SalaMarcos

Yes Chris, you're right. Just a few parts of this yoroi resisted to the fire and are exhibited at the Royal Armory, the rest burnt in the 1884 fire.

I hope you found interesting this curious story regarding Spanish collections of Japanese arms and armours . A Japanese armor with a Mexica weapon and a Turkish shield. The armor was a gift from the Tenshō Embassy to King Felipe II of Spain, originally, it seems that it was mounted properly, along with other armor, a nagamaki and two katana, very possibly tachi ōsuriage. However, they were later put away, and in the 19th century they were reassembled in this way. The reason? At that time, strange oriental things were considered "Indian things" as well as American ones. It is very possible that the assembly was after the government of José Bonaparte in Spain, when the pieces had been moved to France or another place in Madrid and that on his return they were assembled in this way, due to ignorance of one culture or another, or rather, out of laziness, because they are not considered pieces of great value. There is a contemporary example. After the French invasion to Spain, numerous works from the Prado National Museum were taken to France, including the collection of grated rock crystals, gold work, cameos and pietre dure called the Dauphin's Treasure, donated by the Soleil King Louis XIV to the first French King of Spain, his grandson Felipe V. In that collection there was a Japanese tea set, lacquered in red urushi. How this set arrived to this collection? A group of samurai of Ishida Mitsunari's side brought to Siam after loosing at the battle of Sekigahara. An embassy of the Sun King bought these pieces and added them to the Treasure of the Grand Dauphin of France. Upon the return of this collection to Madrid after the War of Independence, the curators of the Prado Museum rejected these pieces considering them "Indian things" so they went to the Museum of America until 2016, when a researcher discovered all this history. Today they are once again incorporated into the Dolphin Treasure of the Prado National Museum. Regarding again about the yoroi, it was burnt in fire at the end of XIX century, and today only remains some of the iron parts.

If the guard can cover and, sorry to repeat, guard your hand, then it's a tsuba.

Anyway, thanks a lot for all your hard work! I found this term in a ukiyo-e series of sashimono. I thought it was also some "preceding" sashimono, for example, during a daimyō gyōretsu. Thanks and best regards from Spain!

Or maybe the correct way of reading is Sentebansashimono 先手番指物?

Hi from Spain, Did you heard about a sashimono called: tejika bansashimono (手近番指物), and you know who represents inside an army or daimyō gyōretsu? Thanks in advance!

After a second look, I agree with all of you, seems more Heianjō.

Quick answer with quick view, Onin for me.

Seems anzu or apricot blossom to me, check the families here.

Well, if the tsuba can cover a "loose" cut, then its practical, other considerations is if it's comfortable to hold it in a sword or if can fitt well in any koshirae. I know I'm very weird, both here and in Japan, and such legends like Torigoye will hate me if was alive...but I think tsuba from Edo period (or even Momoyama) could consider a work of art independent from the nihontō, and could appreciate and delight like a painting. Also I must admit that I'm a kinkō lover, and an Edo period lover, as I'm also a Barroque lover regarding Western art.

Dear friends, I hope you'll find interesting the following article I published last year and translated just yesterday. https://www.academia.edu/45515176/Study_on_the_monetary_value_of_Japanese_swords_and_their_fittings_during_the_Edo_period_1603_1868_

Thank you Peter, I'm glad you like it. As you said, the difference between craft and art is a complicated question. For me, when you just copy without leaving any "fingerprint" you're a craftsman, then, when you think about composition, theme, chromatics...to create something new, not necessarily revolutionary, but with your own taste, then you become an artist.

Dear friends, I hope you'll find interesting the following article I published last year and translated just yesterday. https://www.academia.edu/45515176/Study_on_the_monetary_value_of_Japanese_swords_and_their_fittings_during_the_Edo_period_1603_1868_

Maybe Hirata or Shibata school. By the way, I really LOVE this set.

Yes, since Nara jidai, it's called keshikomi zōgan, imported from China that was even centuries older.

Thank you very much John for your post!! I will search more about Suzuki San Nagoya shop. I saw some of the tsuba you described in museums and Spanish collections and I listed as poor quality tsuba or shiiremono but I though it was from Yokohama docks and no idea about the shiiremono workshop in Nagoya. Later I will search and post the examples I saw. Again, thanks for the post.

