Spartancrest

Can anyone translate the mei? Many thanks in advance.

Welcome Ryan. Number one - tentatively [poor image] Ko-kinko - Two - obviously sukashi but not sure of the school. It is "tsuba" for both single and multiple tsuba. Interesting time warp back to 2013 - how do I get a ticket?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/205749037590 Something similar? The one you are looking at is cheaper and better in my opinion - no idea what the theme is but another in Sasano's book 212. page 272 says Shimizu and described as "Butterflies"? [It is not particularly close in design though]

One thing missing from most Soten tsuba battle scenes - the lack of blood splatter!

Kosyu Hikone Jyu Mogarashi Nyudo SOTEN Sei Goshu/Kosyu Hikone Ju (江州彦根住): "Resident of Hikone, Omi Province (Goshu)". Mogarashi Nyudo Soten Sei (藻柄子入道宗典製): "Made by Mogarashi Nyudo Soten".

Hi Will, welcome to the forum. Could you give us some dimensions of your guard? This design seems to be difficult to find, so not common, but I found something with a rim design with more folded or carved "lobes" in Greville Cooke's "Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Tsuba Collection V2" Not the same school I believe, as yours looks much thicker. I have a feeling I have seen another somewhere but I have a lot of books to search!

Hi Will, I found this one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. More elaborate but has some of the features to yours. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/29973 The hitsu shapes on yours are interesting, I think they may represent gourds like on this one.

Damon I have seen a few "collaborative" decorated tsuba - But not signed in this way. The ones I have seen have had inlay work with a signed plaque beside each piece of inlay. Would you believe there is a collaboration of SEVEN artist on one tsuba? Walters Art Museum 51.410 https://art.thewalters.org/object/51.410/ There was another collaborative tsuba here: https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2005/Japanese-and-korean-works-of-art-l05860/lot.852.html

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/114849901730 Two types of police swords during WWII, only the Shin-gunto had menuki but they were the standard three cherry blossoms. The police did have a fuchi that was distinguishing

https://www.etsy.com/jp/listing/1811177643/tsuba-samurai-sword-sword-guard-wave Just an image from a dodgy site. From Grev Cooke https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26622-tsuba-theme/#comment-268542 Could this be a variant?: Jinsoo was yours from Yahoo or Jauce?

Welcome to NMB Zack! A relatively common Kinai school tsuba. Some are cast but as yours has tagane-ato [punch marks aroumd the tang hole] I would think it is carved. If you look on-line and find another with the same punch marks in the identical spots - then you can worry. These dragons appear as Kawari-gata [irregular outline] or within a maru [round ] rim. Check this thread: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/46711-a-tsuba-with-ryu-design-kinai-school-signed-edo-period-for-your-comment-and-appreciation/ Also check the free download on Kinai tsuba:

. . .

Grev, Lotus root cross section?

6A & 7A Signature: 国廣 (Kunihiro) as I thought might be the case - generally good quality iron. There are many like 1A - I have a theory they were "Shiiremono" (仕入れ物) - ready made for quick sale. None of these were very well done or elaborately inlaid. They tend to be the same shape as well.

Steve that one is from an auction of ten back in 2013 - https://www.bonhams.com/auction/21106/lot/202/ten-various-iron-tsuba-17th-to-18th-century/ information is very limited "another of lozenge form carved with mokume" - doesn't say much for such a nice piece

Yotsu Fuji ? What to make of this one - not Itomaki-gata but I don't think it represents Fuji-san either [the sides are flat not curved]? And this?

You could well be right Jean. Not a lot of difference, just three little sticks [maybe the maker was a bit lazy and didn't want to do the extra cuts ] The umbrella handle is what we need to look for apparently - unless it is lost in the seppa-dai? Mecox's example has avoided the cut out "sticks" altogether [clever] Image taken from a post by Mal [Mecox] https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/39845-tsuba-reading/ Cut through the middleman and get a tsuba umbrella! - I would not recommend a sukashi design myself

Title: Yotsu Fuji Description An Iron Tsuba mountain shape four corners with Kozuka & Kougai holes This kind of four corner shape is called “Yotsu Fuji” in Japanese.

https://auctionet.com/en/4458663-a-Japanese-porcelain-bowl-probably-satsuma-ware-19-20th-century

As Dan has said this one is a cast copy. There are many getting about. The cast in "tagane-ato" punch marks around the nakago-ana are a giveaway in this design. Two sizes, the smaller has different punch marks The second one [which is upside down] is snow flakes on Wagasa [umbrellas] This one only has the one umbrella The three plain guards may be standard types that were often sent out to be embellished by other craftsmen like this one: Signature: 国廣 (Kunihiro) Is there a signature on the squarish middle one - other side?

Yes sometimes described as a Chidori, or any number of other birds. I wonder if there is any significance to which way the head of the bird points? The "Chidori" and the last bird here would face to the right when mounted, whereas the doves/pigeon etc point to the left in the examples previously shown.

A common Miochin school design, often with an inscription/poem to Hachiman around the nakago-ana [Hachiman is the deity of war or warriors - his "messangers" were doves] Sometimes seen as a sparrow or even a hawk. The small dents at the top of the tang hole [nakago-ana] are called tagane-ato and are a sign that the guard has been fitted to a blade in the past [good sign] The design of the wings is a little unusual but there are others like it. I agree with Mauro that the first is very likely Shoami the mix of inlays with incised carving is typical. The guard looks like it may have been in a fire, the rough surface I am sure was not intended. I doubt the signature can be read it is too far gone. Welcome Tristan to NMB - and Merry Christmas

Yes the nakago-ana and both hitsu are badly done - - not something I would fall for unless I needed a paperweight [of which I already have plenty! ]

Compare it to this [cast?] iron example https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1212973939

Just throwing this Namban tsuba in this thread - Namban not Hizen, you can plainly see the hitsu have been cut in after the guard was made. Someone has not looked after the poor thing! Lissenden would not be pleased. Interesting to see the indented/recessed "seppa-dai" on the ura. https://www.jauce.com/auction/v1212875887