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Spartancrest

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Everything posted by Spartancrest

  1. Two tigers one leopard - in ancient times the Japanese believed that leopards were female tigers. I don't imagine any mating between the two was very successful! https://www.smithson...anese-art-180941036/ "A few tigers had visited Japan before its cultural isolation ended in the late nineteenth century, full-grown cats and mewling kittens given as gifts to warlords and shoguns. But most artists seem to have depicted tigers using imported pelts as reference. Many artists also liked to depict leopards in the mistaken belief they were female tigers, a family of spots and stripes." Tiger and Leopard menuki
  2. I agree with the drawer handles but wonder if the small motifs are myoga "ginger" like a variation on this Owari guard?
  3. Catalin you might have more success over on the translation department https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/forum/15-translation-assistance/
  4. https://www.google.com/search?q=Shō&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:92c9d87e,vid:yUpr1F1dZt0,st:0 Very unusual instrument, it has a sound very like a cross between a harmonica and an accordion - at least in this YouTube clip.
  5. I have seen this design described as bundles of Noshi but an entry in the Ashmolean museum would seem to fit much better. Catalogue number. EA1956.2138 Oval tsuba with Shō (pan-pipes). I did notice in https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/files/file/106-kinai-tsuba/ by Malcom Cox has an example by Kinai. https://www.metmuseu...ection/search/503052 The sectional "nodal rings" found on bamboo and some reeds show up clearly on the bundles. Also there is a 'mouth piece' at the base of the nakago-ana - seen clearly in the top image highlighted in gold left and right. So which description fits the best?
  6. Thick core with thin sheets. What is the line at the bottom of the nakago-ana?
  7. I love those Cheshire Cat hitsu!
  8. Very late post but this should go in this thread. [Before it goes into the recycle bin!] https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1129383035 the Ura view is just a laugh!! No points for guessing this lot are all cast. Nice attempt with the sukashi cut-out nakago-ana [NOT!]
  9. See the same design here with embellishments - https://drouot.com/e...fer-japon-milieu-de- Ascribed to Owari
  10. Just a note on the Varshavsky image from Tuesday - have people noted the cut-out on the nakago-ana seems to have been filled? [Or is this only a surface treatment? - difficult to see and no side view into the nakago-ana] https://www.aoijapan...he-48th-juyo-tosogu/
  11. I agree number one is cast - the missing 'inlay' was probably glued on - see similar 'faceless' examples in the image. [yours is a much less common design] Number four may be hiding something good under that dirt, needs a good clean. [I have seen much worse in museum collections]
  12. https://varshavskyco...collection/tsu-0315/ https://bushidojapan...Kiri_leaf_Motif.html https://iidakoendo.com/9315/ This last one has the same cut out in the nakago-ana and is described as by Nishigaki Kanshiro
  13. We have seen nakago-ana with a set design cut into it - certain Higo tsuru patterns.
  14. Non magnetic? The repeated pattern, mirror reverse on each side would suggest Sanmai but could be Ko-Kinkō. this side view of the hitsu looks like thin foil such as you find on sanmai but I can't see the typical three layers. Has the surface got any peeling? There look like area's where there is wear through the foil? If it is sanmai the outside rim is well joined, I can't see any seams. Interesting old piece - no modern fake for sure.
  15. I think this link could be added here - nice Mandarin duck and waves sanmai https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/48181-tsuba-help/
  16. Spartancrest

    Tsuba help

    Thanks Mark, the ura view gives me even more confidence the bird is a duck - short legs, upturned tail and wing tips. I wonder if other examples with this pattern will turn up? Maybe not this particular one [Hokusai might not be impressed!]
  17. I think once you have that guard in hand you will be very happy with the patina, photos can sometimes give a deceptive pale look - add my vote for original patina, well cared for and very old. If you want to compare artificial patina you can check out this auction site https://www.jauce.com/user/dj2hmyuc this guy's stock is made yesterday and has that oily black finish you will get using that "colour-enhancing rust preventive agent" found here. https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1126749580 Both the modern backyard tsuba and the artificial patina can be found on ebay as well. https://www.ebay.com/itm/386829157016 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386845822320 https://www.ebay.com/itm/254728433191 I would not recommend any of this stuff used on antique tsuba. By the way that same guard you are looking at for $133 USD is also selling over on Jauce https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1128842948 or Buyee https://buyee.jp/ite.../auction/c1128842948 at a starting price of $6.71 USD - it pays to shop around! Signed "Tetsujin" For comparison of the mei you might find something here? https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12900-tsuba-mei/
  18. Spartancrest

    Tsuba help

    The bird reminds me more of a Mandarin duck. But what would a duck be doing at sea? I am not sure what this bird is, duck body, seagull head? Mark does your guard have a fukurin or is it all the same material with carved integral rim? Also is the opposite side the same design? Could it be Sanmai?
  19. Spartancrest

    Tsuba

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176207790259 This is the link to this image https://nahwalwatan.org/item/530644/goods But I can't open it. https://tw.daigobang...html?aID=g1096759934
  20. Spartancrest

    Tsuba

    Hi Murry, my first impression is that the guard is cast, the hitsu sizes are odd and the two oxen/bulls are ill defined. [Higher definition images would help but I am more than 90% sure it is very late 19th century cast work] There is a similar design in this thread but the two animals are much clearer and the sukashi areas are much finer as in this image https://www.agsa.sa....y-their-tails/36468/ https://www.liveauct...tsuba-with-two-oxen/ See also https://www.zacke.at...suba/?lot=14785&sd=1 https://www.invaluab...io-860a-c-16d4db6a57 [This one very likely a modern cast example thrown in with a mix of other copies] https://sbg-sword-st...rect-custom-options/
  21. https://www.liveauct...t-daimyo-procession/ https://art.thewalte...-wedding-procession/ kozuka https://collection.p...com.au/object/183028
  22. Spartancrest

    Giant Tsuba

    Decorative wall hanger, many are made as trivets as well. The design is not a million miles from this Chinese fake. This Kabuki actor's sword has a tsuba of at least six inches?
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