kissakai Posted June 7, 2020 Report Posted June 7, 2020 Hi I have two tsuba that I think are gimei One's been on before and the second was purchased from the NMB a couple of months ago I'm updating my records and I like to be as accurate as I can so no problem with any views Do not worry about adverse comments about the second one as I'm happy with the sale and have no intention of returning the tsuba T367Yasuchika 安親Circa: 1750Size: 69 x 65 x 3.9mm Yanagawa - Naomitsu 直光Yanagawa Naomitsu (1733-1808)Style: Kebori. SanmeiSize: 73 x 66 x 4.6mm Thanks Grev BYW I was 70 yesterday - Phew 7 Quote
CSM101 Posted June 7, 2020 Report Posted June 7, 2020 I have only a Yasuchika for comparison. Uwe G. Quote
Kurikata Posted June 7, 2020 Report Posted June 7, 2020 Both tsuba are nice and in my taste but definitvely none of them are their school styles. Definitively gimei but I like them! Quote
christianmalterre Posted June 7, 2020 Report Posted June 7, 2020 Do have a happy Birthday for your´s 70 years from me, too Grev! ! I do not know about if those are "Soshingimei :)" - i just do say nice and tasteful work! big ´s to you! Christian Quote
kissakai Posted June 7, 2020 Author Report Posted June 7, 2020 Thanks for the images. I think on mine one of the strokes is incorrect They are nice 40 or 50 years ago 70 was a good age but now due to a healthier life style after the war we do live longer especially for the working class (me) I wonder who is our oldest member? Late 80's? Robert Haynes in 90 this year but not on the NMB Grev I wonder if the mei is removed and submitted for shinsa what the results would be Quote
Tigerinbamboo Posted June 8, 2020 Report Posted June 8, 2020 Happy birthday, Grev! I love the fox samurai tsuba! Quote
Spartancrest Posted June 8, 2020 Report Posted June 8, 2020 What's not to like? Happy Birthday Grev. Now you can add "SEPTUAGENARIAN' to your title ! Sounds impressive to me ! Regards Dale Quote
Brian Posted June 8, 2020 Report Posted June 8, 2020 Not sure why you would expect adverse comments about the second one. I love it...that's my taste exactly. Little condition issue that could easily be sorted by Ford or others.You should be very happy with that, as I would steal it in a heartbeat Quote
kissakai Posted June 8, 2020 Author Report Posted June 8, 2020 I like both tsuba and will keep them it's just whether they are gimei or not! Quote
Spartancrest Posted June 9, 2020 Report Posted June 9, 2020 Grev I have a couple of guards that have had the mei partially erased, and not recently, would you have an idea why anyone would do that? You are older and wiser than me Quote
kissakai Posted June 9, 2020 Author Report Posted June 9, 2020 Hi Dale Older but wiser is questioonable An example is you will probably never see a well known maker outside a museum or special collector In this case if the workmanship is very good you still have a gimei tsuba and generally it is a kiss of death Remove the mei and you have a good tsuba that is not gimei In very good workmanship it can be submitted for shinsa and an opinion gained rather than having it returned as gimei with no opinion expressed This is the position I'm in with the two posted tsuba PS. This is a lot more common with swords as the value is generally higher Quote
MauroP Posted June 9, 2020 Report Posted June 9, 2020 Auguri Grev!I think the issue of (good quality) gimei tsuba could be more complex than we (Westerners) can appreciate. Possibly not an issue about to deceive on mere value of the object, and more on the attribution of value in a complex system of exchanging gift in Edo period. So a gimei is part of a cultural context that should be a pity to remove just to gain a better evaluation in a shinsa.Just an opinion... 3 Quote
kissakai Posted June 9, 2020 Author Report Posted June 9, 2020 Hi Mauro I don't know if you (or any other NMB) can expand on this aspect as it's something that has never crossed my mind Quote
Spartancrest Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 I can't help thinking that there is something badly wrong with the assessment during shinsa - any and all mei should be the very last thing to come into the judgement. Put some tape over the signature and have it assessed - then you will get an unbiased oppinion and once the tape is removed either the assessors will have a smile or egg on their faces. Anyone think this is unfair? 2 Quote
