Work Of Chinese Fittings Maker Charles Wu (Wu Jian Bin)

[Tcat]

Hi All,

 

Just thought I would share this with the forum. I got hold of some edo period uzumaki themed F/K and wanted an appropriate kojiri and kurigata to make up a set. Although I highly appreciate the work of contemporary Japanese artisans and their well known western counterparts, my cash-flow situation does not. I thought I might be able to find something acceptable and budget friendly, and after a while looking came across 9 Dragon Metal Studio and Charles Wu.

 

I include photos of the original Kashira and the newly made Kojiri/Kurigata for comment. As with most fittings, they look better in the hand than when snapped with a cameraphone, but don't hold back.

 

Material is blackened copper.

 

[Geraint]

Hi Alex.

 

Looks like a talented guy from the work I have seen. It will be interesting to see what the fittings look like after the passage of time. If the patination holds up well then work of this quality is going to cause us all problems a year or two down the line. Another phase in tosogu history? "In the late 20th and early 21st centuries demand for fittings by western sword collectors was such that Chinese craftsman began to produce the group of fittings that we now know as Neo Namban. For the contemporary collector stylistic differences are the only clue to the origin of these pieces and it is supposed that many pieces in collections around the world are wrongly attributed to Japanese craftsmen whereas in fact they should be ascribed to this school."

 

Cheers

[Tcat]

If the patination holds up well

 

Geraint, I think you got right to the heart of the matter in one. I strongly suspect that the patination on these is not going to be reliable. Isnt this something easily cured with the right chemical concoction, however? (edit: though, alloys are probably just as important, perhaps more? I wanted the work done in shibuichi, but he wasnt comfortable with making it, prefers to work in copper and brass I believe.)

 

work of this quality is going to cause us all problems a year or two down the line.

 

Well...he didnt do them for free, and there was quite a lot of communication and double checking required. Also, there arnt that many people around that can do the work to a decent standard.

 

P.S. Is that a quote from the book your great grandchildren will write a hundred years from now? Haha... I cant imagine the demand from western sword collectors being THAT high, but then again, what would stop eastern collectors from going the same route...?

[Drago]

Looks good.

 

I wanted to check their website http://9dragonmetalworks.com/ but it expired. Do you know if they still have a website somewhere?

[Tcat]

Tobias,

 

I posted a message about this in another forum to the chap who supposedly help set up the site in English, but so far have not gotten a reply.

 

Here are some links meanwhile. The studio can still be reached on their email: 9dragonmetalworks@gmail.com

 

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/charles-wu.html

http://www.artmetal.com/blog/charles_wu ... ork_studio