ENGLISH TEXT

BOOKS WITH ENGLISH TEXTAll books are new copies and in hard covers unless otherwise stated

157.

THE OSHIGATA BOOK OF MODERN JAPANESE SWORDSMITHS 1868-1945 by Slough. 2001 first edition, 8.5” x11" paper covers, 272pp illustrating the oshigata of 170 post 1868 smiths, mostly wartime, giving biographical details and much other detail about war-time blade manufacture.

GBP90

158.

IMPORTANT SWORDS FROM THE MUSEUM OF JAPANESE SWORD FITTINGS. Part 2. Christie's Sale Catalogue, New York 29th March 2005. 8.5"x10.5", 103pp stiff paper covers, illustrates 49 fine mostly koto blades including Ichimonji, Yukihira, Kunihiro, Okimasa, Yasutsugu and many other blades of the Kamakura and Nambokucho periods (the koshirae are shown in colour) from a collection originally formed by Mr Aoyama Kokichi after the war.A further 6 koshirae are illustrated, with a list of prices.

GBP15

159.

SHINTO BENGI OSHIGATA reprinted by Hawley. 8.5" x11", 163pp. Paper covers. All illustrations. A reprint of a wood-block book published in 1779, all oshigata. Many of the lesser known smiths from about 1550-1779.

GBP35

160.

JAPANESE SWORDS by Ogasawara. 4"x6" paper covers, 128pp.Illustrations of blades,fittings and sword mount ings on every page, mostly in colour.

GBP12

161.

ENGLISH INDEX TO KANZAN TOKEN KOZA 8"x 11" spiral bound card covers. 55pp index to the smiths covered in #14 on this list, smiths are indexed to both the illustrations and information, an invaluable aid.

GBP12

162.

LETHAL ELEGANCE - The Art of Samurai Sword Fittings by Earle, 8.5"x9.25". 256pp with over 250 colour illustrations depicting mainly extremely decorative Bakamatsu and Meiji period sword fittings by artists such as Kano Natsuo, Goto Ichijo, Unno Shomin, Hagiya Katsuhei, Unno Moritoshi etc.

GBP35

163.

THE HARTMAN COLLECTION OF JAPANESE METALWORK Christie's 1976 sale catalogue. 9.5" x12" hard covers, 163pp all plates about half in colour illustrating 402 tsuba, 101 kozuka, 49 fuchi-kashira, 14 swords and much other metalwork, together with an index, glossary and a list of prices realised.

GBP60

164.

JAPANESE ART & HANDICRAFT (The Red Cross Catalogue) by Joly & Tomita.10.5"x13" slip case, 214pp plus 162 plates (8 in colour) illustrating 410 tsuba, 223 kozuka and 110 fuchi-kashira. There are also 100 extra plates showing many prints, paintings, inro and lacquers. From the exhibition of 1916.

GBP60

165.

THE 100 KOZUKA - KOZUKA HYAKKU-SEN (The Claude Thuault Collection).6"x8.5", 267pp illustrating 100 kozuka, 52 in colour showing the obverse and reverse with expanded details in many cases. Full English and Japanese text with an introduction by Ogasawara Nobuo, a glossary and a 20pp question & answer section about the collection.

GBP60

166.

NIHONTO KOZA Volume 6 (Kodogu part 1) transliteration by Harry Afu Watson, 8.5" x11", 522pp. This volume covers mainly the tsuba-ko with a section on Goto and illustrates 327 tsuba.The text is by Ogura Soemon and Kuwabara Yojiro.

GBP125

167.

100 MASTERPIECES FROM THE COMPTON COLLECTION 10.5"x14.5" slipcase, 321pp all plates illustrating 42 blades and 55 sword fittings including mountings. Each blade is covered in 3 full page plates including close-ups of sections of the hamon. The sword fitting plates are in colour with some tsuba shown enlarged to full page. There is also a glossary and full English text with Japanese.

GBP50

168,

JAPANESE SWORDS IN DUTCH COLLECTIONS by Han Bing Siong, 8.25"x12", 212pp illustrating 85 sword tangs, about half also showing oshigata of the blades plus 23pp of b&w plates of blades and mountings and an 8pp glossary. There is much information and each item has been carefully researched. Unfortunately there are no kanji in the text.

O/S

169.

CHARBONNIER. Armures Japonaises dans la Collection Jean Saporta. Torii Links, cloth covers, 8.5"x 11.75", 176pp all colour, French and English text, artists’ signatures in kanji. Illustrates kabuto, armours etc, the collection of Jean Saporta is one of the most famous private collections in the West. While some pieces in this collection have been illustrated before,this is the first exclusive publication of the collection.

GBP60

170.

BURAWOY. Armures du Japon II, Torii Links, cloth covers, 8.5"x11.75", 144pp all in colour, illustrates 100 pieces selected from the important collection in the Stibbert Museum in Florence, French, English & Japanese text, artists’ signatures in kanji. Illustrates mainly kabuto from the Miochin, Saotome, Haruta, Iwai and other schools plus a few armours and accoutrements. French & English glossary that includes kanji.

GBP60

171.

