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Are there any polishers in Europe

Jesper
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Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Veteran

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

Posted
Posted

Jesper, I'm not sure both Marco Quadri and Zenon Van Damme still polishes blades. AFAIK Zenon is now more about laquerwork restoration and Marco limited to Stibbert Museum's collection cataloguing and maintenance. Years of hard work in painful poisition are asking their toll. But you can make a try.

Avoid *any* italian polisher other then Quadri. There are no more (or not yet...) good ones.

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

Posted
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Does anyone know if there are there any polishers currently working in Europe?

 

What sort of sword is it you want polishing? If its something very good then you should really send it to Japan.

I would recommend Usagiya http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/

I have had a few swords polished by Rinzo Negishi and couldn't be happier. The service was excellent.

Jesper Community Regular

Jesper

Posted
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Posted

I have picked up a gendai-to a few days ago. The blade is signed Seki MitsuNobu, dated march 1945. It is out of polish, but not too bad with no deep rust. It has a nice small gunome hamon with long Ashi. I think it is traditionally made and am considering to have it polished. I would normally consider a Japanese polisher for very good blades, but might for this one try a polisher in Europe.

 

Thanks

 

Jesper

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

Posted
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John Bolton would polish your Seki Mitsunobu, you would however need to find someone to act as an agent

 

Below is a before and after example from John Bolton. Blade was previously in very rough and badly abused condition.

post-9-14196770128186_thumb.jpg

post-9-14196770129357_thumb.jpg

Ford Hallam Grand Master

Ford Hallam

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Peter,

 

to be blunt, I don't think the image you've posted of Mr Bolton's work does him any favours.

 

It is very obvious that the mitsukado is poorly defined and that the surface of the area between the shinogi and the edge of the mune has been "rolled" thereby fudging the requisite crisp lines one ought to demand from a good foundation polish. No personal offence intended...towards anyone :?

 

I await the obligatory indignant protestations... 8)

 

ford

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

Posted
Posted

to be blunt, I don't think the image you've posted of Mr Bolton's work does him any favours.

 

Probably not, one of the reasons why many people (myself included) have switched to using other polishers in the UK now.

Clive Sinclaire Rising Star

Clive Sinclaire

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I must agree with Ford and you do need to be very careful with UK polishers. Mr Norman seems to do no damage and does not use acid. Best polish good blades in Japan but it is difficult to see a Showa-to warranting the cost of a polish, shira-saya etc.

Clive Sinclaire

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Veteran

Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini

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I don't think Zenon Vandamme want to polish a Showato.

 

Marco too. Hence the reason to not recommend good polishers unless you're sure what we're talking about. As I've said they're getting old and tend to spend the remaining working time of their back and shoulders on good ones only becoming sorta "picky".

Jean

Jean

Posted
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Clive Sinclaire wrote :

 

t is difficult to see a Showa-to warranting the cost of a polish, shira-saya etc.

 

:clap: :clap:

 

It is not only valid for a gendaito but for a lot of other swords. If possible, buy always swords in polish.

 

Everybody is aware of the "collapse" of Nihonto market but for very good sords or very low ones (BTW, amazing how craps swords are priced by some antiques dealers).

 

Buying an out polish blade, have it papered (either to have it kanteied or to authetify the mei - most of the time average ones), have it polished (otherwise, you'll never be able to study anything out of it - unless being an expert - and even then .. remember my unpolish Kanetsune which got a kanteisho but once polished had 2 hagire), a shirasaya made.

 

Total cost : more than 3k$ and I am sure I am below the real price

 

PLEASE : BEFORE BUYING SOMETHING/CONSIDERING RESTORATION : WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS.

 

About shinsa : I have seen recently a tsuba on sale. Everybody knows I know even less in kodogu than in Nihonto. but undoubtedly it was a Jakushi tsuba.

 

What the use of getting a TH on an unsigned Jakushi tsuba?

 

I know a lot of people will disagree, but it is the same as in Nihonto.

 

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

Posted
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What the use of getting a TH on an unsigned Jakushi tsuba?

 

It was a particularly fine example of Jakushi work. Many if not the majority of katana size Jakushi tsuba are unsigned.

Jean

Jean

Posted
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Peter,

 

You did not answer the question. What the use of having a Tsuba passe TH.

 

Either you are facing connoisseurs and they don't need the paper or it is for newbies unable to to appreciate nothing but a kanteisho.

 

Here is another unpapered one:

 

I have no doubt concerning the craftmanship/school

Jakushi.jpg

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

Posted
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You did not answer the question. What the use of having a Tsuba passe TH.

 

It gives you reassurance that the tsuba you've bought shows superior workmanship when compared to an average tsuba from the school. Basically that it isn't a typical made for profit "pot boiler" piece.

 

Heres a good example of a nice but overpriced Jakushi

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110418981205

Ford Hallam Grand Master

Ford Hallam

Posted
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It gives you reassurance that the tsuba you've bought shows superior workmanship

 

I have to agree with Jean, in cases like this, if you don't get it, i.e. appreciate the quality and can see the superiority of the work as art, then relying on a piece of paper is merely a confidence trick you play on yourself. The danger, also, then arises that without any way of developing independent skills of evaluation you become reliant on the opinion of others who rarely offer any explanation. This is not a health state of affairs.

 

With improved communication within this community and an education in the aesthetics and material qualities of technique we may ultimately reach a stage when well rounded collectors are able to evaluate, judge and discuss these issues among themselves and not be so dependant of external authority. In this respect I quite like the concept of the newly formed Tobunkyo.

 

regards,

 

Ford

Jean

Jean

Posted
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It gives you reassurance

 

Quod erat demonstrandum

 

The difference in price about the Jakushi tsubas papered and unpapered is 850$ vs 1200$.

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

Posted
Posted

The paper is grading of how the piece fits into that schools level of workmanship. How is it possible to determine this if you haven't seen many examples from that school? This is where the shinsa judges come into play. If you buy a tsuba with TH papers you know for sure that its better than the majority of that schools work.

Guido Grand Master

Guido

Posted
Posted

You guys are obviously living in a perfect world where all collectors can judge quality and don't need papers. I have to admit that I myself am confident (cocky?) enough to recognize quality, and that I couldn't care less if a sword or Tsuba has papers or not. However, in the less than perfect world I'm living in I sometimes sell pieces to upgrade my collection. And guess what, items with papers almost fly off the shelves while unpaperd (quality) items remain unsold. I'll not go into a lengthy monolog why that may be as it is, but for that reason alone I have all my stuff papered. And never sold at a loss, quite to the contrary, I always made more than up for the paper expenses in my sales. Cynical? Maybe, but my wallet (and my wife, who's the Lord Keeper of my wallet) speak a clear language. :D

Jean

Jean

Posted
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I always made more than up for the paper expenses in my sales

 

Glad for you, Guido, but taking into account the market and auction results on papered swords, you are a very very lucky guy. :D

 

All depends on : when and what you buy - where you sold -

 

I have countleess counter-examples included on Juyo at the time being

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