Spartancrest

Ford I was thinking "last chicken in the shop" for that one actually. Made by the famous artist 盲目のスミス

What do we make of this tsuba design? Described as a "mouse" - I don't think so.

Hypnotic?

Big bones or butterfly wings?

I found this recently [can't remember where exactly] It is talking about Musashi tsuba but I thought the idea of the "Five Rings" might tie in with this thread. Though from the diagram why is ring one and ring five not the same ring?

Truth in Advertising - wouldn't that be a novelty! I see it all the time, showing an image from a book that is supposed to show the same piece but isn't. One recently had the same sukashi mon but inverted - who is going to notice the picture is upside down? . . . nearly everyone if they use their eyes.

This should cheer people up! https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1081091170

Thanks Brian - it was a pretty bad image, It still troubles me that someone thinks dressing in a similar way is "fashionable."

Grev. There must be a "LINK" there somewhere !

When did Small pox become a fashion statement! No wonder people were put off by the bloody silly look of Doja Cat [bloody silly name as well!] This kid didn't have to pay thousands of dollars for a dress up. Perhaps the fashionista got confused with fashion-blister?

Single menuki from a group auction - https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1080993901 Approx. 28mm long

Jeremy - reminds me of "George" from EVIL

They sure are - and not very good ones either.

Now the Kappa can be very scary - [keep your sphincters well and truly tight!] Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 'The heavy basket (Omoi tsuzura)' from the series 'New forms of thirty-six ghosts (Shingata sanjūrokkaisen)' (1892) THE WATER-DWELLING, ORGAN-STEALING KAPPA Oh look, here's the Look Over Monk — the one with the third eye. Now draw your gaze to the green, frog-like creature that appears to be lurking in a basket. That's a kappa. Kawakami says, the kappa appear in different forms and with different names like kawataro. If you bank in Japan, you may recognise the cheeky fella as the mascot of one of the country's leading banks. But don't be deceived, these water-dwelling yōkai have a sadistic story. It's said they reach inside human bodies through the rectum to snatch at your organs.

Jeremy I recognise one of those tsuba images - Japanese HUMOR. by C. NETTO & G. WAGENER. Published 1901 "Even the Kappa dances with the 'Nirame kura' in its swamp with an old, half-rotten tree trunk, for which a plant leaf has replaced the sticking out tongue." (Fig. 184) [ This book deals specifically with Japanese humor, some of the illustrations shown are humorous themes for designs used on tsuba.] That fake tsuba is totally gross - and in a German "Gross" [Big] way!

Well - - - you might have gotten a much cheaper version earlier on. No doubt in my mind these are modern - sorry about that

It was easier to move it than having to search for it. - https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/42996-nmb-cat-corner/page/2/ Posted January 5 Present-day Osafuné artisan. (Offered as one of the prizes at the New Year’s party.)

Any musicians out there?

Stephen there are plenty of Dog tsuba that is for sure - or is it Dogs of tsuba!

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20493/lot/34/ A SENTOKU TSUBA Attributed to Nakajima Toshiharu, Tanaka School, 19th century Of rounded rectangular form with raised rim, carved and inlaid with a seated cat beside a gutter and downpipe, with details of silver and shakudo takazogan and a brushwood fence engraved on the reverse, signed Rakusei no ju Toshiharu with kao. 6.7cm (2 5/8in). 6 Nov 2013 Sold for £ 1,750 Sublime to the ridiculous!

A menuki set with a cat watching a butterfly - Page 131 of this book - ISBN-13978-4769401360 Also some design images for menuki from the Chosen-Gafu book

Okan - it might be a big stretch with that tsuba - - but I can see where you are headed I had no idea the Japanese were into Cheshire cats!

You might have come across these two already.

Glen the writers of Avatar took everything from "Dances with Wolves" - it became in effect "Dances with Aliens" - - Just the same as the makers of "The Last Samurai" - it should have been called "Dances with Swords" - Hollywood at its best - rehashing the past and trying to slip it past as something new. "Unobtanium"- not a great investment name for a mining concern when you think about it. "Lend us some money to find the one thing in the Universe you can't actually obtain" .. Where do I send the cheque? I know! Way way

There is almost an identical copy of your tsuba here- https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1046216127 You will nearly always pay more for a well known name on a tsuba - even if the signature is not always correct or the tsuba is not very well made. My advice is forget about any signatures and concentrate on what pleases you [ if it happens to be signed that may be a bonus but go with your heart first.] No use having the name of some great maker on a piece you really don't like. As far as price goes, I know some members say save your money and only get the very best - but you won't know the very best straight away so don't spend a fortune on what other people consider you should buy. Ask opinions sure, but the choice should always be yours.