What Do You Folks Think? Tsuba

[ancientnoob]

What do you folks think about this tsuba for sale? I like it and it is in my price range. Do you guys think it is legit? Opinions are welcomed and encouraged.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samura ... 3ce26370ac

[Marius]

Rusty and basically worthless.

[echizento]

Looks very crudely made and rusted.

[Ed]

POS! If you can't afford more than $150 for a tsuba, save your money until you can! You will be happier in the end.

 

Go to Grey's web site, he has lots of nice tsuba in the $200 - $500 range.

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/Tsuba-&-Kodogu

[ancientnoob]

Mariuskz, Ron, Ed,

 

Thanks guys. This will be a pass for me.

 

@ Ed, Good call. I have checked out Grey's site and have one or two that I am considering. . I have asked him a few questions and he has been very forthcoming with information. I will most likely pick out something from his site. Especially after finding out he is a well respected NMB member.

 

@Mods Thanks for moving the thread, I realized I posted it in the wrong spot. Such a noobish mistake.

 

They are items...

T133 Owari sukashi,

F113 Amida Yasuri, (I think I like this one the best.)

T172 Kinko Tsuba

 

Any thoughts on these...

[hxv]

Nathan,

 

You will never get a lemon from Grey, and the three tsuba you listed are all in good condition. It all comes down to a matter of personal taste at this point. Choose what you like most! If there is a chance for you to save up ~$800 in the near future, then I would definitely hold off on any purchase. For me personally, 1 good and attractive tsuba is more gratifying than 5 so-so ones. It's true of swords, too. But, it's a personal preference. Do as your heart tells you as that will really make you happy in the long run. We are all different, and I realize that. Have great fun!

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[ancientnoob]

Nathan,

 

You will never get a lemon from Grey, and the three tsuba you listed are all in good condition. It all comes down to a matter of personal taste at this point. Choose what you like most! If there is a chance for you to save up ~$800 in the near future, then I would definitely hold off on any purchase. For me personally, 1 good and attractive tsuba is more gratifying than 5 so-so ones. It's true of swords, too. But, it's a personal preference. Do as your heart tells you as that will really make you happy in the long run. We are all different, and I realize that. Have great fun!

 

Regards,

Hoanh

 

Good advice. I very happy to hear all these great things about Grey. I appreciate your two yen Hoanh.

[Brian]

Grey is very good to deal with, and has an excellent reputation and some great deals.

Another one to consider are the listings by Thierry here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=18892

Some excellent deals to be had from another very good seller.

 

Brian

[raven2]

Hi Nathan,

 

I have bought a number of things from Grey. Both online and at the shows. I have never had a problem and everything has always been a good deal. I agree with Hoanh that what you get should fit your personal taste, but since you asked, I like the Amida Yasuri. It is in good condition and the boar's eyes add a nice touch.

[Thierry BERNARD]

Hi Nathan,

 

I have bought a number of things from Grey. Both online and at the shows. I have never had a problem and everything has always been a good deal. I agree with Hoanh that what you get should fit your personal taste, but since you asked, I like the Amida Yasuri. It is in good condition and the boar's eyes add a nice touch.

 

and I may add, his tsuba are always better in hand than on his the pictures!

 

PS: thank you Brian for your kind words!

[Ed]

Yes, Thierry's tsuba. Those are all nice tsuba, close to your price range. Sorry I forgot to mention them.

 

Those you mentioned in your price range are all nice tsuba, condition wise and very inexpensive.

 

However, I will reiterate by saying the more you can save, the better the tsuba you can buy, and the happier you will be long term.

[Soshin]

Hi Nathan M.,

 

The tsuba you link to is badly rusted that you was going to buy eBay. Never will myself, Grey D., or any other seller do your "homework" for you. You need to have a basic and clear understand of what you want to buy before you even visit any dealers website and be able to confirm what the seller is saying about the item being listed. I have purchased two "lemons" and many more gems from Grey overall it came out very positively for me in the end. Each one even the "lemons" was a great learning experience for me. Good luck and more importantly hard work is needed.

[ancientnoob]

Hi Nathan M.,

 

The tsuba you link to is badly rusted that you was going to buy eBay. Never will myself, Grey D., or any other seller do your "homework" for you. You need to have a basic and clear understand of what you want to buy before you even visit any dealers website and be able to confirm what the seller is saying about the item being listed. I have purchased two "lemons" and many more gems from Grey overall it came out very positively for me in the end. Each one even the "lemons" was a great learning experience for me. Good luck and more importantly hard work is needed.

 

 

I don't expect anyone to do my homework for me. If you look at my previous post you will see what I am talking about. I asked for an opinion, and I appreciate yours and everyone else's. I read about swords and related items every night for 2-3 hrs. I 8 or so books. I would like more but they are expensive and often hard to come by. Mind you I am 6 months into the hobby. If someone wanted help with their ancient coin homework I would be happy to help, especially if I was selling them something. :-)

 

 

 

Once again I appreciate everyone's time and help in this hobby. It really is tough with a steep learning curve.

