Spartancrest

Just another heads up. Rabbits practice swords - https://www.jauce.com/auction/e529006737 A variety of coloured versions 'gilded', blackened etc. The 'Rabbits in the Waves' is not the only pattern put out at the same time, a set of Chrysanthemum guards was also made for practice swords and produced the same way. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Japanese-Tsuba-Armor-Katana-parts-Watermarked-Plants-and-trees-/363487786064 they are characterized by wide mimi and wide outlines of the hitsu-ana and once again sized for both Wak and Katana. They are based on a popular design as seen in this Utsushi collection I have been accumulating. A pair of these practice swords is found here https://www.jauce.com/auction/r489031532 and a mediocre 'good' example guard https://www.jauce.com/auction/j700232409

Rob The guard is a replica made for practice swords [Mozo-to] in the 1950s, they come in both Wakizashi and Katana. Great numbers of them are around, punched out like coinage. The pattern is "Usagi-Zu" in the waves. https://www.jauce.com/auction/q123156429 https://www.jauce.com/auction/n177373642 https://www.jauce.com/auction/x453722518 - This one has even been glued to a display board at one time. https://www.jauce.com/auction/q287565123 https://www.jauce.com/auction/p519893711 These are what are available on just one night on one auction site.

John C. T. In the mood for a third? https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1000066314 looks a little tired or boney. [lighting is a little harsh] Owari? 76.2 mm x 75.5 mm x 5.7 mm and weighs about 59g

Can anyone give an explanation on how this damage could possibly be caused by battle damage? I can't see it being done by a sword blow coming up through the hand, through the edge of the tsuka, through the fuchi and through the back edge of the blade. Even given the tsuba were placed on upside down it would need to cut through the blade and habaki.

Glen Ah so it was you who got that little square mokume, I was looking at that one myself! The other example from above passed in https://www.jauce.com/auction/w448276204 Jauce is my hunting ground too - not fond of their fee structure but as you say thousands of choices every week. Getting back to the original thread [sorry Grev] I notice from the side view image that the rim thins out near the raised decoration, is this so? It would explain how the guard was carved down from a thinner plate than it optically appears, to a large extent. Nothing wrong with a cast plate that is carved and reworked.

Glen- https://www.jauce.com/auction/w487367070 I think this is the Kaga contender?

Peter there are certainly a few 'Utsushi' of the plum tree. The first image is perhaps the closest to yours but as luck would have it, it has no information. The fourth example is also very similar except for the overall shape. These links are to the images other than the first. I hope they are of some use. https://nihonto.com.au/product/kikugawa-school-plum-blossom-tsuba-with-nthk-certificate/ https://www.artelino.com/show/japanese_single_print.asp?mbk=3258 https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/21676493-iron-tsuba-nbthk-origami-aizu-ikko-plum-tree-Japan-17th-18th-century

Thanks Glen - The book is also available in hardcover but as yet I have not found it listed. Anyone interested could give me a PM. Please shop around, there are some expensive sites and why should you pay more than necessary? Feel free to ask me if there are cheaper options.

Tembo temper tantrum I don't believe it was a Japanese idea to 'recycle' tsuba this way. The 'Edwardians' had some bad ideas. From: 'Japanese Art Metal-work, The Tsuba.' pub. 1904 "To the repousse metal-worker we might point out that some of these sword-guards, with hardly any alteration, would serve admirably as lock-plates for drawers or cabinets".

I don't mind the two large 'replicas' they are well done and if you can't afford the real thing, they are good talking pieces. Now this one I have seen copied and copied over and over till it gets so bad you can't make out what it started out as - I think it could be Japanese stealing back the design from Paul Chen [Hanwei] who had a collection of famous identities made as guards - they were copied almost immediately by other Chinese factories and I think ironically very well by the Japanese. The "original" Hanwei had a distinctive rim that no one else has been able to replicate correctly. Amazing !! Even modern designs are being faked, nothing is safe !!

Are you referring to this book? https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b422-Japanese-sword-fittings-rb-caldwell-collection or - https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/c106-masterpieces-randolph-b-caldwell-collection He had other books published, one on tsuba and another on swords. The books seem to be few and far between as far as availability.

