me that other people were intrested in it but I was the first. Next time I am at a show I will need to ask Skip about this tsuba. Not having access to the Yagyu design books I can't confirm if this is a Yagyu tsuba. Regardless it is inline with what I want to collect be clearly of Owari origin. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Denis, I would estimate a late Edo Period Myochin work. What are the tsuba measurements including thickness? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Have not posting anything new on NMB tosogu forum for a few months. Just finished with photos of a new tsuba I purchased after selling three tsuba and a koshirea. The design is of a sai-hai or baton carried by a samurai commander in feudal Japan. The sai-hai was culturally a sign of rank. Here is a link for more information about the design via Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saihai. The overall size is a small one at 6.5 cm X 6.2 cm. The thickness at the rim is 5.7 mm. The tsuba is really fun to look at in hand. The characteristics of the iron (color and sandiness), overall size, and square rim reminds me of the Futagoyama school of the Owari Province circa late Edo Period. Here is a NBTHK Hozon Tosogu Kanteisho example of the schools work on my website:http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeo23jk/id20.html. The tsuba on the right side of the screen. Layers can be observed along the inside edge of the openings much like the tsuba on my website. The original owner was thinking it was a late generation Yagyu tsuba and the Futagoyama school headed by Iwata Norisuke did make some late Yagyu tsuba but I am not sure if the Hai-Sai is a design found in the Yagyu Family design books. Please feel free to comment, add additional information, and thanks for looking. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, I love your work Ford I hope you do well in the contest. The idea that there is no good tsubashi in Japan is completely false. This is a very nice tsuba you posted. If I knew it was for sale I would not have spent all my saved money on a Yagyu, Ko-dai tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi, I would agree with Ken W. comment. I found a small hand magnifier very helpful in my study of tosogu. Yours truly, David Stules

Hi Ford, What a wonderful tsuba. :D Good to see you don't spend all you time on NMB. Best of luck at the contest. Yours truly, David Stiles