raven2

Well this is turning out to be very interesting. Can anyone give me an idea about age and school of the pirce originally. My thought was mid Edo.

This subject, although grisly, is still interesting and informative. Thanks for the information.

Well, Marcello, if it was an "attic find" I would love to find that attic. Nice blade in good condition, signature seems to be good. Can't get much better than that. Congrats.

Toru, I also empathise with that feeling and agree with Ford. Take your time and get a quality piece. You will find it much more rewarding than trying to buy something cheaply and quickly. A good piece will also give you the chance of getting your money back, should you decide to part with it. Remember, you are never wrong getting quality.

I would like to say that answers that go out to new people often have an elitist ring to them. Marius, Toru was merely asking for some advice. I realize that many experienced people here have seen "too many" new people who are all too ready to rush in and buy the first thing they see. However, that is a natural reaction when you are getting into something new. Yes, it is a good thing to try and temper that reaction so they don't get taken by fakes and buying poor quality pieces and as we all know, studying and learning is of paramount importance. But I feel that the message being sent and the tone is a negative one. I have often heard "don't buy it just because you like it and it appeals to you". This really comes across as killing people's enthusiasm. One of the reasons to buy it is because it does appeal to you. Just because a person is new does not automatically mean that they are just going to buy junk. People don't always make bad decisions but that seems to be the assumption that is being made. I often read people here bemoaning the fact that there are so few new young people getting into nihonto and how can we attract more. Talking about garbage and junk is not the way to do that. This all being said, welcome to the board Toru and please don't get discouraged, people here really do want to help you :D

Hi everyone, Just posting this tsuba for a friend. She picked it up at the Fla show but doesn't have any idea about what kind it is or the age. I do think there is a sword strike on it. I am not very good at this and would appreciate any input. Dimentions are 7.8x7.2 cm and .5 cm at the mimi

I would say you are NOT seeing things and I don't really like the nakago either.

Hi Jason, I think the hamon is unusually broad, but I have a katana with a hamon almost as wide. However, I am also of the opinion that the hamon ends a good deal befor the hamachi. I think it would be very unlikely for such a wide hamon to suddenly drop down and finish so narrowly.

Hi again Cameron, Please don't bother saving the rust. Carbon dating can only be done on organic material, not iron oxide.

Thank-you John, I appreciate the information.

Sorry, my mistake. I am not the best at kanji.

Welcome Cameron, I, too look forward to seeing your pictures. :D

You are very right about that, David. It would make a very nice set if Thierry's is katana size. Mine might be a little small for a wakazashi though.

Thanks Thierry, I guess it wasn't a custom job after all, but still a huge amount of work and a wonderful piece.

Hi David, I have to agree with you. I am not necessarily a Higo fan (in fact I am not specifically attracted to any school) but this piece was so very different from anything I have seen that I couldn't leave it. It certainly is a possibility he knew that he was getting that effect but my guess is he was just trying to make that design as well as he could. I got it from Fred Geyer and he felt that it was probably made as a special order and considering the work involved in it, I don't doubt it. :D (btw although it doesn't really show in the picture, it is pierced through in all of those tiny holes, so if you hold it up to the light, it is a true mesh)

Sunday 10 AM is just about the best time to buy something. Prices are on the way down at that time.

Jason, If you do not have enough knowledge to decide for yourself whether the tsuba on those sites are good or not, more than likely you will get taken in some way or other.If you are looking to purchase tsuba (or anything for that matter), you would do much better to buy from the people on the board. Grey has some very nice pieces for sale from the Holbrook collection right now. Much safer and you will be much more satisfied.

Hi David, I was wondering who got that tsuba. I looked at it more than a few times. I like it very much. Nice pickup.

Hi Bob, Well that is some interesting news. I am very pleased with the piece. I was first attracted to it by the workmanship. Interestingly, when I first picked it up I thought it was bent but then realized it was an optical illusion. The tsuba is rather like an Escher print if you look at it for a while. It is nice to know some of its history. Thanks for the info. :D

I would agree with Mark, from the tang and the sori, it looks shinshinto.

I am not very good at new swords, but it certainly looks like it would fill your requirements very well. Welcome

Hi everyone, Just got back home from Fla (stayed for vacation after the show). Here are the two new tsuba I picked up. As usual, any comments would be appreciated. #1. Small Higo tsuba from what I believe is the early Edo period. 6.65 X 6.18 cm. Mimi 4.0 mm. Seppa dai 3.6mm #2. Bushu tsuba again from early Edo period. 7.24 X 6.71 cm. Mimi 4.8 mm. Seppa dai 5 mm. Mei - Yu ki aki

Beautiful tsuba, Curran. I can see why you "caved". I also went to the show not expecting to buy anything and ended up with two tsuba, a beautiful dragon rug and an incense holder. I guess I caved more. :D Pictures of a Higo tanto tsuba below. Others to come later.

No, he was there but obviously had a different show than the rest of us. Too bad because it was really very good for the majority of attendees.

I also would like to add my two cents. I have two nice early shinto blades in shirasaya. It has always been my aim to mount them as a daisho. I have bought some nice pieces to try and do that but have quickly come to realize that it really is a very daunting task that will take years and much money to do correctly. Therefore, I decided to leave them in shirasaya and use some the money I would have spent on tsuba which I have become much more attracted to. I believe I have eliminated a lot of frustration in this way.