mareo1912 Posted November 27, 2019 Report Posted November 27, 2019 Hey guys, just started redoing my inventory photos today and took off with this beautiful Tsuba by Ford Hallam. Please note the fine blue/purple shimmering created by one of the patina layers and the vivid mimi. Couldn't resist to share this beauty. Big compliment to Ford! (The pictures lost lots of detail due to size limits on NMB) 12 Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted November 27, 2019 Report Posted November 27, 2019 Very easy on the eyes, isn't it? Quote
FlorianB Posted November 28, 2019 Report Posted November 28, 2019 What a beauty!It proofs deepest understanding of Japanese aesthetics.Florian Quote
Ford Hallam Posted November 28, 2019 Report Posted November 28, 2019 Thanks Gents, for the very generous words. This particular tsuba, which I've made a few of, was the result of wanting to make a guard a bit like a tea potter makes a teacup. If you've ever seen an accomplished potter seemingly effortlessly squeeze spinning the clay in a few minutes to produce a perfectly natural looking cup you may get an idea of what i mean. There's a sort of natural uncontrivedness that I was looking for. Where the end result 'just is', where the techniques used in making it are not at all obvious, and where the different processes overlay each other seamlessly. The late Mike Dean bought the first one I made off me. He said, "it looks like you threw a piece of copper into the sky, God caught it and dropped it back to you" Anyone who knew Mike will know that there's nothing more you could attain after that response. 8 Quote
Martin Posted November 28, 2019 Report Posted November 28, 2019 I was also lucky to receive one of these and I very well remember the words Ford quoted. You just cannot describe it better 1 Quote
SAS Posted November 30, 2019 Report Posted November 30, 2019 Ford, how were the brush like strokes achieved, was it by tagane, if that is the right word? Sublime. Quote
Vermithrax16 Posted December 1, 2019 Report Posted December 1, 2019 More sublime touch by Ford Hallam: 2 Quote
terminus Posted December 6, 2019 Report Posted December 6, 2019 I honestly believe Ford is up there with the tosogu masters of the Edo period. This one here just stuns me in both conceptual design as well as technical execution. The reflection of the hitsu ana plug is so novel and the crisp details of the shoreline is so clean:ps. Ford if you're selling that above tsuba I'm paying big bucks for it 5 Quote
mareo1912 Posted June 1, 2020 Author Report Posted June 1, 2020 Hello guys, reviving my own topic it seems... However, I would love to get some additional informations on the metallurgical structures visible in the attached detail shot. While I have some decent chemistry background, I am not sure if this is about different crystal structures of the alloy or also some patina? Especially the "golden" spots would interest me, for the red ones I think of copper clusters in special structure? Of course it would be best if Ford could jump in on these questions! See whole detailed picture here (be patient, it is 80 MP in size) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mkLi055M-0xSTtMHBoDNekyeC56NyM6j?usp=sharing Best, Marco Quote
Surfson Posted June 1, 2020 Report Posted June 1, 2020 Beautiful. Is it just me or does it seem like a marriage of Musashi, Hirata and Umetada? Quote
Peter Bleed Posted June 1, 2020 Report Posted June 1, 2020 You guys are such suckers! Please do your research, develop your eye, look at eBay. How can you be sure that this isn't a Chinese copy? Peter, P.S. Now I am afraid that this is too subtle for the NMB community. This is - like - a joke.... P 2 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted June 1, 2020 Report Posted June 1, 2020 On 11/30/2019 at 8:27 PM, SAS said: .....how were the brush like strokes achieved, ..... EDO period angle-grinder? 1 Quote
Brian Posted June 2, 2020 Report Posted June 2, 2020 On 6/1/2020 at 10:32 PM, Peter Bleed said: You guys are such suckers! Please do your research, develop your eye, look at eBay. How can you be sure that this isn't a Chinese copy? Peter, P.S. Now I am afraid that this is too subtle for the NMB community. This is - like - a joke.... P Peter, I think it may be too late for Ford to call off his Ninja assassins. Was nice knowing you... 2 Quote
Ford Hallam Posted June 2, 2020 Report Posted June 2, 2020 Morning Gents, Peter's post properly made my laugh out loud, my muesli nearly went up my nose Thanks again for the kind comments on the tsuba though and the renewed interest. It just so happens that over the past month or so we've been putting out a free "how I did it" series on the making of this type of piece as my offering to help keep sane during this time of crazy. It's in 12 parts on my Patreon channel here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/36667789 10 Quote
SAS Posted June 2, 2020 Report Posted June 2, 2020 My question has been answered, i can die in peace (someday not soon I hope)! 1 Quote
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