ROKUJURO

Or even by a TOGISHI....

Donny, hopefully, there is a good iron plate underneath the 'decoration', so I hope the TSUBA can be saved! To my eyes, this is quite ugly!

Jason, sorry that we could not satisfy your expectations for a precise KANTEI via photos. But I will give you a valuable advice for future purchases of blades: NEVER touch it with bare hands!

X-ray also use electrons, so EBSD might really work. Anyone having such a machine at home? The MEI is hammered in with a chisel, so it is not really cut (removing steel), but the vertical impact on the metal is probably less strong compared with a machine stamp as used on firearms or other mechanical parts.

Mark, I don't see an inscription on the TSUKA, but if you meant TSUBA MEI then TADAHIRO would also be my guess. Pictures of the blade are always welcome here!

Neil, is this a HIRA ZUKURI shaped blade?

Probably not Japanese MEI, but the owner should be banned generally from buying blades......

I think the same as Evan. Plum flower (UME no HANA) SUKASHI.

Thank you for that link, Gordon! That was very interesting, although much of this forging 'industry' is know - not only in China, but also in Mexico and South America.

Ed, the design of your MENUKI is really elegant. Can we see the underside please?

Adam, I think that you did fine on this TSUBA, and it is a good start into collecting. It seems to be of good quality and in very nice condition. The price you paid is on the cheap side, depending a bit on the size of the TSUBA. The AOI leaves design is a standard one with KINAI like the one below. As KINAI were made roughly between 1600 and 1800, yours may be mid-EDO.

http://www.nihonto.com.au/html/tsu232_shakudo_basket_weave_ts.html http://ricecracker.com/inventory/822_tsuba_higo_basketweave/822_tsuba_basketweave.html http://www.japanesesword.com/Images/Fittings/808fittings/808f1/iron_fuchi.htm

James, in my opinion, this blade could display a very nice and interesting HAMON if the TOGISHI had not concealed it with a too simple SUGUHA polish. This may be different with the blade in hand and a proper lighting, but photographing KESHO is extremely difficult and often does not show all details unless you are an expert with the camera.

Dennis, I would not be so negative about this one. The SHIRA SAYA and the HABAKI look original to me, and the blade may just be a tourist item from the early 20th c - plain steel, possibly with no HADA and HAMON (that has to be verified), but a TANTO. You decide about its collectability!

Bruno, we have a member here at NMB named Garbutt. Perhaps there is a relation and you might get some direct information.

Peter, a very nicely executed TSUBA! Key fret and basket-weave pattern in seemingly good quality! Do some internet research with these keywords, there are some TSUBA to look at and to compare! (http://www.nihonto.com.au/html/tsu232_shakudo_basket_weave_ts.html and others)

Dave, better (focused) photos are necessary to see details. The MENUKI are difficult to see. The quality of the parts would be a factor for me. The FUCHI can easily be taken off, so have a look into it and see how it is made. In case it is machine-made from thin sheet metal, you might want to look for genuine handmade items unless you are satisfied with just a decoration piece. Besides that there are no strict rules how to combine TOSOGU parts, as has been discussed here on NMB lately. It is more a question of personal taste (and money, of course!).

Luca, the fact that the inlays did not all stay in place and the more refined shape of this TSUBA lead me to believe that this was a later than MOMOYAMA production. Some "better" MOMOYAMA HEIANJO TSUBA I have seen, were carefully made and had their inlays very slightly raised above the surface level. Also, their shape had a tendency to the more simple side (round or rounded square) and no MIMI. I am afraid I cannot offer a competent KANTEI on this one, so all my assumptions may well be wrong.

James, this is probably an early EDO JIDAI item, executed in KAGA ZOGAN. The brass inlay is level with the iron ground, so perhaps not HEIANJO. Design looks like KARAKUSA. This was a nice TSUBA, but it has lost much of its inlay, and it has a bad dent in the MIMI. These KIZU are not good for the value and collectability. The heavy corrosion has nothing to do with normal use; the TSUBA was neglected at one time in its life.

John, to add an answer you did not ask for: the design may be called AMIDA YASURI ME, although no file was used, as you have remarked. The 'net-effect' is indeed stunning! You wrote that a layering from forging is visible, so I guess that it is an iron TSUBA. My impression is that it is a late EDO JIDAI item and it is quite skillfully made, so not your everyday AMIDA YASURI ME TSUBA.

To my eyes this looks like a legit blade that has seen a lot of corrosion and some non-professional grinding (with little success, but with material removed in the wrong places). The bluish tint may be the result of an anti-corrosion treatment. Some products can leave a very thin film which might look bluish in a certain angle.

Reminds me somewhat of so-called SHINGEN TSUBA.

Julian, judging only after the photos, your blade does not look like a water-quenched one. I hope your post is not encouraging others....

Grev, it is not a good photo, a little out of focus. In most cases, these KANJI are written by the craftsman who made the TSUKA.

It is probably the secret of Strebel.....