Spartancrest

It is interesting to see that the designs are all very similar but the overall outline shapes do vary.

Stephen I just found a file with some of the Jakushi dragons - one being yours. Eight examples all told. The files are big so I will send one at a time as composites of four each.

I think a lot of handling and rubbing with a soft cotton rag [or putting it in your pocket for an extended period will get the dark patina back- called tsuba fussing!] I doubt you could get a colour match to the inlay and it would no doubt be expensive - I personally think it looks age appropriate and shouldn't be tampered with. There are some links here and other threads can be found with NMB searches. Welcome to the world of tsuba.

From what I understand 'original' tachi tsuba had no hitsu-ana as the koshirae did not involve kogai or kozuka. However this statement does not take in the fact that many tachi tsuba were altered to be used on katana or wakizashi. Often this has also meant the nakago-ana has also been altered to orient the guard [with a pattern or scene] in the correct viewing direction when remounted.

The tsuba is Heianjo style with asanoha or 'hemp' pattern decoration with the addition of five pointed 'stars' or more likely 'apricot blossoms' ? [Signaling the arrival of Spring.] The guard is genuine, perhaps the 'flowers' added later?

Chris, I think Stephen King [Steves87] has lots of images of the Jakushi dragon like yours - hope he comes in on the thread. The waterfall kaku-maru-gata is Shoami [Kanenori?], not sure who exactly, looks like only a part signature. Very good starter set for sure. [I can't say my first six were as good! ]

Wow that looks even higher from the side, nicely edged seppa as well- plenty of spare parts! You need to get that stone seen by a jeweller, it might be an Emerald or just Tourmaline.

I love the second guard- I suppose it is possible to dismount it from the clasp?

The losing monkey gets put behind bars

Top quality one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 29.100.972 76 mm x 73 mm x 5 mm Wt. 138.9 g Shakudo, gold and copper. Like the very first example in the first post. [from the Michael Tomkinson collection (no.82)]. It has Kanmuri (冠) (3). The cap worn by Shinto clergy and courtiers in Japan.

"Wealth implied by its absence" - is how I have been told the theme of rats amongst the rice can be viewed. No obvious signs of prosperity but the rats imply an abundance of food, enough to have 'pests'. If you were poor = no rice and no rats either!

Yves, I am still looking for some rats/mice like your design - no sign yet but if I mention the word 'unique' they would come out of the woodwork. I will continue to look but your piece is 'not common' by any means. [I rather like tsuba with rodents myself!]

More than a century of debate has moved us no closer to the answer. Taken from "Japan and it's Art" by Marcus B. Huish 1889 "The decoration of the sword furniture showed symptoms of decline early in the present century [19th]. Working in hard wrought iron was first of all shirked, and similar effects were endeavoured to be produced by castings; then the decoration ran riot and transgressed all limits, so that many of the pieces made between 1840-1870 could never have been used for the purposes for which they were professedly intended; such products are remarkable in a way, as showing the lengths to which elaboration may be carried, but they can never stand for a day beside the dignified workmanship of an earlier date. Imitations of sword guards are now being imported into the market. These are cast from old specimens, and can usually be detected by holding them at the point of one's finger and hitting them sharply with another piece of metal, when they will emit a dull sound only, whereas a fine old guard will ring like the best bell-metal. It is well to test all guards in this way, but it must be recollected that guards with much piercing will not ring, and that many of those made since the beginning of this century are of such malleable iron as not to stand the test. It is a question which has not yet been solved whether some of the old guards may not be castings, even some of those which are chased. The difference between wrought and cast iron is that the latter contains from 1 1/2 to 4 percent, of carbon, the former hardly any; but it is possible to anneal or toughen cast iron by a process known as 'Cementation' [Ed. In metallurgy: a process of altering a metal by heating it in contact with a powdered solid], that is, by a surface removal of carbon. Many of the guards are covered with oxide of iron, to which they owe much of their beauty." This does push the casting dates back before 1840 so Edo or not? What I did find strange is the 'ringing test' which is refuted almost immediately by himself so why even propagate it? It is still cited by many as a true test of whether a guard is cast or not - yet it does not work in practice and is very subjective.

Soren please don't use my own books against me - You could have used the front cover, that book needs all the publicity it can get!

Hi Roger - just speculation but it looks recently 'cleaned'. Too aggressively at that- looks like half was done with steel wool? Lucky they didn't get into the nunome.

Coincidence, one with horses is listed for auction. No silver though. https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1037860408

Thanks Glen - actually it is on my "External Drive" - less likely to be hacked!

Tsuba in the Rijksmuseum [Amsterdam] 260 pages in both Dutch and English. https://www.wob.com/en-us/books/d-r-raisbeck/tsuba-in-the-rijksmuseum/9781034997436 This book has just been listed on a few sites, it is a basic catalogue of the Rijksmuseum collection of tsuba. [please note there are two little faults in this book version, a switched image and one typo - the museums problem] PM me if you want a corrected version I can get them at a cheaper than listed price. https://www.discoverbooks.com/Tsuba-in-the-Rijksmuseum-D-R-Raisbeck-Paperback-p/1034997432.htm?cond=0005 https://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9781034997443 If you buy the listed book please shop around as the prices vary wildly - don't pay more than you can get them for! A photo-book version and a superior print quality book are listed but the economy version is probably the best bet. [The title 1two1 refers to the original collection number of tsuba (121), extras have been added over time.] Wob. also has Stephen Kings two books listed. https://www.wob.com/en-us/books/s-j-king/tsuba/9781034601487 https://www.wob.com/en-us/books/s-j-king/collecting-tsuba/9781006317682 [I hope he doesn't mind me including them here.]

Yves, I have seen a similar guard to yours with the subject being horses [sorry I can't find it just yet] very much like the outlines mixed with solid representation and in the silver and gold. [this is not what I am looking for but similar] Mice or rats are a popular theme.

"what is the front or backside on this tsuba? " Yves, very good question! At a guess it may not have mattered for this namban. But once it was mounted, which side might we expect to see a little more wear? On the tsuka side from hand contact when in use [seldom] or the saya side from left hand gripping the sword to keep it in place? Very good question indeed. [and I think your namban is "that good" but I am not changing my initials! ]

It might be a gardening book or one on drapery?

Sure Glen, but you will have to change your first name to Peter, Phillip or Phineas - unless you are holding out for Paisley? Then you will get a lot of mail misdirected from the Peoples republic of China [who might sue you for copyright infringement even though they don't believe in copyright from other countries themselves.]

Bloody branding

Dan some clearer images for you. If people have a sharp eye they may pick up the date. [Jun 21th - shouldn't that be Jun 21st? (picky, picky) ]

Hi Bruno, there seems to be the sound of crickets in the distance - no responses? Having just done a little book on the tsuba collection in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, I have noted a very close example to your piece. AK-MAK-1110. Like yours it has the dragon coming up from the bottom of the guard [most have the dragon looking down] and the swirling clouds are also very close. The major difference is the free form hitsu-ana. Unfortunately the museum does not give a school attribution. I also seem to remember Vajo [Chris Sch.] was looking into a similar dragon design a little while back which I will try to locate. Just found the link but it may not be of much help as the design is different: