Spartancrest

I am a little confused how a shop sold that identical tsuba in Tokyo, yet you bought it in Kanazawa over 400 km away?

https://www.samuraim...samurai-sword-t-618/ Edo period "nawame" rim [rope pattern] Description This oval-shaped iron Tsuba has a symmetrical design. It is composed of mainly two motifs: a flower-like object with four petals, and some vegetable or plant pattern arranged in a total of four on the left and right sides of this Tsuba. We estimate this plant is the Myōga (茗荷). It is known as Japanese ginger and was brought to Japan with Shōga (生姜, ginger). According to a theory, Shōga used to be called the Senoka (兄香/せのか), and Myōga used to be called the Menoka (妹香/めのか) in ancient times. It is said that these pronunciations were changed with time. Myōga has the same pronunciation as another word, “Myōga (冥加),” which means divine protection. Therefore, this motif has been treated as a good-luck design. It is seen at shrines and temples in various parts of Japan. Also, it is quite a popular motif for family crests. Such auspicious meanings might have inspired this Tsuba’s design. The shop should have given you this information. Your tsuba is not a million miles different to this one. Or even this one, just different motifs top and bottom. https://www.nipponto...swords9/TB202783.htm https://www.touken-h...gawa.jp/item/YTC-11/ this almost identical with papers.

I saw a documentary on how the halo developed from a round board attached to the head on statues, particularly early saints - it was intended to keep the birds from crapping on the faces! The hollow circlet 'halo' would now act as a good roosting post and end up having the opposite effect!

You are right jean I have also seen "mother of pearl" used. https://www.antiques...murai-antique-tsuba/

Side by side, close-ish? Raised seppa-dai and cast in mei on the fake [why bother?] [off topic but the 'original' has tiger skin pants - very fetching ]

https://clip.cafe/th...s-getting-better-no/ I actually thought I had the ugliest tsuba - but I will happily settle for second place.

Chris has the image of this one https://www.bonhams....5-1868-19th-century/ https://www.bonhams....7-1878-19th-century/ https://www.fromjapa...o/input/x1120193756/ [copy] https://www.city.ner.../nerima_0421_all.pdf Special exhibition of collection items Sword fittings - Nakayama Collection - Exhibition Date: April 28th (Sat) - June 3rd (Sun) 2012 Venue: 2nd floor special exhibition room, free admission A collection of about 120 sword fittings with diverse designs, including Edo-period tsuba such as the ogre-shaped tsuba (photo), which Nakayama Akira, a resident of the ward, has collected over the years.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1166080879

Victoria and Albert museum has a "fish bone" tsuba as well. https://collections..../item/O466388/tsuba/ A marked decline in the number of bones in this one. Accession number: M.168-1911 Tamba/Sado/Kiami [looks like they are not sure who made it] The museum also has a sukashi type with three bones in negative silhouette https://collections..../item/O466561/tsuba/ M.461-1931 Bushu

Nothing really new but I just purchased a "Treasure bag" tsuba from Japan. The buy it now price was ¥14,546 or about US $95 + $20 in fees. Fair enough for an unusual [but not unique] shape. However as often happens these days the same guard was up for sale on ebay - for US $250.80 + US $38.50 shipping. Very likely a proxy seller from within Japan, as the sellers addresses were from one side of Japan to the other. I guess the point of this post is to do your research and check whenever possible to see if the same item is listed somewhere else at a better price. Use google image search as at least a starting point. [it won't always help but it can't hurt] Compare known sites like Yahoo, Buyee or Jauce with ebay with a "Sort by" search for Recent arrivals, BIN price or Time ending soon - to narrow down the search. The time spent can save you money! Unusual but not unique - this time of year they look a little like "Plum puddings" [Note: No actual PLUM was used in plum pudding! But lets not get facts involved with tradition!]

Keep me out of this - I think you mean DAN Could the tsuba be covered in a thick layer of urushi?

Other alternative Tiger and bamboo tsuba to consider.

Got it, masonry/brick wall brace - keeps the rim of the tsuba from falling away.

The best clue is the bifurcated tail - it seems rain dragons have a split tail. The tsuka decoration is likely related to "The Seven Lucky Gods". The gods carry with them takaramono (宝物), or treasure things, including the hat of invisibility (隠れ笠, kakuregasa), rolls of brocade (織物, orimono), the inexhaustible purse (金袋 kanebukuro), the secret keys to the treasure shed of the gods (鍵 kagi), the scrolls of books of wisdom and life (巻き物 makimono), the magic mallet (小槌 kozuchi), the lucky raincoat (隠れ蓑, kakuremino), the robe of fairy feathers (羽衣, hagoromo), and the bag of fortune (布袋 nunobukuro) At New Years the Gods are said to pilot through the heavens and into human ports a mythical ship called the Takarabune, or "Treasure Ship". You might find the symbols match your tsuka from some of these images

Well lets give AI a chance - The "s" shape in Japanese legend may refer to the katakana syllable "sa" or "shi". Well "Sa" = カ & "Shi" = キ The translations are "mosquito" & "tree" so extrapolating that, it must mean "When picking ginger look out for the mosquito in the tree" - Always good advice! [Score: AI zero out of one hundred. . . . again!]

An Owari of a very similar design https://www.papilio....e-auction/5/item/206 Myōga [ginger plant] a very popular design. Many slight variations. https://www.seiyudo....10717.htm#movepoint1 https://bushidojapan...ith_Myoga_Motif.html The Akasaka school and others also used the Myōga motif in their sukashi designs.

Wind Chimes are nice - This monster was part of a wind chime, but I use it indoors as a decoration now! [It really was so heavy it would have to be a hurricane to get it to work as a chime anyway ]

Peter have you noticed the images are both of the omote side - someone put the wrong image in. At least they tell it like it is "I call it my "tsuba" tsuba." Another one with a single tsuba on it.

Tsuba on tsuba still appearing https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/326370267223 It has one more tiny tsuba than the one I have - but I prefer what I paid for mine!

This one has always made me smile - just from the absurdity of imagining it on a sword!

This tsuba proves that Dragons and Crinoids co-existed - AT THE END OF THE PERMIAN - 345 million years ago!

Hi Zachary one very much like yours in the Norwegian National Museum - I just thought you might like to know you have a museum quality piece. https://www.nasjonal...tion/object/OK-09433 https://www.eldreds....-openwork_2E02EACA27 https://page.auction.../auction/f1106215209 The six lobed ones are slightly outnumbered by the four inome versions - the actual flower decoration tends to vary from piece to piece, maybe some personalization to each customer like a Mon?

Well - - it is not a fake. I will say that much, but there were so many tsuba that were later signed that the signatures are often in doubt. I have to say that a signature of a relatively unknown maker [at least as far as Haynes is concerned] makes me lean more towards genuine - Why fake a signature that is "unknown"? Very possible to be a smith from the provinces that was not prolific and not recorded

Would you say the image colour is accurate? As you point out it doesn't look to have been fitted to a blade [unless it was not necessary to "tighten the fit" with tagane.] Well to my eyes it looks sandblasted clean, which would contribute to the rounded edges of the nakago-ana and the general pitted look. But possibly cast - though there is little direct evidence, just a few questionable spots. You could do the "drop test" but that is rather drastic. If you didn't spend too much it is always worth a gamble - alloy fakes are selling for stupid high prices, so an iron guard that may have been "over cleaned" and appeals to you is a no brainer. I presume you don't have it in hand just yet? There is usually "something" that speaks to you when you hold one and can really see it in good light. Good luck

Two inome on a gift I received from Roger Dundas back in 2022