Soshin

Hi Everyone, I would agree with Clive the plate condition isn't that good as there is what looks like red active rust. The date is also Edo Period as well. The detail of design is also good. Nara school masters generally signed their work so I don't think it was produced by one of them. With that said it might be a Nara school work. The is just my free opinion. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Christian, Here is what I am referring to please see below. Mr. Haynes also talks about this in regards to a Ko-Tosho and Ko-Katchushi tsuba in his collection in the recent book circa 2010 Study Collection of Japanese Sword Fittings (Gai So Shi) items #8 and #18. I hope my question is now clear. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, I am just agreeing with you. Mr. Haynes did help John Berta with the article. In a more recent book 2010 it is claimed that the reversibility of some design of Ko-Katchushi tsuba example would prement then to be mounted on a tachi or tachi like sword worn with the edge down. This also influenced me in asking my first question as the Ko-sukashi design on my tsuba is reversible like Mr. Haynes' fine Ko-Katchushi example. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Ford, I remember reading this bit of misinformation a few places including NMB which left me dump founded a bit. This was in part the reason for the tread. There is well docurment edvience that there was extensive trade between mainland China and the Ashikaga Shogun in Kyoto. As the Onin group was based in Kyoto as well as the Shogun government the time period and place match. The only question that now remains could my Onin tsuba or for that matter any other of the same age be mounted on a tachi or similar style of sword that had the edge worn down? In regaurds to your other major point my Onin like others I have seen in photos look to be modified Ko-Tosho tsuba with Chinese brass inlays. This would indicate a Ko-Tosho and not a Ko-Katchushi origin. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I was reading through the old (circa 1985) JSSUS article titled Tsuba with Brass Inlay by John Berta. He states that Onin tsuba were originally without additional hitsu-ana for the kogi or kozuka and if they are present then they were added later. It goes on to say that the origin of the Onin tsuba is with Katchushi tsuba makers starting to inlay their tsuba with new imported Chinese brass. With this very expensive inlay even more expensive then gold at the time during the middle Muromachi Period does it not make sense that these early Onin tsuba would be mounted on Tachi used in a formal setting? Another possibly it was used on some time of transitional type of sword that had both uchigatana and tachi characteristics. With the design on my Onin tsuba much like many Tachi tsuba it can be reversed with the cutting edge down. I date my tsuba by comparing characteristics discussed in the article to the height of production of Onin tsuba from between the Onin and Tenmon eras (1468-1554) of the Muromachi Period. The kozuka hitsu-ana was likely added during the early part of the Edo Period as indicated by its shape. The measurements for my tsuba are 7.8✕7.6, 2.5 mm thickness at the rim. More detail about this tsuba can be found on my website. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Thanks for posting such a fine example of the Nara school. I don't have any idea as to the theme. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Grey, Looking at too many tsuba like it will likely cause me to go blind. I agree with Curran's points specific about it being a mediocre repair. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Here was the Umetada tsuba I was thinking about. It dates to around the time of Umetada Myoju which is Momoyama to early part of the Edo Period. It might be oxidation I am looking at collected into lines of the katakirbori carvings as Ford has pointed out. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Grant K., Yamagane is the Japanese term for unrefined copper. Rich T. has some very good examples on his site. I remember a masterpiece done in refined copper by Umetada Myoju where the rim and other features were highlighted using black lacquer. Once home I will try and fine the photo to post for your refernce. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Grant K., Not as familiar with these type of tsuba but it does look Japanese and anitique. Check my website for more information about types tsuba I know most about. The black highlights are likely lacquer. This is a common technique to do highlights with this type of carving in soft metal. I cannot confirm the signature is real as false signatures are not uncommon on real Japanse antiques. Overall the quality of carving looks average at best and the price is over the top in my opinion typical of eBay. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Curtis R., The first photo looks really bad but it's good to know you dIdn't over pay for them. I would also say my iaito has better look fuchi gashira set made in the mid 2000s. Yours truly, David Stiles

Dear David, I would recommend the following link it has about one page of information about dealing with rusted iron tsuba in poor shape: http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ejggilbert/tsuba.htm. Keep it in mind that it is likely best to not do anything under most curumstations. Hope you find the information helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Paul, Looks like a really nice tsuba but wish you could post a better photo of it. Thank you. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi James, I would check around the links at the top of the page for free resources of information. Alternative you could search the Tosogu forum using the term "Aizu Shoami". It is a fairly common and prolific school during the middle to late Edo Period. You can also search the web using Google for "Aizu Shoami Tsuba" or if you like working with the Japanese search Google Japan for "会津正阿弥鍔". This I found very effective in my research. Yes this happens very often even during pre-modern Japan. It happens even more often in modern Japan with blades being put into new full koshirea for sale. Hope you find my information helpful. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi James, I would say the tsuba is likely a average work of the Aizu Shoami School in very poor condition. I would date the work to the later part of the Edo Period (early 1800s). Let me know if greater detail in my attribution is necessary. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Chian, It does look modern made likely during the first part of the 1900s. With that said I like the tsuba. Mei is very nicely done. Thanks for posting this nice late Myochin school tsuba. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi David, In regards to the Shoami "slot" one must remember that the Shoami school during the Edo Period was the most productive and prolific tsuba schools in terms of the number of artisans belong to that school and the total number pieces produced. Your tsuba much like the example I provided below were likely made to be mounted on a wakazashi which could have been used not just by a samurai but also any merchants or artisans which were also allowed to have a wakazashi. Just some food for thought. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi David, Looking at the photo which are not bad I would say tsuba is likely a mid Edo Period (circa 1670-1770) Shoami tsuba. The iron and the color of the patina reminds of another tsuba which I think is a mid Edo Period Shoami school tsuba done with a similar positive openwork design (ji-sukashi). The shape of the rim and seppa-dai is also similar to mine as well. Would a photo of my similar tsuba be helpful for your research? Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Simon K., I have never seen an addition like that before. I wonder what it was for. With that said I have no idea in terms of age or school. Having a photo in the correct oritation would help. Take a look at other photos on the forum to get an idea of what I am talking about. Also I notice that the both photos are very reddish you might want to work on the color balance. Poor color balance can make the tsuba look very rusty. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Rich, Thanks for the link. I have just reread your blog about your Ko-Shoami tsuba. I was wondering about the kebori (毛彫) line carving on the surface of the tsuba. This intermix of line carving and ji-sukashi I have often in Akasaka school tsuba so I can understand the attribution in the book the tsuba was originally published in. But the point of my post is to ask the following question. Is kebori line carvings ever been seen on Owari Sukashi tsuba? I haven't ever seen any Owari Sukashi tsuba with line carvings but that does mean anything. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to post a thread about a new exhibit in Washington, DC this spring. The exhibit is called: "Samurai: The Warrior Transformed". Here is information about the exhibit at the National Geographic Museum: http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/exhibits/2012/03/07/samurai/. The website also provides directions to the museum. I will take a quick day trip one weekend to see it. It looks really interesting. I am sure there will be some fine Nihonto, Tosogu, and armor on display. Enjoy. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I agree it often a good idea to do this once you have your sites set on a specific high end tsuba you want to add to your collection that is for sale. Here is a Saotome tsuba I can across that I really like: http://www.silk-road.us/saotome1.html. I might sell part of my collection to help fund its purchase. In regards of the two Yamakichibei copies or school work (depending on your view) I posted on the NMB about I will keep them as they are some of the best copies I have seen. Keeping in mind that antique copies of Yamakichibei tsuba are not that uncommon. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Rich, I don't see any more rust or rust pits then what would be normal for a tsuba of its age. I submit things for the same reason everyone else does to get an educated opinion. About 99% of the time I agree with the NBTHK and NTHK. To be hosted I am never going own a real Shodai, Nidai, or Sandai Yamakichibei tsuba. This and the other tauba is about as good as it will get for me period. Answer to KM question. "Iron bones" is the literal translation of the Japanese term tekkotsu. If I remember correctly. Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Everyone, I resized this image as well of this other Yamakichibei tsuba I have with wonderful iron bones. This tsuba unlike the last one was never submitted by the NBTHK for shinsa. Enjoy... :D Yours truly, David Stiles

Hi Brian and Jean, The composite image has been resized so that it isn't linking. Enjoy... :D Yours truly, David Stiles