What are your favorite fittings?

[Mark Green]

Great stuff Gang,

 

Here are my two favorite.

[BMarkhasin]

Some good stuff being posted. Jason, I am using my trusty old Epson 500 scanner with no colour correction -- Epson is the only way to go unless you get Richard George to photograph your pieces.

 

Curran, Bob, the acquisition of the 'steering wheel' is a good story. I was on an offshore rig in west Africa in 2002 killing time checking out Aoi Arts site. I clicked once, then again and this thing popped-up. I nearly fell out of my chair! I used the satellite phone to call Aoi and then my bank in Canada to wire funds. The calls alone cost nearly $500 (billed to the company of course). Tsuruta-san said that was the fastest sale he ever made - less than 2 minutes on the site. It remains my favourite iron piece in over 20 years of collecting. To put the size into perspective, it is virtually identical to a cd.

 

I am with you Curran on Mariusz' ko-Umetada's. I think the brass one in particular is lovely. It came from Mr. Bob Haynes, who mentioned that he thought it to be one of the oldest brass tsuba he had seen. Mariusz, hope you don't mind that disclosure...

 

Best,

Boris

[Marius]

I am with you Curran on Mariusz' ko-Umetada's. I think the brass one in particular is lovely. It came from Mr. Bob Haynes, who mentioned that he thought it to be one of the oldest brass tsuba he had seen. Mariusz, hope you don't mind that disclosure...

 

Boris,

 

of course I don't :-)

 

Here is another one I got from Boris, it seems almost Edo in taste, but is Momyama and the brass is exquisite. Jim Gilbert has once described it: http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/irogane2.htm

[Curran]

This has turned into a parade of ghosts past. I can mentally picture about 6 tsuba that I regret not buying in the past decade when I had the chance either due to lack of available funds or other constraints. Two of the tsuba are here and Martin just produced the Kremers(?) twin of the ko-akasaka I passed on years ago in Tampa. I have seen three of that exact rendering over the years.

Given the Jedi undertone to this thread....Martin, you WILL sell me that tsuba. You WILL sell me that tsuba.

Okay, so I'm not a Jedi.

 

Ed- I like the shakudo unsigned one. Guilty pleasure are some of those late edo tanto and wak tsuba where skill level is excellent, yet left unsigned. The nanako is as tight as Yoshioka work, the shakudo looks a great color, yet the feel is Umetada or something else. I wish the maker had put on at least a little signature or kao.

 

Bob- yes, gotta get better photos of that first one. It is a much nicer tsuba in hand, and I wouldn't have known from the photo. Very hefty boy. I also think it escapes 97.5% percent of people that it is a "named" tsuba. Some very smart people here will debate that with me, but it is how I interpret the NBTHK papers and the engraved characters relative to the design.

[Steve Waszak]

A few to add to the fire...

 

1. Late-Muromachi to early-Momoyama ko-katchushi (9.5 cm)

2. "Nidai" Yamakichibei

3. Shumei to (Owari) Sadahiro

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Jamie]

Too bad I passed on this one.

[Jason K]

Wonderfull set of tsuba!

Here is another one that I enjoy; However, I still can't get a decent pic even when using my friend's scanner. :?

 

Jason K

[Martin]

Given the Jedi undertone to this thread....Martin, you WILL sell me that tsuba. You WILL sell me that tsuba.

 

Thanks Curran,

but even a Jedi wouldn´t have the ghost of a chance... ;o)

 

Cheers,

[Brian]

Maybe not my very favorite tsuba...but one that I really underestimated.

When I first got it (traded it cheaply with someone who wanted a thicker tsuba) I didn't know jack about tsuba, and thought it was junk. Way too thin, and didn't have a nice smooth finish. Kogai ana oddly oval, and I thought it pretty bad. Yeah, I am late to the tosogu party. :?

Anyways, when I posted it here quite by chance, I was informed it might not be quite as bad as I thought.

Reasonably nice early tosho I am told? I still have a lot to learn about tsuba, but at least now I don't take stuff for granted.

 

Brian

 

 

 

[Bob M.]

Hi ,

Some iron tsubas to add to the collection....

[Jean]

2 others of mine :

[raven2]

Very nice Jean. Higo? Akasaka?

[Jean]

Both, I think

[Marius]

OK guys, time for some serious iron from my side, lest you take me for some effeminate soft metal fan

 

Care to elaborate on the motif? There are two interpretations:

 

1. usagi no mochitsuki

2. suzu mushi

[Curran]

(#3) Overhead view of WW I Biplane with both guns blazing.

[Akitombo]

How about a kozuka

David

[fritaly]

A tsuba to match your kozuka

 

[Ford Hallam]

François,

 

that's quite a brilliantly conceived piece. Very clever idea.

 

While I'm here I'd also like to point out that the nanako ground on the Shoki tsuba Bob posted is actually done in steel. Not something that's seen too often at all.

 

regards all,

 

Ford

[Henry Wilson]

Care to elaborate on the motif? There are two interpretations:

 

1. usagi no mochitsuki

2. suzu mushi

 

How about a kamakiri? http://tsanda.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/mantis21.jpg

 

I would say neither and all to be honest and just call it an obscure motif.

 

I think the design, which is quite unusual would place it mid Muromachi at a guess...

 

Nice tsuba.

[BMarkhasin]

(#3) Overhead view of WW I Biplane with both guns blazing.

You crack me up Curran! Thats exactly what it looks like!! How could I have missed that..... :lol:

 

OK guys, time for some serious iron from my side, lest you take me for some effeminate soft metal fan

Mariusz, if soft metal is effeminate... a token iron widget (albeit a superb one) wont help you my friend.

 

Best,

B

[IanB]

Another kozuka here and I think a rare one. Unlike most shippo work which consists of separate small motifs applied to a base, this one is essentially champ levee with gold cloisones inside. The central feathers in a vivid electric blue and bright yellow are done in transparent enamel over a reflective foil. This last feature makes me think it might be Meiji.

Ian Bottomley

[Brian]

François,

 

that's quite a brilliantly conceived piece. Very clever idea.

Ford,

You mean the way the water is flowing from one side to the other because of the break in the mimi, and the birds are able to cross over because of the folded edge?

Yes, didn't see that at first,but it really is a nice touch, not often seen. Quite whimsical

 

Brian

[Marius]

Mariusz, if soft metal is effeminate... a token iron widget (albeit a superb one) wont help you my friend.

 

Yeah. Time to blacken my teeth

[fritaly]

François,

 

that's quite a brilliantly conceived piece. Very clever idea.

 

 

Thanks Ford for the nice comment. From a connoisseur like you, this is a HUGE compliment

[Jean]

For the Tsubako

[Ford Hallam]

Brian, yes, you've described the concept perfectly. I don't think I've ever seen such a clever way of linking front and back so wittily.

 

and Jean, oui the tsubako has my admiration but, never the less, François did find the work and acquired it because he admired it. Well done for seeing it's merits, I say :D

[raven2]

I think it is a great piece. Does anyone know what school and age it is?

[fritaly]

For the Tsubako

 

That goes without saying. I think I should have rather said "I'm happy to learn you like the tsuba"

 

Anyway, I would also be interested in learning more about this tsuba since I bought it on friday and the auction's description doesn't mention any school or age just the following:

 

Tsuba de forme mouvementée en suaka à décor ciselé de chidori volant au dessus de vagues écumantes. Non signée.

 

[Ian]

Hi all

 

Some very unusual menuki. You will never guess what they are made out of!

[Ford Hallam]

Wood...possibly zitan?