Justin

Looks like a great tsuba Jean. Do you have any other photos that show the detail?

By the way, if anyone sees a nice tanto sized kinko tsuba for sale then please let me know. I would like a good one for my collection.

I believe it was fashionable to fit small tsuba to uchigatana in the Late Muromachi period. They look strange to me as the nakago-ana is large and takes up a lot of the tsuba's size.

Very nice guys. Here is the example from the KTK catalogue that I mentioned above. Sorry about the poor photo. This tsuba belongs to fellow Australian collector, Mr Andrew Amble. I haven't seen it in the hand yet, but I look forward to one day.

I was just thinking that you don't see a lot of kinko tsuba for tanto. Does anyone have any nice examples they can post? I spotted a great tanto tsuba in one of the KTK books and will post a pic later.

Further to Mike's post of the oxen, please find below an example from my collection. Hanare Ushi (Ox) Menuki 32.2 mm and 33.8 mm Glossy black shakudo, gold iroe Momoyama period NBTHK Hozon paper to Ko-Goto

Thank you Curran and Markus. You guys are the best!

Just wondering if anyone can help me to translate this hakogaki by Dr Kanzan Sato. It is for a set of Ezo menuki from the mid-Muromachi period. Any help would be much appreciated.

Similar design: http://www.finesword.co.jp/sale/kodougu ... /k1688.htm

Matt, You might also like to try Don Bayney's little shop in Grey's Antiques Market. It is in Davies Street (off Oxford St) - just near Bond Street Tube Station. He has a few swords and lots of fittings. Another option is The Lanes Armoury in Brighton. They have lots of nihonto of varying quality.

Mariusz, I love the Yamakichibei and don't think much of the other one.

Point taken. I guess it comes down to personal preference. Personally i think this tsuba (and many other Heianjo) look crude and don't exhibit the level of craftmanship of other Japanese metal work. Perhaps this is the charm for those that collect them.

Very nice Mike!

This tsuba doesn't do much for me. Obviously the size is unique, but the workmanship doesn't look that good. The iron looks good, but the application of the brass look amatuerish. Am I missing something? I don't mean to cause offence. Just looking to learn.

Ed, Great find and great piece of history. You might be interested in these posts by Richard Turner: http://kodogunosekai.com/2009/04/10/toran-kai-倒卵形-tsuba http://kodogunosekai.com/2010/04/08/toran-kai-tsuba-倒卵形鍔 Edit Admin - Obviously the system has problems with links with kanji in them. Please copy and paste the whole url to visit these.

This will be very useful. Thank you!

When I think of Shiiremono I think of mass produced items that were sold to foreigners during the Meiji period. I have heard they were sold at the ports of Edo and Yokohama.

He wasn't the only sucker, there were 23 bids on this tsuba.

Added photo of the back (see above). It is just inset into the shakudo plate. Compass is handy for knowing which way to Edo I suppose ...

Never seen this before ...

Thanks John and Piers. Your opinions are much appreciated.

I recently purchased this fuchi kashira and was wondering what the object is that the Shishi are playing with. Is it a children's toy, a drum or something else? The ropes made me think of a drum or incense container from a shrine or temple. Thanks for any help.

Great work guys! Much appreciated.

The caliber is 2.5 monme (12 mm). The total size of the gun is 136.0cm and the barrel is 102.2cm. The barrel is octagonal with a slightly flared muzzle. The barrel thickness at the breech end is 2.7cm and 2.3cm at the muzzle end. The front sight is a triangle shape and the rear sight is a channeled with holes for an attachment.

Thanks Piers. You're the best! All three craftsmen (the gun smith, stock maker and lock maker) were all working around the same time - which helps us to date the gun with certainty. I also think finding the owner is difficult and think it is best to say that this is from the Makino family or a retainer of the Makino family. The gun is good quality with a nicely inlaid silver mon and is fully complete except for two retaining pins to hold the barrel in the stock. Anyone know someone who can make these up? Due to the date of this gun (around 1820) and its relatively long length I believe this was a primarily used as a hunting gun or for target practice. Thanks again everyone for your help.