chuck

Actually - the flower in the center of the bowl, with kinda the little knob on top - anyone else think that might be a poppy bulb? Some kind of medicinal bowl, perhaps? peace.

Flying saucer with grey alien landing in the woods? I want to believe. pax.

ah! Why only Akasaka tsuba? I am curious. peace.

Found MOOSE menuki for sale! They gotta be rare! http://js-samurai-art.com/SHOP/30007.html also at the same site: FROGS!! http://js-samurai-art.com/SHOP/30004.html peace.

I am surprised. Tis a very obscure hobby. I'd love to attend a meeting, but as a small business owner working six days a week, with a child on the way, I just don't see where I'd find the time. I barely have time to keep up with my iaido. That's actually one of the things that drove me out comic-book collecting was the rampant speculation. Specifically with the comic-book statue market. For those of you unfamiliar, there's a large sub-market in statues based on comic book characters. Kind of like Hummels for nerds. Anyway, people either lucky or connected would get their mitts on a brand new "super-special-extra-limited-edition-exclusive" statue and then immediately re-sell it for two or three or even 5 or 10 times the original suggested retail price. And then they'll brag about it at length on various dedicated message boards. Couldn't stand it. Sold 'em all a couple months back. I'm happy to not have seen this kind of thing here. Also part of the attraction of tsuba and other fittings for me is that they are hand made. Some one had to painstakingly develop the skill set necessary to craft and carve these objects. I've discovered that collecting works of actual art is much superior, imho, to collecting things manufactured specifically for a collector's market. So I'm here as an acolyte trying to learn the whys and wherefores. And I've noticed that while folks here will discuss specific pieces in depth, I've seen little about the hobby overall, and why we all do what we do, and how we all got ourselves into this expensive mess. I'm much happier with my six tsubas, and my F/K & menuki set than I was with my 300+ comic-book statuettes. I don't plan on going back there. peace. If it wasn't obvious, I was kidding in my first post about wanting to know all your addresses and when you aren't at home. Well, slightly kidding.

Yea, I had a LOT of coffee last night. Can you tell? ... Probably need to pare down the questions a bit. What I'm interested in - coming from a family where my grandfather collected train memorabilia, my father collects coins, my mother collects antiques, my brother and I collected comics growing up - is the relationship between you and your collection. With the vast number of tsubas out there, grouped into schools, styles, motifs, etc. how do you make your choices about what to add to your collection? So I think my first group of questions are really the relevant ones for this thread: Do you, like myself, just collect whatever happens to catch your eye? Is there a certain style you collect? A certain school? Historical period? A certain motif? A certain individual artist? And why did you decide to collect those? Thanks! peace.

Hi again! So I've been collecting in earnest for a little over a year and a half now, and I still feel like a newbie. I have six tsubas, a fantastic fuchi/kashira/menuki set, and a tanto. I seem at this point to be buying pieces that I like or that appeal to me visually at some level, and then trying to learn everything I can about them. Unfortunately, this has also led me to buying two counterfeit tsubas (inadvertantly, of course). (Fortunately, neither of them were expensive. Why would anyone bother to counterfeit a tembo tsuba anyway? It's not like the originals are that pricey.) So I started thinking a lot about this hobby and why I'm spending money like there's a gaping hole in my wallet, and I'm just curious to see how you all approach your collecting. Do you, like myself, just collect whatever happens to catch your eye? Is there a certain style you collect (like, say, only sukashi tsuba)? A certain school? Historical period? A certain motif (like having 300 mantis themed tsubas, for example)? A certain individual artist? (I think this last would be difficult.) Is it important to you that tsubas or fittings come with authentication papers? Would a lack of authentication papers ever kill a sale for you? How does one go about getting papers for a tsuba anyway? I worry sometimes that if anything were to happen to me, papers would make it easier for my wife to sell the pieces in my collection. What's the limit for how much you would spend on a tsuba or other tosogu? Do you also collect swords, or only fittings? Do you practice a sword related martial art like kendo, iaido, or tameshigiri? (I've been flailing about with an iaito for the last two years. There are days that I think I almost did Mae passably.) Do you display your collection, or do you keep them stored away somewhere? Is your collection insured? Is it through a rider on your homeowner's insurance, or do you have some kind of separate policy? What is your address, and the hours that you are not home? I've noticed a couple of things here I think are interesting: 1). I don't think there are that many people collecting Japanese sword fittings. If there were twenty-five other collectors here in the Philly/NJ/NYC area, I'd be surprised. 2). For such a small, niche market, there seem to be an awful lot of counterfeit tsubas floating about. 3). Maybe because it's such a small market, I've noticed that folks here on this board are much friendlier and more helpful than some other collecting forums I've frequented >ahem< comic books >cough< (I'm a geek at heart. What can I say?). I've also noticed a more scholarly bent here, and an almost complete lack of speculators or "flipping" behavior. Are there speculators in the Tosogu market (as opposed to dealers)? Or is it that the number of potential buyers is so small that it naturally limits that kind of (obnoxious) behavior? 4). Ford is a nice guy. Thanks! This forum has been very helpful to me. I look forward to reading your replies. peace.

