Spartancrest

Sorry but this must be the most out there description I have seen from a museum. https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4922 Description: Tsuba, foolish crow tries to dive like duck, drowning verso. No one is "drowning" and the jury is still out on the crow thinking it was a duck! Apparently birds are not allowed to just sit on a tree stump in this particular marshland - perhaps there is a parking meter or it was in a handicap zone? [Parking meter - that would explain the suicide attempt!] Hold that thought - maybe this is the most out there description! Description: Tsuba, man washing potatoes with two sticks. Exactly where are the potatoes? A man or a woman? Looks like laundry day to me - no real idea but like I say "where are the potatoes?" Those two sticks wouldn't wash a potato they would more likely mash them! Also that is the strangest colour of iron I have seen. Anyone with a spare set of glasses for the museum staff? https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4903

Well balanced - [more than can be said for me! ]

I have two overly large guards, one like David's [mine has wider spokes]. The other kobushi shape. They do exist but there remains the possibility that many of these very large guards could have been cut down in size over time, particularly the solid plate ones. You will notice both guards are larger than 10 cm - I wonder just what the upper limit might be? Sasano has a couple in his book "Early Japanese Sword Guards: Sukashi Tsuba" https://nihonto.com/5-6-22/ A large Ko-Katchushi http://www.nihonto.us/UTSUSHI OF ASHIKAGA TSUBA.htm this one could be an 'utsushi' of the one in Sasano's book Have a look at the size of this Kabuki actor's sword-guard.

I just noticed a very small detail on an image sent to me by Steves87 on a namban guard. It struck me as being similar to the Mon from the Yoshiro guard [described as 'Kinai' by the museum] with the addition of two flower racemes. Just a coincidence?

I would say world market, just from the diversity of members on this forum alone. Not too sure if China or a couple of other countries are interested? The Japanese themselves have a great interest as do a lot of European countries and Nth America. I suggest you look at auctions where half the world will be asleep at the time - it might help to lower the odds and therefore the prices. [Sometimes works for me ]

I did some extrapolation on the nakago-ana file work and conclude that after the original hole was cut, two changes followed. The red markers indicate the original, the green a slightly shorter cut - I can't be sure how far down it went as it looks covered by the "new" sekigane but you can see the green arrow following the slope would not meet the base of the nakago-ana and there is an open band above the top sekigane. The yellow is the final shape. Who knows? It could have been mounted four times or more?

Authentic, mid to late Edo? Seppa shadow. It has been mounted at least twice and the gold nunome is mostly intact - the hole in the bird cage could even be intentional, it has allowed the birds to escape? It could do with a little "bone" or "Ivory" work on the upper right hand on both sides, luckily mostly away from the nunome which should be left alone. This was the only tsuba with "something?" like a basket in a tree - not even close to the design you have though. Coppy cat copper version https://www.jauce.com/auction/j651589542 NO GOLD DETAILING HERE!

I am being very very silly but this is what I think of when I read "Sprinkles on a Tsuba" [Feel free to delete this post ]

The Museum even has school programs where they get students to design their own tsuba - and the Fan guard is used as an example https://education.as...ign-your-own-symbol/ & https://education.as...n-sword-guard-tsuba/ Let us hope this may inspire future generations to become collectors or even modern craftsmen of the art.

I have been collecting images of the "rain dragon" tsuba for several years now [134 so far] and I came across this one today. https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1146338096 It immediately stood out to me as a modern fake. Then having a closer look I noticed the seppa-dai had rows etched across it and certain areas showed concentric ridges following the contours all over the "metal". What I can't figure out is was the entire guard 3D printed or was the blank used for casting purposes printed? [Let us for now ignore the dragon has no eye, there is a seam running around the edge of the mimi and that they have modeled the nakago-ana on a coke bottle!]

I had another look at that particular museum and found this : https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4788 Interesting Shoami design - I wonder if the Saotome school would have other ideas on the subject? https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4727 What do we think of the possibility this guard is by the Sōten School ? [highly unlikely IMHO ]

That is what I thought - never seen that before, not sure I like it much as a design - looks like something went wrong [That's what happens when you mix Yoshiro with Kinai ]

Yes there are models made see this thread:

The Spencer Museum of Art in the University of Kansas has a nice modest collection of tsuba - around 250 https://spencerartap...#/search/works/tsuba But I don't know who is describing the collection or how much they know about the more common schools of artists. Kinai School Description: Tsuba, radish and leaves pierce work. [ Not even close!] https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4756 https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4888 A cast copy [very common] see https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/226138221756 https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4836 Description: Tsuba, two leaves (blood stain corrosion) [clearly Kinai school design, "Blood stain corrosion" - how do they make that conclusion?] https://spencerartap...-search#/object/4818 Description: Tsuba, shibuichi nanako - kiri and passion flowers and leaves. Then they go on to say made of Iron - obviously Sanmai construction. Wrong descriptions are not restricted to just this museum of course - you need to be vigilant and keep your eyes open though.

I know we are talking almost microscopic details here but I can't help noticing the nunome scoring has skipped over the petals in one segment. Early type of work or a rushed job? [I think OLD - IMHO] What could have caused this? Tagane-ato gone wrong?

Jean, I don't like those two pins on the rim. I wish museums would use softer materials or at least restrict possible damage by using the nakago-ana. I found the same guard here https://searchcollec...8d3b0a22d131ed&idx=2

https://spencerartap...-search#/object/3290 Is it just me or do you think the comb teeth could do with a clean?

Well Peter I took your advice: Just to set the record straight. To be honest I never thought Amazon would take it on board

Years ago I bought these sizzle plate tsuba - the set was 2,000 yen, I guess you could use them as trivets ? About saucer size. Set of coasters going on ebay https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/201551561416

Another from a Yahoo auction in the past.

Yes it is a cast copy, a lot of cast examples have been highlighted with touches of gold - it is a way of suggesting they are older than they really are. Another like yours here: https://www.trocader...d-TSUBA-forest-items Both examples have not been mounted. Another image here from some old source back in 2015: I would not count on any "sound" made by striking the guard, that is more myth than fact, imagine if you will how a sukashi guard would "ring" - not at all, even if hand forged. Also you might realise bells are cast yet they certainly ring.

They missed out on a trick - kozuka on a kozuka on a kozuka

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) Just how old are you Peter !!! ?

I have to report the first "review" of the new book. Amazon Book Review Reviewed in the United States on 17 July 2024 "A lot of work went into the book but in heavens name why are the pictures in black & white? Much of the detail and beauty of the tsubas is lost without color photos." Well two things 1. The images were originally in B&W and date from around 120 years ago - so should I have used AI to colour them? [It is a historical record not a coffee table book!] 2. There is no 's' on the end of "tsuba" There is always the option to return the book to Amazon - they have a thirty day policy and I quite like the idea that they don't get to make their exorbitant profit.

Hi Jake, I just found this Heianjo version https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1106343889 The condition is not perfect, the inlay is a little haphazard. It might "re-list" ?