Steves87 Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 I agree Dale, nothing like the blind folded coke vs Pepsi test. And Happy Birthday Grev! Quote
Bazza Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 Yes to Dale and Stephen where it is the Western way of objective proof and I agree with it, BUT - it is not the Japanese way. Mauro is right on with the GIFT tradition and I suspect there is potential for a very much longer dissertation on this aspect. BaZZa. PS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREV - roll on your OBE. I'm 6 years ahead of you in that race, in which I hope the years emulate a tortoise and not a hare!!!! PPS - I like both tsuba and agree with the fond expressions above. 2 Quote
kissakai Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Posted June 10, 2020 Hi Bazza For some reason I thought you were younger than me. That is why I asked for NMB selfies in an earlier as it's nice to know a face behind the words PS The mei on the first tsuba is so well cut! Quote
Bazza Posted June 11, 2020 Report Posted June 11, 2020 Ah, Grev mate, I appear younger because of the company I keep!!! My Auld Wormates and I still hobnob together for lunches and reunions and we keep each other on our toes. This is all through cancer ops and the sundry troubles of aging bodies. Same goes for my Nihonto buddies. Red wine too is a lovely prop. My colleagues once asked (in our working daze) "Barry, is there anything red wine doesn't go with?" I thought for a while and said "Tripe!" Red wine goes well with raspberries and icecream, I have found... Selfie will be forthcoming. I get slack because I'm swept off my feet with distractions of manifold sorts, but it will happen. In fact, I had some photos set aside, but I forgot in which folder I put them... On your two tsuba, I particularly like the second one because of the fine condition of the shibuichi. Even from a mere photo it exudes a certain quality. Since you are in the UK do get Ford to have an in-hand look at it as it might be worth putting some restorative money into it. Now, for our newer NMB members interested in tsuba I heartily commend this thread as a darn good read: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22873-help-my-awakening-to-old-iron/ Now on gimei, We have all seen those gauche Meiji productions that "look good" at first blush, but are really knock-offs for tourists and the unwary. They have no merit at all. I have read that there are many times more tsuba in existence than swords to put them on, which bespeaks a burgeoning industry of (some) artists creating high quality utsushimono. The parlance in Western art is to use the descriptor "After..." to describe a painting from a student in a master's studio. The same applies to tosogu that are high quality pieces, but not from the Master's hand. BaZZa "Gunnadoo" Thomas. 1 Quote
Ganko Posted June 11, 2020 Report Posted June 11, 2020 Bazza, I am inclined to agree with red wine not going with tripe. I am anxious to try it with raspberries and ice cream. May be good with blackberries or blueberries and ice cream also? 1 Quote
Alan Morton Posted June 11, 2020 Report Posted June 11, 2020 UWE, you must be so happy to own that Tsuba nCheers Alan Quote
CSM101 Posted June 12, 2020 Report Posted June 12, 2020 Dear Alan, I surelly don´t own the tsuba. But I had the chance to make a photo in Tokyo at the Sword Museum. So I thought I would share. This is not just one shot but 4 pics stitched together. You can see my workflow. If you have Photoshop and your are interested in my post production process I attached the psd-file as a download. But be carefull: 814,1 MB. http://daten-transport.de/?id=kS3KTwR4LzET Uwe G. 1 Quote
Spartancrest Posted June 13, 2020 Report Posted June 13, 2020 I hate it when they display a guard with a dark background - it seems to suck the colour out of the image - [and when I want to copy an image I don't have Photoshop so I must trim everything in MS Paint !] Why can't people be more responsible, and make it easier to steal an image? PS I would like to steal that tsuba too ! Quote
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