Soheishi Nyudo Soten

[Tnaschool]

Can someone tell me a bit more about this piece handed down to my husband. His great grandfather received it as a present from the King of Sumatra.

[Geraint]

Dear Teisa.

 

More in hopes of provoking someone else to reply, as you know this is signed Soten but I cannot tell you if the signature is genuine or not.  The style became so popular that many workers were making them.  However I think yours is well above average, the quality of the work is good.  As such it is very collectable.  For some more information about the school see here; http://www.shibuiswords.com/tsuba.htm#soten

 

In your other post you ask about insurance valuation, in this country such a valuation is based on what you might have to spend to replace the tsuba and is therefore much higher than what you might get if you chose to sell it.  With that in mind I would shot around the $1200 mark for insurance.

 

I am sure others will jump in with more information and better guesses.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

All the best.

 

 

 

 

[BIG]

Hi Teisa, 

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/articles/Soten_Study.pdf

[SteveM]

I think it looks promising. 

[Fuuten]

Hello and welcome.

 

Would you be so kinda to post the opposite side as well? Nice tsuba.

[zanilu]

As said by other members it looks above the average Soten copy. Given the layer of dust that cover it, it is also difficult to see the color of the iron base that could be a indication of the provenance. 

As for the signature it is difficult to say because just looking at the sheer number of them, only among the papered or referenced ones, is a long and troublesome job. In the reference cited by Peter there is a small collection of signatures.

If you can post a picture of the other side I will be grateful

 

Regards

Luca

[BIG]

Hi Luca, thanks for your nice reference article. 

 

Best

[ROKUJURO]

Teisa,

this is the NIHONTO section, so to get more answers you might want to switch to TOSOGU. 

[Tnaschool]

Thank you all for your response. This is the other side. What is the price difference between a real or copy and how would a person go about getting it verified? I know we have slides of ggpa with the king, but I don't know if this piece is in there. Does one have this cleaned? 

[Rivkin]

Its definitely real and of upper grade for such items. The problem is thus signed tsuba were produced for about a century and in quantity, mostly for II daimyo retainers. Almost all are most likely not the works of the "first generation", and frankly which are attributable to the fist generation constitutes a somewhat ambiguous topic, there are conflicting opinions on that. So most are judged strictly based on their quality. This one has really advanced detail and good depth to the figures, so its in the top 5-10% for the style. I think you could actually get 1,200$ if you were to consider selling it. Unless your hands are extremely miniature, its a large enough example, in good condition.

 

Please don't clean it aside from simple paper towel or such.

[BIG]

Hi Teisa, here is a link to JEFF OLSON, he can help you out...

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26619/lot/370/

 

GOOD LUCK 

[Jacques D.]

 

https://www.giheiya.com/shouhin_list/sword_equipment/tsuba/t-132.html

[Toryu2020]

Here is a student of Soten - I think there is a qualitative difference between this and the example from the OP (and the many examples that come up). I am not sure many people have seen a real Soten. The airy-ness of the piece, the quality of the plate, the very fine detail all need to be seen, masterworks stand out and the many copies do not compare...

-t

https://www.nihonto.com/juyo-tsuba-by-nomura-kanenori-野村包教/

[Caracal]

 

Here is my Soten Tsuba

 

 

 

Tsuba Soten: NBTHK Hozon 

 

//Robert

[Rivkin]

My understanding is that there are only two known dated tsuba which are on the basis of date can be accepted as the first generation's work. For the rest whether its first generation or not is a conjecture.

There is an opinion that certain subjects, including kinko works in Mino style, are the ones that should be attributed specifically to the first generation. I am not knowledgeable enough to fully understand the details of such arguments.

There are hundreds of Soten tsubas in western museum collections, as his works were quite popular during the early collecting (1880-1920) days.

For a simple person like myself, Kanenori is quite likely the best signature within this school, as his works tend to be extremely well executed. Otherwise, there are later Soten signed pieces which are of top quality and likely were made for Hikone's best. Some of those are kinko, and they tend to have more complicated and uncommon scenes compared to "average" examples.

[Stephen]

Hi Teisa

 

Very nice Soten  IMO.

I think you would be blown away if you have professionally cleaned. in mean time soft paint brush and just do some dusting.