[Pete Klein]

If you have any way of going to the San Francisco Token Kai in August it would be an excellent investment in your education.

[rkg]

+1 on this.

 

Best,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

 

If you have any way of going to the San Francisco Token Kai in August it would be an excellent investment in your education.

[Soshin]

I don't expect anyone to do my homework for me. If you look at my previous post you will see what I am talking about. I asked for an opinion, and I appreciate yours and everyone else's. I read about swords and related items every night for 2-3 hrs. I 8 or so books. I would like more but they are expensive and often hard to come by. Mind you I am 6 months into the hobby. If someone wanted help with their ancient coin homework I would be happy to help, especially if I was selling them something. :-)

 

 

 

Once again I appreciate everyone's time and help in this hobby. It really is tough with a steep learning curve.

 

Hi Nathan M..

 

Relax, take a break, and a deep breath. All of the tsuba you're discussed on this topic had little to no interest for me period. This is my opinion take it or leave it. A hobby like this takes many years to develop a deep understanding and good refined taste. I recommend you take Pete Klein good advice about making it to the San Francisco show or even better DTI (Dai Token Ichi) in Tokyo. I have never been to DTI but have heard some very fine stories.

 

P.S. Here is a very fine tsuba in my opinon on Grey's website at a fair price: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-%26-kodogu/t193-higo-jingo-iron-tsuba-wonderful.

[Thierry BERNARD]

may i suggest this one http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.c ... a-fuji-san

 

if you don't buy it i probably will buy it!! :lol:

[Antti]

P.S. Here is a very fine tsuba in my opinon on Grey's website at a fair price: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-%26-kodogu/t193-higo-jingo-iron-tsuba-wonderful.

 

Although that tsuba is to die for, I think Nathan might have had a smaller budget in mind, considering that this one costs almost 10 times more than the ones discussed here.

[Ford Hallam]

I also noticed the tsuba Thierry linked to. I agree, it's a decent piece of work at a very fair price.

[Soshin]

may i suggest this one http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.c ... a-fuji-san

 

if you don't buy it i probably will buy it!! :lol:

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I agree with Thierry and Ford. The tsuba he linked to is a good deal.

[Ford Hallam]

Too late!, you snooze you lose.

There's actually more to that tsuba on Grey's site... it helps to have a near photographic memory.

I'll share what I found when I have it in hand. :D

[Soshin]

Hi Ford,

 

I already commited to the purchase of another tsuba weeks before seeing this topic so I was never in a buying situation. Looking forward to your observations when you get it in hand.

[ancientnoob]

Thanks all for the help. Today I talked to Grey and I opted for a Muromachi Myochin iron tsuba in great condition.

[Soshin]

Thanks all for the help. Today I talked to Grey and I opted for a Muromachi Myochin iron tsuba in great condition.

 

Hi Nathan M.,

 

Good to hear you picked one. Be sure to post nice photos of it on NMB when you get it.

[Antti]

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.c ... 09-myochin

 

This one?

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just as a matter of correctness I need to state this. Current thinking says that the Myochin school only produced armor during the Muromachi Period as the demand was great. The first tsuba made by members of the main line artists of the Myochin family do not appear until around the time of Myochin Munetoshi, 21st master of the family circa 1625. Saotome a branch of the Myochin school started a little earlier during the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. I came across this information while researching Nobuie. I have what I think is a early example of Azuchi-Momoyama Period Saotome tsuba on my website.

[ancientnoob]

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/holbrook-tsuba/h209-myochin

 

This one?

 

You found it Mumei. That's the one.

[ancientnoob]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just as a matter of correctness I need to state this. Current thinking says that the Myochin school only produced armor during the Muromachi Period as the demand was great. The first tsuba made by members of the main line artists of the Myochin family do not appear until around the time of Myochin Munetoshi, 21st master of the family circa 1625. Saotome a branch of the Myochin school started a little earlier during the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. I came across this information while researching Nobuie. I have what I think is a early example of Azuchi-Momoyama Period Saotome tsuba on my website.

 

 

Thank you. Can you provide a link to the info you found? I appreciate it.

 

As a matter of completeness the tsuba comes from the Skip Holbrook collection. Who from what I understand is quite recognized in the hobby.

[Ford Hallam]

I rarely agree with David but in this instance I would have to. I see no compelling reason to suggest the Myochin had anything to do with this tsuba's manufacture. That attribution seems somewhat hopeful to say the least. It merely appears to be a fairly nondescript work of the type ascribed to armour makers of the period, ie: 16th cent.

[ancientnoob]

That attribution seems somewhat hopeful to say the least. It merely appears to be a fairly nondescript work of the type ascribed to armour makers of the period, ie: 16th cent.

 

Although you guys agree it is not a Myochin, would you still consider this to me a an authentic piece of the 16th century or some later revival of the style?