Spartancrest

All I can find are two with the same type of drum, no rooster.

Some references refer to Noshi [shaved dried abalone] as being wrapped in coloured paper or fabric - so you may be correct both ways. Things change and now Noshi can refer to the paper "gift wrapping" alone. I guess the more elaborate the Noshi the more thought has gone into the gift? A group of nine-item engagement gifts, including dried abalone (2nd from right), dried bonito (4th from right), dried inkfish (5th from right), dried kelp (6th from right)

Oh the late 70s and 80s - those were the days for Bolo ties! https://www.jauce.com/auction/w1119742428 never used - must have been a gift at the end of the trend!

No not really - but it does look similar.

There are over 350 types of clematis flowers globally. There are dozens of types of flowers that are possible, and adding in "artistic license" the design may just be generic - also were these made in Japan, China, Vietnam or somewhere else? I think we are getting dangerously close to

Lotus clematis What I need is to see what the design was like for the middle part of the flower - I can't imagine I will find it.

Yes I think so too - but I like to show some other examples so people can work it out themselves

Piers I don't know what plant they depict - Clematis or Lotus? The seven I have come in Maru, five lobed, six lobed, cut down with a fukurin [I can't tell what shape it started as], cut out petals and with flat petals. I have seen an eight lobed and a square one but they all have the same flower based centre. There are a very few with nunome and one of mine has silver liners to the hitsu. Shibuiswords had an article about the two they had, described as Asian export/Nanban. I have records of 25 of these so far, no two are the same and all appear hand made.

My first thought was cast with some rework - but those feet are very poorly done.

Six of a kind - but individuals Make that seven!

Namban/Hizen? Squirrels in the grapes. A common theme but not seen very often in namban. Difficult to tell age of namban as very few were signed [if any?] Copper version here from the Ashmolean museum. https://jameelcentre...ction/8/object/21150 I show the ura view, you can find the omote on the link [ura difficult to find] More here: ebay examples. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/326301595412 - perhaps a more detailed example. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/386828822403 - nice but expensive! https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/405270717744 coiled wire vines. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/156433822740 an obvious fake with fake mei. Others : https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-020517.htm https://www.touken-w...rd-guard/art0002319/

The Crane's feet are clumsy

His name only mentioned as a member of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO-KEN KAI and LENDERS https://drdeanhartle...AndArmor.htm#MEMBERS Such a little mark in history we all make.

Recent Hartman collection auction.

I think it is much better that Ford came up with his own slant on the design - makes it unique and not a slavish copy. That is the true Japanese expression of utsushi after all. Lets leave the lousy copying to the Chinese - who, lets face it, are not that great at it! [Yes I know I will never make it through immigration control if I ever visited China!]

Yes looking at his pages he has these - but I believe these images were only available after Ford had made his utsushi. I wonder how the guard got from California to Stuttgart and how many other stops along the way? There are a few minute differences between the image in Hawley and the auction in Stuttgart but they may just be photo problems or as Bob M says himself there may be another guard made by the same maker. Anyone got a clue when they started making these hideous copies? [lazy at that - they mirror reverse the image both sides] I know it didn't take long for the Chinese to steal another tsuba designed by Ford.

I wonder what this is for? Pity it shows only the back. Is it a badge or a wall hanging?

I think I may have solved a mystery that caused the late Ford Hallam to "recreate" a "lost tsuba" - I believe I found that lost tsuba in Hawley's "TSUBAS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA" Page 301 of that picture book. In the book there is an odd view of the ura side of a guard which should have been flipped over - to me it is obviously the same tsuba that was "missing" or so close to it that it makes no difference. Remember the book was published in 1973 so it is impossible for the image to be of the utsushi made by Ford. See this blog from 2009 https://followingthe...-cat-out-of-bag.html What do you think? Was Hallam looking on the wrong continent and the tiger was in California all along? There is a signature on the Hawley image but it is not clear enough to read, Ford may have assumed that the small guard he had access to was made and signed by the same maker as the larger piece, but he did not have the ura view to back this up. Anyone know a collector from California by the name of "Stoehr" ? He may know of the whereabouts of the lost guard. [PS. Ever notice the title of Hawley's picture book is WRONG - no such thing as tsubas surely he knew the plural of tsuba was still tsuba!]

More like constantly in your face! I got sick of finding examples. [enough to sink a bulk carrier!] This one is less like a cross and more like a capstan Perhaps there were a lot of "Hidden Sailors" more than "Hidden Christians" - you know what they say about sailors!

Mauro you beat me to it! While there are many Kawari-gata versions there are also ones within a rim.

I found this one in 2022 - someone has removed the rim. I like the addition of the Torii on this one.

Let us not forget Shinto religious symbols with Torii gates marking the entrance to shrines and sacred places.

With or without a rim. [This one reminds me of a WWI sea mine ]

Half way between these two? At a stretch I see karigane linked wing tip to wing tip in some spots - but it could also represent a web with holes broken through? I don't think it really matters, I like it even not knowing what it represents

One I forgot I had - strange how I bought it at a time I was working packing poppy seed! [It has an undulating/wavy plate.]