BURAWOY. Armures du Japon 100 pièces sélectionnées dans la Collection Kozu, Torii Links, cloth covers, 8.75"x 14.75", 128pp of which 112 are in colour illustrating 100 pieces, French and English text, artists’ signatures in kanji. The Kozu Foundation armour collection is regarded as one of the most important in Japan, 5 of the armours are classified as Juyo Bunkazai.There is a useful French glossary that includes kanji for each term explained.

GBP77

172,

JAPANESE-ENGLISH CHARACTER DICTIONARY by Nelson. 6.5"x9" slip case, 1611pp. Lists over 7000 characters with their 10,000 odd current readings and over 70,000 compounds in current use, with a revised method of finding the character by means of any radical within it, all with English definitions. An invaluable aid to reading modern Japanese books. Revised edition of 1997.

GBP45

A typical Namban tsuba pierced with tendrils and overlaid with leaves. 19th century. Height 73mm.

GBP110

#1615

Wakizashi tsuba carved with bamboo, 19th century.Height mm.

GBP110

#1619

Small plain tsuba suitable for a cheap mounting. 19th century. Height mm.

GBP65

#1620

A cast copy of a Kinai dragon tsuba, Height mm. This was recently purchased from Kollers West auction house in Zurich, when I got it and saw it was a fake I asked for my money back, this was refused citing their 'auction conditions', they even admitted it had been catalogued from a photo! Be warned.

GBP100

#1626

A fine large tsuba depicting tree stumps in a swamp or waterlogged ground with the clouded moon in gold

nunome and water plants in 2 colours of gold, on a nicely hammered plate. signed Unpo. 19th century. Height 83mm.

GBP550

#1640

Nicely carved tsuba with dragons and waves with gold nunome details, shakudo rim. Bushu school 19th century, Height 72mm.

GBP270

#1628

Carved in relief with a dragon above waves, gilt details, gold nunome rim, signed Bushu ju Maruyama Tosei or Fujikio, there are various ways to read this, does not appear to be in Haynes, 19th century. Height 72mm.

GBP300

#1624

A fine Choshu tsuba, the slightly dished plate carved in low relief with horses playing by a stream, gold details. the hitsu-ana plugged with shakudo, 19th century. Height 75mm.

GBP300

#1630

An oval iron tsuba carved in low relief with a Pine tree, the kogai-ana plugged with shakudo, probably Bushu, 19th century. Height 71mm.

GBP240

#1400

An oval iron tsuba carved as Iris leaves and a blossom, gold details, unsigned, Bushu work, 19th century. Height 71mm.

GBP300

#1536

An oval iron tsuba carved and pierced with two saddle trees and a riding crop, gold details, Bushu, 19th century. Height 71mm.

GBP360

#1539

A good Choshu tsuba, the thick plate chiselled with a dragon in clouds. Signed Choshu Joryu. This artist is not recorded in Haynes, 19th century. Height 73mm.

GBP300

#1557

A fine Owari tsuba with the Temple bell design, 16th century. Height 72mm.

GBP350

#1578

A large Jakushi tsuba depicting in low relief a sage reading by his hut under the moon, details in gold and silver nunome-zogan, 19th century. Height 83mm.

GBP250

#1373

A very large Ko-Shoami tsuba with a design of coins in silver and gold nunome-zogan. The reverse has no inlaid decoration, presumably to save money, the iron is good. Late 16th century. Height 99mm. Thickness 5mm.

GBP450

#1553

A Shoami tsuba with two convex/concave horizontal bars which are pierced with snowflakes or stylized clouds. 18th century. Height 81mm.

GBP300

#1614

A shibuichi tsuba inlaid with Hotei and a boy. 19th century. Height 65mm.

GBP220

#1616

A large early Shoami tsuba pierced with gourds, much of the nunome on the reverse is missing, Early 17th century. Height 84mm.

GBP200

#1617

A shibuichi tsuba decorated with two geese, one in shakudo, with the false signature of Nara Toshinaga, 19th century. Height 61mm.

GBP420

#1613

An Owari tsuba with the classic design of Temple bells, Myoga and stylized clouds, 16th century. Height 77mm, thickness at rim 6.5mm, thickness at centre 5mm. The iron is slightly dry and needs a little work.

GBP650

#1584

A good Kinai Dragon tsuba, slightly mokko-gata with finely carved scales, signed on the reverse Echizen ju Kinai

saku, 19th century. Height 71mm. From the 'iri' Kinai signature and the way 'saku' is cut this would seem to be the

work of the highly regarded 7th generation. A very similar daisho pair of Kinai dragon tsuba are for sale in

Shibata's 'Nihonto Genson no Yuhin' #68 at ¥500,000.

GBP750

#1587

A Soten tsuba chiselled, pierced and gilt with the Seven Sages in a Bamboo Grove, the faces in silver, shakudo and copper, with the full Soten signature, this is a 19th century copy of Soten made to supply the demand for tsuba by this popular school. In extremely fine condition. Height 74mm.

GBP650

#1590

A fine Kyo-sukashi tsuba of the late 16th- early 17th century, The design is a spider's web. Height 83mm. A very similar tsuba is on sale at Tokugawa Art for ¥220,000

GBP650

#1579

Pierced tsuba with a Gempei War subject, samurai in a boat, gold and silver inlay, two of the faces are slightly worn so

the price is low to reflect this, 19th century. Height 75mm.

GBP325

#1627