Well, I've given this a try, since the tsuba in question has no sekigane or other metal inlay... ...and it's only been three days so far, and there has been an amazing improvement in the depth and lustre of the patina. It does work!! I can't wait to see what it looks like after a week or two if this treatment. I've been keeping it in my pocket, and rubbing it gently with a flannel cloth whenever I'm bored. I've had a couple of co-workers ask me what the hell I'm doing. Trying to explain that "I'm fussing a tsuba" is kind of an interesting conversation. Until they start backing away slowly. I only wish I had taken "before" pictures, to compare the results to. Except my camera's broke. And I can't afford a new one because I've been buying tsubas. Crap. peace.

Also a reproduction - you may want to check out the "Peace Sword" offered by Bugei. http://bugei.com/product_1511_detailed.htm I don't know if they sell the tsuba separate, but they might if you ask nice. As for antiques - I've been keeping my eye on many websites for a while now, and I don't think I've seen any with this theme. I'll keep an eye out, tho. peace.

huh. I did not know that. The reason I was asking is that I have a Myochin tsuba that I had oiled to protect it from the New Jersey humidity. Then I read that oiling a tsuba is bad, because it can promote the growth of rust under the oil. So then I ordered some dessicant to keep in the display case, and cleaned the oil off with some warm soapy water. Well, since being washed, the tsuba just seems kinda grey and lifeless. I think I'll just keep it in my pocket for a while now and see what happens to it. Thanks for the info!! peace.

I've come across a couple references to keeping a tsuba in your pocket for a day or two to restore the patina. Does this actually work? How does it work? Thanks! peace.

Just to test my detecting abilities - I saw this listing and something in my head immediately went "Cast!" http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT I can't see flashing, but the texture of the metal seems off, and even looking at the close-ups, the design seems muddy, not crisp like a carved design should be. Am I wrong (yet again) on this one? Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but the first tsuba (imho) is obviously a cast. This one's a little trickier. I'm still trying to hone the counterfeit radar. peace.

Thanks! I love it. And I'm pretty convinced it's a kappa. The pictures are really magnified. The actual kappa carving is tiny - about a centimeter in length. For that size, it's really detailed. Initally, I was thinking of looking for "small child" menuki, but then I decided that would be too morbid. Cucumbers I think will be the way to go. Even if they take me years to find, if they exist, I will find them. Peace.

Just made a trip to the city and picked up this tsuba at the Flying Cranes gallery (nothing but nice things to say about those folk): http://www.trocadero.com/flyingcranes/i ... store.html I would looooovvvveee to have a set of cucumber menuki to go along with this unusual tsuba. I'm not sure they even exist. Anyone ever seen a pair? peace.

