Spartancrest

Glad to have you back Glen! These 'new' ones look the part but fakes have been coming for some time - some better some - - well YUCK! Plenty of museum replicas some have been around for more than ten years! [looks like the price has gone down since 2016] Still way over-priced! I would say watch out for the bare toes - the tabi covered feet might be OK? https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1040153013 [Released on April 25, 2020] https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1040316574 [Released on October 6, 2021] https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1040316915 [Released on October 9, 2021] https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1040159784 [Released on April 25, 2020] https://www.jauce.com/auction/c805965121 [Listed on April 28, 2012]

Sorry Ray these are indeed Japanese - but they are souvenirs and this example has lost part of its "practical" accessory a plug for the nakago-ana that allows it to be used as a paperweight and should come with a fitted box. I have one and I believe there is one still doing the rounds on the auctions. I think from memory they were made as souvenirs of the "The 26 Martyrs of Japan museum in Nagasaki" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/26_Martyrs_of_Japan

Not a million miles away from this one on the right - but undecorated ura gives me some concern? Are the hitsu filled with lead or are they just a pattern in the metal? Reminds me of some paperweights, this one recycled by the addition of sekigane? Wish we could see the ura side.

A little off topic but I just noticed this iron guard [Kaneie] with a very thin slot - https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1064975990 The slot is so narrow I don't see it could be used as a spring loaded lock like on WWII gunto, very limited sideways movement possible - backwards/forwards perhaps?

https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/c1038531563/ Also appears here - https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1038531563 as a different colour variation of the same alloy cast guard it sold for 3,500 yen or approx. $26.43 USD. I am pretty sure they turn up on ebay as well.

Welcome Darren. Sorry to say it is very likely a Chinese fake - once again - sorry. Cast alloy, the mei is cast in and rounded in the grooves, black 'soot' added to make the kanji stand out. I do hope you did not pay too much. I will have a look and find you other examples. Do you have the receipt from the 'antique' store? - they don't seem to know what they are selling.

Mitsuko? Not a smith I am familiar with, I was wondering if the guard was made as an 'utsushi' and not a design the maker is normally known for - these are usually by Toshimasa [Kōfujū] but other signatures do appear. Thanks for all the responses - quick service

This little guard went through the auctions last night, there are a lot of these about but this is the first I have seen with the Mei done in this way. Any help in a translation would be appreciated.

I would agree with Brian, you can get better examples for less money - I like your Hamidashi tsuba but it looks a little over cleaned. Yes the piece you are looking at is cast - https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1078037094 identical guard with indistinct signature [likely cast] one third the price [make that one fifth - my math is terrible] https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1037065357 another identical better signature but still cast, a little more expensive than the previous. https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1064478094 About the same quality as the $110 one but much cheaper [likely cast] Better options but nothing expensive V https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1060459277 small tanto with unusual nakago-ana https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1072408528 a nice namban tanto

A good write up from an article by Steve Waszak dedicated to Kaneie masters here on the Varshavsky site. https://varshavskycollection.com/collection/tsu-0408-2021/ Mark you should realise that Kaneie was one of the most copied and 'faked' styles - not that I am saying yours was a fake, but it makes attribution very difficult even with a signature. [I hope it turns out yours is genuine]

Shoami is the common spelling in English but k morita might have a better handle on pronunciation? A pretty common theme of a waterfall on one side, mountains in the distance with little touches of gold like dandelion puffs - signed in full both sides of the hitsu some not signed at all and a few like yours only part of the full name, sometimes with the second part deliberately erased. The shape varies through all the major forms, but Maru is the most common. This is one of mine Tachi-mokkō-gata (太刀木瓜形) You will notice the style of signature is very different, there were many artists signing "Shoami". I think mine translates as "Honami" so it could be a homage?

I don't think we have seen this one before? https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/edo-period-antique-Japanese-tsuba-signed-kaneshige-107-c-cc74a89a91 Signed Kaneshige

Perhaps the sword mounts could also be using some 'recycled' fittings?

The "style" is Chinese fake - sorry. The design is a form of Amida - Yasuri the halo of the Buddha, the outline is Mokko-gata [four lobed].

A pretty coloured image of the story.-

The person who made the piece missed the mark - it järs with the overall design.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1084245389 Katamenuki

Artur the concentric rings tsuba [Hikiryō -ni-wa] (2) is remarkably close to one in Sasano's collection No. 91 page 131 of his "Early Japanese Sword Guards" He describes it as Owari and he interpreted it as a heraldic device of the Ashikaga family. His example dated late Muromachi to near the beginning of the Momoyama period. In Sasano's piece there are ategane repairs to both sides of the seppa-dai. [81.5 mm x 80 mm x 5.5 mm rim - 5 mm seppa-dai] Sorry this was the only image I could get quickly.

This guy jumped right out of the rim!

Jeremy I have a paperweight same design as on that inkstone case. Based on a master work.

The box reminded me of a wall plaque I bought a few years ago [I think it was for a house "number" sort of thing?] I still haven't found a place to use it. You would not believe the 'tsuba' junk I have collected over the years - or perhaps you would?

These two are perhaps the worst quality you can find - just check the nakago-ana and lack of features on the horses heads. https://www.jauce.com/auction/s1083922572

https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1059682033 silver https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1081618789 silver https://www.jauce.com/auction/b1081694665 brass? https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1081618633 dark bronze https://www.jauce.com/auction/s1082599688 copper https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/124118105589 silver plated https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/333365588420 silver plated

Even one in the V&A - https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O462027/tsuba/ Strange museum - it tells us almost nothing! Another expensive "Buy it now" https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1019545638