rematron

@Bugyotsuji Thank you Piers! I was specifically going to ask you about those marks on the tail and I forgot. I have no doubt they are Inari kitsune as you showed a couple weeks ago by zeroing in on the jewel and the key, I’m only pointing out that the only reason we know they are Inari kitsune are those clues and now the symbols on the tails as well. The animal figure itself does not look like a fox. And this kozuka animal looks very similar to the Inari kitsune menuki.

Oh no! I'm gonna spend all my money! That kanji is really good to know though. That top one looks like a cat and I might have to bid on that. And yeah, the bottom one looks like a tanuki. Using kanji is definitely a good way to search. I will try that.

More kamaitachi:

So much like these again. So kitsune again? They just are not fox-like though.

I started reading all I could find about weasels in Japanese mythology once I realized that's what my recent menuki purchase were and this incarnation is one of my favorites. I have a couple more images from the internet that I'll post later.

Wow! Good eye, Dan! Now THAT is expensive taste! Really beautiful tsuba though.

Thank you for sharing @Kurikata ! That is indeed a wonderful tsuba! All you need now is fuchi/kashira and you'll have a whole matching koshirae!

So essentially what’s up for auction is a $3,000.00 story…

These are great! Very similar to the point that the ones I purchased are copied or possibly the same artist. Probably copies/tributes. The fuchi design is almost the same but a bird instead of a smaller weasel as a prey. And the bottom menuki is similar as well. I am very impressed by the coloring of these ones. Great attention to detail. Thank you very much for posting these examples @Spartancrest . Now I’ve got a name and a school I can search as well as a possible timeframe. I’m thinking mine were later tributes but more to research.

Exactly. Yet, there they are together… Did I miss something? Is there a link I didn’t see? When I see a sword and a scabbard posed nicely and intimately close to each other (albeit the wakizashi is resting on its poor kissaki), I feel that the intent is to show a set. And someone stupid enough to pose a Japanese sword on it’s tip might also believe that this scabbard went with it. And here they are. A nice looking saya and a wakizashi that was used as a tent stake.

How is this interesting and what can be learned from it? The saya looks almost as long as the whole stupid sword. Obviously Frankenstein’d. How long does a description need to be to justify presenting a piece of crap like that as a Masamune. If the dealer had any confidence in this monstrosity, they’d send it for evaluation. No. They want some sucker to buy it thinking they might get a treasure for cheap. Maybe the same dealer who is selling the ‘ghost sword’ for a cool million.

helping

Are you discussing the small black/dark grey pattern in the shinogi?

“scary tsuba” in s a fun google search!

Oh! I'm late to the conversation... I just was thinking: "Have I missed something blatantly obvious in my few weeks on the forum?"

I thought this was the TSUBA section? Tosogu For the Discussion of Genuine Japanese Tsuba and Fittings

Sure looks like it! Or perhaps a sleeping mask...?

It’s got the ball in its mouth so it’s a kitsune guarding an Inari shrine as per Piers’ observation.

Yeah and the kanji gets smaller and smaller as it goes down the nakago as they’re realizing they’re running out of room and trying to squeeze it in. A very amateur move for an experienced smith.

LOL. @Spartancrest beat me to it!

Not sprouts but this is from Henri L. Joly:

Hi Bruno, I purchased the menuki in question and am starting to research their origin. Do you know any information about the period, province and/or artist that created yours? They look similar in color and technique to mine.

This thread is great!

Nice! “Kanpai” !