Good for you Chris - maybe we are archaeological collectors? Even worn out pieces can be worthwhile they tell a story and at least you can figure out what happens if you neglect maintenance! I think you are on to something with the cotton towel, guards do come up better after a good going over with cotton. Anyone know if cotton was a fabric available in Edo times? I find silk does not give as good results. John J. - I am not sure I will have a few decades - let alone trousers - would continence pants work? Heck just buying it could be a symptom of dementia setting in! But I would rather buy a rust bucket than a shiny new fake.

I just bought this ugly duckling that needs probably more than a good clean up. It is very far gone but even the infirm need a home! What caught my eye was several Chinese fakes of very similar design that were selling for more than what I paid. https://www.jauce.com/auction/r306153157 https://www.jauce.com/auction/v663567475 The intriguing thing is the number of copies of genuine guards, how do they copy them without the original piece? Copy and replicate the image or is it more "here, make something close that will fool the novice"?

Rich S. - Even harder to get, because they aren't mine! But I do like what I see.

I recognize one of those extra large guards as a copy of a Ko-Katchushi from Sasano's collection [boar's] A nice dragon on ebay https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/small-Tsuba-guard-openwork-Samurai-dragon-chase-ball-brass-Sword-fitting-katana-/174847788879 And a not so nice dragon also on ebay https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/265238098355?hash=item3dc16c31b3:g:xR0AAOSwe1NgxIQv I have to say I am struggling to see any of those guards as genuine - Is the first one pictured in enamel? If so it is unusual but very blurry work.

John c. At least you can rule out any casting possibilities with your 'twins'? I would like to know if a lack of size difference rules out a daisho? Are there any hard and fast rules involved? These two pieces turned up from the same seller within a week of each other, the size difference is minimal [if in fact the dimensions given are correct?] The image with the matting background shows a more marked size difference. Same pattern and some of the same tool marks, perhaps a gap in time of manufacture?

An even cheaper priced book seller, with the Cleveland collection. https://www.discoverbooks.com/Tsuba-in-the-Cleveland-Museum-of-Art-D-R-Raisbeck-p/1006769781.htm also Abe-books https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?cm_sp=SearchF-_-topnav-_-Results&kn=Tsuba in the Cleveland Museum of Art&sts=t

Just released a new book on the "Tsuba in the Cleveland Museum of Art" The book is 344 pages with 310 guards in total, with a few comparison examples found in other museum or private collections. So far available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. [I have to say I am not impressed with Amazon's price] Let me say thank you to a number of NMB members who were of great assistance with information. https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=ISBN%3A+9781006769788&ref=nb_sb_noss https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tsuba-in-the-cleveland-museum-of-art-d-r-raisbeck/1139857558?ean=9781006769788

I am sorry I can't give an opinion on whether the tsuba are Ko -Nara but I have dredged up two additional images - one a very close match to yours and an older grainy image close to the other example. Perhaps the images may be of some use.

Bob try this link and attachment https://www.jauce.com/auction/e443156025 This tray is in coloured iron and was made by one of the 'nambu-tekki' companies.

Robert there is another interpretation of rats and rice : "Prosperity implied by absence" "Since ancient times there has been a belief that a house with rats must be wealthy. After all only the wealthy had excess food that the rats could eat. The very poor peasants had no excess food and hence no rats! It developed that the theme of rats (or mice) rummaging through the rice sacks meant prosperity even though no obvious display of wealth was portrayed." As you have said the guard must have started out as Tachi otherwise the design makes no sense with the mouse hanging upside down relative to the blade edge, correct me if I am wrong but tachi koshirae did not incorporate kozuka or kogai so the hitsu-ana must have been added at a later date to fit a Katana. Is this similar to the winnowing basket ornament your mother had? [this one is mine I purchased recently from Japan]

Regards no.72 has anyone noticed the starving condition of these animals - is this deliberate? Perhaps showing that in order for the farmers prosperity something has to suffer?

Yes aggressive miniature versions of Bull ants [40mm] - sting like a wasp and they keep stinging. Caused at least four deaths between 1980 - 2000. Big mandibles but the stinger is in the tail, Jack Jumper size: 12 to 14 mm (0.47 to 0.55 in) They can jump 10cm repeatedly when defending themselves. Ants and more ants - https://www.jauce.com/auction/g535098108

Can you believe it John, there are people who have never seen a Cyberman? What next, are Daleks just figments of our imagination ? -- I don't think so! EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE