Spartancrest

What also strikes me is they do get signed after they were cast - - so are they "really" cast iron? Are they steel, iron alloy or are they annealed to soften the metal? The mysteries keep croping up. They also appear in museum collections with provenance that they are not recent "modern", most are at least a hundred years old - we don't know [as far as I am aware] where they were made and by whom, it is not as if they have any factory markings on them and you sure can't trust the signatures. Like the whole subject of tsuba and tosogu they keep us intrigued.

They still keep turning up - I guess they will always be there! https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1202559131 At least you don't have to drop it to tell it was cast! Extraordinarily the description is accurate: "Tsuba with a picture of a tower landscape, by Munenori, cast iron, round, with double hole holes (modern work)" A few touches of gold to increase the "value" Price: 600 € Artist: Soten Period: 18th century https://www.proantic.com/en/1136826-tsuba-in-cut-iron-damascened-with-gold-nunome-zogan-school-of-soten-Japan-edo-18.html

This one has the Aoi leaves as part of the outline - no rim https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/2076-jp-samurai-sword-guard-aoi-openwork-tsuba Polished iron not Shibuichi and not Kinai either IMHO. No signature - who else used the Aoi pattern? another on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/186824825810

It is easy when you are nearly as old as the tomes themselves! Still it's not the age, it's the mileage!

It might be blasphemy but that guard looks too good to be Kinai !

Hi Jay and welcome. I believe it is a typical Shoami school piece, they are relatively common and tend to have a waterfall and mountain scene - with minimal soft metal overlay [nunome] and some inlay. There is a notch at the bottom of the nakago-ana that suggests it has been mounted [but probably only briefly]. I am a little surprised that it is not signed, most are. [not being signed can be a "good" thing - many have fake signatures] Compare it to this one that is cast, the hitsu are rough and not filed smooth the "signature" is crude and to my eyes obviously cast-in [IMHO] Fake signature : 正阿弥包矩 (Shoami-Kanenori) Compare the cast signature to the tachi-mokko one. I strongly believe Jay's piece is hand carved, the cloud swirls on the ura are carved-in not cast. Another selling on ebay - signed and with the characteristic waterfall on one side, rocks on the opposite. Some appear "rushed" and like this one are often neglected [unsigned as well] The Tachi-mokko shaped examples are also common, each have subtle design differences, check this thread: You can also check out this auction site https://www.eldreds.com/auction-lot/iron-shin-no-maru-gata-tsuba-signed-eichizen-kin_6EB3733865 They don't know their stuff, as it is NOT signed Echizen Kinai!

Instead of a sheep it could in fact be a breed of goat? From what I can find on-line there is some confusion between goat/sheep such as when the animal is seen in the Asian zodiac. Found this Japanese Hitsuji [White Sheep Doll] 未（Hitsuji): Sheep – Years: 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 The year of the sheep is associated with family safety. People born in the year of the sheep are said to be calm, collected, and great team players. In the story of the zodiacs, the horse and sheep are good friends.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/177375089349 [why do they like to show the tsuba the wrong way up?] about W 47 mm x H 50 mm

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/197688495691 this one looks cast to me. [JMHO]

I am not sure what it is supposed to be, it looks a little like the image of a comet you find in medieval images This is a guard I recently purchased, it has a similar hitsu shape but open through the mimi - I conjecture that the strange opening at the top may have had a soft metal insert which would have looked like an axe or O'no (斧) [I take the hot stamps put the guard in the saotome or tempo school?]

Sorry Kai that is all the information I have. [disconcerting, my eldest son is called Kai - [born 1987]

Long time getting back to this thread! A couple of interesting "rain dragons" with the same odd hitsu shapes - one has a very similar design to Richard George's piece. https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/37813/ This one is signed but I don't know the name. https://www.touken-world.jp/search-sword-guard/art0002011/

Not only nanban or Hizen https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/642391 https://alchimiablogdotcom.wordpress.com/weekend-courses/nunome-zogan/

You might find Tsu da ro in Gion district in Kyoto - it is both a restaurant and antique shop. Closed Monday and Tuesday open from 13.00 - 18.00 Address is 570-121 Gionmachi minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku Kyoto 605-0074 http:/www.tsudaro.com No link to the antques, but I bought two tsuba there a few years ago. http://www.teramachi-art.jp/en/shop-info/antiques-center/

I worry about the hitsu, both are rather oddly shaped. Something made very fast and not finished very well. I can't find another like it so it could be a one-off or hobby piece?

Couldn't they think of other designs? The design can be found in "Chōsen Gafu" I do think a price tag of over a million yen is stretching things - print your own papers they will likely turn out more accurate!

I have seen "stones" on tsuba as well as coral but not Jewels as such. Check this thread.

Could be either a Nodachi / Odachi? Also possible to be a Temple offering but less likely as it has been mounted. Regardless a very nice piece!

Jason have you checked this PDF? It is a great source of information on Tempo.

Jake is right - you can never just stop at one! [I guess if you did, you wouldn't actually be a collector, would you ] Oh I love those import taxes on secondhand goods - NOT!

Steve I tend to agree - Wow there is a lot of nunome hatching on that guard, I wonder if it may have been a presentation piece to start with? Double sekigane at the bottom of the nakago-ana suggests to me it has some age, as it was mounted at least twice. The outline shape I like a lot, Kawari-gata? Also looks like the shape of either a Sake pot or lidded jar. Better first buy than mine!

A shape used in porcelain as well.

Sorry my fault - I rarely venture anywhere else.

This has to go in! https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1200944659 ¥26,000 seems a little bit expensive but I really know nothing about the value of habaki.

スパルタンヘルム Mouthful - It might take longer to say than the length of the reign!