A series of fittings ( or how not to build a collection )

[Ian B3HR2UH]

That is a great kozuka Bob . I had a look at it in the Milward and Monzino catalogues and whilst the Milward cat described it as a masterpiece you would hardly go out of your way to buy it based on the catalogue photos . In your photo though it is really something else . Thanks for posting all of your pieces.

Ian Brooks

[paulb]

coming late to the party and ill qualified to comment other than to say that I have had the opportunity to study this work in hand on a number of occasions and it is without doubt one of the finest ( and without doubt my favourite) Kozuka I have seen. Not only is the workmanship stunning but it has that other great attribute so hard to achieve, it makes the observer smile, or at least it does this one.

Thank you for sharing Bob. The only fault I can find with this piece is that it is in your collection and not mine!!!!

[Bob M.]

Ref. Item No.  315

 

Many thanks to everyone for their comments and contributions on this - most illuminating.

 

I wonder if it would be possible to see copies of the relevant entries in the Milward and Monzino catalogues regarding this piece?

 

Until Ian Brooks kindly mentioned them, I had not thought about catalogues for these collections being extant. It would be great to have copies to add a bit of background documentation.

[Geraint]

Dear Bob.

 

The Monzino collection catalogue lists this as, "An Edo shibuichi kozuka.  Attributed to Kono Haruaki (1787 - 1860)

Finely engraved with a fox dancing among reeds on a river bank, looking at the reflection of a woman in the water, details in two colour gold takazogan.  Signed Haruaki Hogen with kao.

Ex G H Naunton Collection, no. 2181

illus. pl. LXVI

Ex Clement Milward collection."  Sold for a hammer price of £747 against an estimate of £500-600.

 

The Naunton describes it thus, "K., shibuichi, intaglio relievato and slight relief inlay, a fox, changing into a woman mirrors itself in a river; very fine work, the few reeds and suzuki grass chased and inlaid gold.

Signed:  Shummei Hogen, with flat kakihan."

 

I don't think I have the Milward collection catalogue.

 

All the best.

 

 

[Curran]

On 10/22/2023 at 3:58 PM, Stephen said:

Wish I could look into a stream and see beauty....

Nope still a monster ;( 

 

I resemble that remark.

 

Incredible kozuka. As G. said, that is a GOAT.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

Hi Bob , I will take photos of the Milward catalogue entry and post them. My technical skills are a bit limited so it will take a few days.

Ian Brooks

[kissakai]

The black and white image in the Church collection is better than I thought but I know you have this book

 

[zanilu]

Here is the picture from the Carlo Monzino collection catalog:

 

19 hours ago, Geraint said:

 

The Monzino collection catalogue lists this as, "An Edo shibuichi kozuka.  Attributed to Kono Haruaki (1787 - 1860)

Finely engraved with a fox dancing among reeds on a river bank, looking at the reflection of a woman in the water, details in two colour gold takazogan.  Signed Haruaki Hogen with kao.

Ex G H Naunton Collection, no. 2181

illus. pl. LXVI

Ex Clement Milward collection."  Sold for a hammer price of £747 against an estimate of £500-600.

the description has already been provided by @Geraint.

 

The picture from the catalog does not make justice of this stunning piece...

 

How many pieces we let go due to poor catalog or seller pictures?

Just wondering...

 

A question for @Bob M., has this piece been restored or repatineted? The colors are completely different  between your pictures and the catalog. 

 

Regards 

Luca 

[Spartancrest]

17 hours ago, zanilu said:

How many pieces we let go due to poor catalog or seller pictures?

Just wondering..

That's how I manage to afford my best pieces, there are some gems in the reject pile! 

 

Kitsune playing dress-ups.

[Bob M.]

Ref. Item No. 315

 

Hi Luca,

 

You ask about repatination or restoration ; the piece just received a light clean by Ford Hallam after I had bought it.

 

The colour varies I think, according to lighting conditions. The 'browner' shades were probably generated by photographing under incandescent bulbs whereas the more silver grey version ( my pictures ) used either natural light or cold white . This enables more detail to be shown as a higher level of light can be used which ' cuts through ' the darkening effect of a close up lens.

 

The natural colour of the shibuichi used in the body of the kozuka is influenced by the silver content. This in turn means that the wide variation between the different shades does not show a right or wrong colour but merely one that reflects ( literally ) the light falling on the piece. 

[Ford Hallam]

As Bob has described, the lighting conditions can greatly effect the colour rendition, as can the printing. The catalogue image is apparently on a white background yet what we see is far from 'white'.