Dear John, thank you for all the information your collected over the years, and thank you again for showing us this beautiful tsuba. It was my plan travel to Japan in October, but due coronavirus it was cancelled. Maybe I will travel between February and April, and it's my plan visit again Ōkawa san, so I can ask him about this tsuba.

Ikedo Minkoku was a great tsubakō, kinkō and ginkō formed in the Fine Arts University of Tōkyō where was taught by Unnō Shōmin, but after that he continued his formation with him at his atelier. The problem for Minkoku was the time where he lived, where tsuba orders were very few so, as many other artists, including Shōmin, he worked on incense pots, silver jars, tabakoire kagamibuta and so on. As Mr. Ōkawa told me, things were not easy as well for Minkoku student and Ōkawa san sensei, Ametani Yūmin, who mainly made rings, collars and obitori. Even Ōkawa san told me that, if you're not hired by a institution like Tōken Hakubutsukan or Bizen Hakubutsukan, is imposible to live as a tsubakō, so he also made jewelry till 50 years old. Congratulations about your tsuba. I think I saw time ago, in some auction a kagamibuta made by Minkoku and, regarding the piece, the price was so high, maybe because there is few works made and signed by him, do you're lucky.

Happy New year of the ox! Maybe you've some tsuba or tōsōgu with an ox, I started this post showing this one made by the tsubakō/kinkō Ōkawa Chikō. Mr. Ōkawa was student of Ametani Yūmin, who was student of Ikedo Minkoku, who was student of Unnō Shōmin (in my opinion, the best tsubakō/kinkō of Meiji jidai). Mr. Ōkawa also studied under Itō Masayasu, 17th generation of Edo Itō school, from whom received the 18th generation under the name of Itō Masanori. Because this tsuba is not in the specific Edo Itō style, Mr. Ōkawa signed with his gō Tōhōsai Masami, as well signed Kanō Yoshinobu in honour of the painter who made the design. The tsuba is also based in one made by Yoshioka Inabanosuke in late Edo period. Take look of the detailed work of kebori for the ox hair, it remind me Durer rabbits. Now 12 years ago, this tsuba was selected by the Tōken Hakubutsukan contest, as well exhibited there. Mr. Ōkawa Chikō made tsuba for each animal of the year, and most of it was also selected by the Tōken Hakubutsukan. At his 75 years old he still works at his small atelier in Saitama, and presents tsuba each year in the contest.

There are few points that start my alerts... First, the papers doesn't match with the tsuba, second, doesn't seem Heianjō work, third, there is many Christian tsuba, but never saw one so explicit like this. Even the confessed Christians tried to hide his condition, even before the banishment, I was at the kakure kirishitan Shimabara castle museum and never saw something like this. When they try to represent the Virgin Mary they did it with the image of Kanon. But the maybe the most important thing. At least in Spain, since some years, some people are buying old tsuba sometimes mei, sometimes mumei, without decoration, or with less decoration. Edo tsuba that you can find in a basket in Japan for less 10.000¥, and they bring it to Spain and with the help of silver worker and goldsmith's, they put Christian images and sell it like rare museum works for more than 800€. Also some of this people are taking blades forged in China and even Spain, mounted with this kind of old cheap Edo koshirae, use chemistry for imitate urushi, and finally sell it like original nihontō museum work, for more than 3000€ Even sometimes they buy tons of NTKK and NBHTK and sell it with the works even if don't match at all. For example, a paper of wakizashi for a Nihontō. I know that this is also working in Germany, where some people are posting Chinese blades with cheap Edo koshirae like a Nihontō. In this case they make false papers with nakago pictures of other swords. The piracy is going more "clever" and we need to stay alert.

Seems not very old to me, I will suggest non particular school between Meiji and Shōwa. In the best case, could be some Asian export from XVIII century with some new adds like the udenuki ana. Except the zōgan party, I saw similar tsuba for IIWW wakizashi.

Also seems cast, maybe not...but judging the mei and the pic... Hope not...

Good news! I have printed the 1 & 2 books and I can't wait for read the next one's. Thank you again for your hard work!

seems a yagi or goat

Saw ninja katanas known as shikoro gatana are a fake of XX century, like the 90% of the ninja stuff. Regarding tsuba, I suggest that the "saw shaped" tsuba or seppa, could be more related to a kiku shape, or in a second opinion a tokei shape, and in a third opinion a christian jesuitic anagram, but I don't think could exist such a "ninja seppa" as either don't exist a ninja tsuba.