I was going to send it to someone that would polish it cheaply, but instead I took the advice of my iai sensai to wait and save up some money and have it done correctly. He recommended that I send it to Mr. Tatsuhiko Konno in Kirkland, Wa. My understanding is that he is an experienced and traditionally trained polisher. I spend a good deal more than a couple of hundred bucks. I turned down his offer of making a shirasaya when I initially sent it, because I only had enough money for the basic polish, and now I am regretting that. I should have just had it done then rather than having to send it back right away. So. I am quite convinced that this is not in any way the polishers fault. If there is reason to think otherwise, I would like to understand why. peace.

Nope. Never touched the blade. I made absolutely sure of that. The longer I consider it, the more I think the polisher's assessment is probably correct, and the problem lies in the old saya. Sent it back Saturday. Hopefully it'll be coming back to me soon. thanks for all the info everyone. The level of expertise on this forum is astounding. peace.

I'm considering buying a tsuba from tsuba-no-bi.com, but I thought I'd check with you guys first to see if anyone here has had any experience with them, good or bad. Their tsuba seem to be too good to be true, almost. I just want to be sure about them before I send them a lot of money. Thanks! peace.

I was very careful not to touch the blade. Hell, I was careful not to breathe on the blade. I assumed it came from the polisher already oiled, and I did not try to remove the oil or re-oil it (at least not until after the rust appeared.) Should I have re-oiled it as soon as I got it? I've called the polisher and he seems to be convinced the problem was with the saya previously made for the blade, so I'm sending it back for re-polish and he's making a shirasaya for it. Gah. I think my heart just about stopped this morning when I saw the rust. thankfully, it seems to have stabilized. There's no new red rust, just the grey speckles. I will ask him to send written maintenance recommendations when it is returned again. Thanks for all the help. peace.

Hi - usually I post on the tosogu boards and embarrass myself there. I bought a tanto on eBay from some guy who said he got it at an estate sale. I knew I was taking a big chance, but it looked authentic. (pics here: http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=96320) I sent it out to Fred Lohman to have the tsuka and saya re-constructed, more because I liked the blade than I thought it might be valuable. Getting to the point here - I finally saved up enough to have it polished. Just got it back yesterday - the polisher did an amazing job - the scratches are gone, the hamon practically glows, the hada is clearly visible, no more chip in the kissaki. Not only that, also the polisher said it was an excellent and beautiful blade, and although he couldn't do a formal appraisal, it's probably worth more than I had thought. Fantastic! I took it out again this morning to admire it... ...and there's about an inch-and-a-half semi circle along the hamon edge of the front face of the blade speckled with red rust. Me being me, I panic. I grab a bottle of mineral oil and a clean soft cloth and copiously oiled the blade. The red rust vanished quickly, but the now face of the blade is marred by grey spots. I don't know what happened. Was this area accidently missed during the final oiling of the blade? Did I do something wrong that would have caused this? Should I send it back to fix this? Aaaarrrggghhhh!!!! What to do??? --Chuck--

Found a pic of the Kappa tsuba at Flying Cranes: http://www.trocadero.com/flyingcranes/i ... store.html I'm thinking for menuki to go with this: cucumbers in green copper? Anyone chance across cucumber menuki? peace.

Ok, I stand corrected. Wow, that's a beautiful tsuba. peace.

Given the high numbers of ocean themed fittings we've all seen - shells, waves, fish, octopi, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, etc. etc. - and given the Japanese propensity for whaling (and even the use of whale baleen as tsuka-ito), I'm surprised I've never seen any whaling themed fittings - no whales, harpoons, piles of flensed blubber lovingly carved from shakudo and gold, nothing of the sort. Kinda puzzles me. --chuck--

Think I saw a kappa themed tsuba a while ago at the Flying Cranes gallery in NYC. twasn't cheap, tho. peace.

I'm going to San Diego for my brother's wedding, so leaving to go to San Francisco isn't an option. All the dealers will be away that weekend. That sucks. bah.

I'm traveling out to San Diego later in August. Anyone know of any dealers in tsubas, or Japanese antiques in general, that deserve a visit? thanks! peace.