 

The only real change is the removal of the solid grey silver sulphide layer on the reflected silver face in the stream.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

Hi Bob, attached are the entries from the Milward Catalogue . The Clement Milward collection was sold by Sothebys in two parts . The first part was on the 27th of june 1967 and the second on the 11th June 1968 . There were 69 swords and 361 fittings lots . The latter is somewhat misleading as many of the lots had multiple items in them . For example lot 420 contained 14 sets of fuchi kashira . Mr Milward had some really fine pieces in his collection . Many of the pieces list their provenance ie ex Peak , Bradshaw Joly and Naunton collections . This is something that I like  about many of your pieces where you have also set out their provenance.

[Spartancrest]

       

 

https://collection.a...ox-beneath-a-half-mo

 

[rematron]

@SpartancrestThat 2nd tsuba is wonderful.  It really speaks to me.  Thanks for the link.

[Bob M.]

Dear NMB members,

 

Time to drop a curtain on this thread at least for the time being - over two and a half years is quite a long time and more than 300 fittings being posted was in excess of my expectations when we started out. The number of views and replies have been most encouraging and I hope that there was something for everyone.

 

A big Thank You to all viewers and to those who have taken the time to contribute.

 

I am still active in the market and hope that in 6 - 12 months' time I will have a few more bits & pieces to post as an addendum.

 

My thanks to Brian for putting up with me and helping out with board related queries.

 

Many thanks are due to George Miller for his commentary and research both on and off the NMB - the postings would have been much the poorer without his input.

 

I must also mention that without the friendship and advice of Ford Hallam over many years, the collection would not be anything like the quality that it is today - Thank you, Ford.

 

We are researching as to whether the two parts of the thread can be merged and pinned, hopefully as a reference source ( or perhaps a dire warning ) for fittings collectors and enthusiasts.

 

With Best Regards

Bob Morrison

[kissakai]

Hi Bob

A wonderful post and we have been so lucky see so many very fine fitting

I hope you find some treasurers

 

 

Grev

 

[BrentC]

Favorite thread on the board, Amazing items!  Thank you so much for sharing your collection.

[Ford Hallam]

Thanks Bob, it's been a pleasure and a great ride. Long may it continue!

[Gakusee]

Dear Bob

Thank you for your generosity and kind posting, patience and perseverance with these two wonderful threads. It has been a magnificent journey into tosugu. 

Best wishes,

Michael

[thutson]

Dear Bob,

Thank you for sharing so many wonderful pieces from your collection. It's been immensely enjoyable journey and I've learnt a lot.

Best,

Tom

[b.hennick]

Thank you Bob for providing this wonderful thread. I look forward to seeing your new acquisitions. This thread needs to be pinned as it is a wonderful resource. George and Ford have made great contributions to the thread.  The pieces that you have shared with us set a high level for collectors to reach for.

[zanilu]

Thank you Bob for sharing such a wonderful collection!

 

Each piece a masterwork! 

 

Regards

Luca

[Ian B3HR2UH]

Hi Bob , I came across your Ikkin tsuba in the Fahrenhorst collection book and thought you would like to see it

Ian Brooks

[Bob M.]

Hi Ian,

 

Thanks for your posting - I have never heard of this collector before.

 

It is interesting - I purchased the tsuba at auction about 12 years ago and it had obviously had a light clean after appearing in the Fahrenhorst catalogue and prior to my acquisition. The collection that I bought from was  Szechenyi Japanese Art.

 

The tsuba was still very dirty and a lot of detail was obscured and so I got Ford Hallam to give it some TLC, with the spectacular results seen on the thread.

 

What was the year of publication of the Fahrenhorst book ?

 

Again it would be interesting to try and establish a timeline for the piece.

 

Best Regards

Bob

[Ian B3HR2UH]

HI Bob , 1969 

Regards Ian

[PhoenixDude]

On 9/28/2022 at 3:46 AM, Bob M. said:

Item No. 267   Tsuba in shakudo or dark shibuichi  7.71 cm x 7.50 cm x 0.42 cm

 

Theme of tigers and bamboo by Ishiyama Mototada , Kyoto 1669 - 1734 . ( Haynes 05940.0 )

 

Son of a court noble , Ishiyama Motoaki , he inherited the title after his father's death and often stated this on his work .

 

He was a student of Yokoya  and Goto schools .

 

Nice , early ( ish ) Katakiri work .

 

Scratches on the reverse around the seppa dai are what happens when the sender ignores a request to separately wrap the tsuba and not send it in its box.

 

NBTHK papered.

 

 

 

 

I have a kozuka by mototada! Its shakudo with motif of a Koro and incense tools. 

[Bob M.]

Hi Jay,

 

Some nice fine detail in that...

 

Regards