Iaido dude

Tariff is 10% for value >$800. de minimus tax exemption still applies except for China.

Here is another work of his currently on Jauce. Starting bid ¥135,000. His skill and artistry are unquestionable.

A different variation.

Curran, no need to apologize. I intentionally and half facetiously steered in the direction of mei, which may or may not necessarily allow for more precise attribution. Thank you for sharing the incredible Juyo Yamakichibei and giving a preview of the Saotome (a category I know virtually nothing about). Congratulations on both accounts! My understanding and also based on your exchange with Steve, is that the later generation Saotome lineage is not entirely clear because of the high degree of variation of the mei for Iyetada (2nd generation), suggesting that at least several tsubako were using the same mei. Then, again, we have to fall back on inductive methods to go back to details that we can observe in hand to tease out the work of a specific tsubako or workshop producing tsuba in the Saotome style. Rather than despair, I see this challenge as the source of joy and stimulation for those who are up to the task and who can, at the end of the day, be "ok" with uncertainty so that producing a sound argument is both convincing and satisfying--and is "good enough" for the time-being!

I'm thinking of selling one of my kidneys to finance a collection of Juyo pieces with mei (Yamakichibei, Nobuie, and Kanaie). That would certainly simplify attribution assuming a thorough ability to attribute authentic mei.

I also mount genuine tsuba on my practice swords (Ono kuruma I showed is on my iaito) when the tsuba holds a meaning for me that can inspire and inform my practice, as I believe they also served this symbolic function for the samurai warrior class. However, the “fake” tsuba is well-replicated and has the weight (116 gm) expected of steel rather than alloy, which gives the balance I desire. I don’t think it was made to be a paper weight. More importantly, it does have multiple meanings for me that can serve the function of pairing with my well-made razor sharp folded blade with double bohi for cutting practice that was made in China and cost only $125: 1) The sword is only an instrument; even the dullest and most unimpressive and plain can cut true, but only commensurate with the swordsman’s skill; 2) The spiritual aspect of swordsmanship emphasizes “cutting” through the illusions of the false/fake ego; 3) The bamboo theme for all of the sword fittings symbolizes resilience (ability to spring back) in the face of adversity, which is especially emphasized in Yagyu Shinkage Ryu swordsmanship and expressed in the composition of some of the Yagyu tsuba; I’m carving the saya, tsuka, and buffalo horn koiguchi and karugata in the traditional way with a specially made saya chisel. My progress will be documented in a separate post. The completed sword will have a very personal meaning for me.

I actually agree with you, Tim. I wouldn’t have invoked Christianity as associated with this tsuba if not for the attribution in the article. it isn’t clear how they base their attribution other than by form. I’ve also seen many such attributions that don’t even make convincing pictorial sense. Steve Waszak also pointed out to me that in all likelihood it represents a mon. I just wanted to see how far my imagination might take me even if not historically correct.

Here's a great demonstration of a genuine Akasaka tsuba (later generation copy of well-known work by 2nd hereditary master) and modern replicas for an iaito of a bamboo theme. The first two are advertised honestly. Is the third one genuine or replica? The seller seems to imply it is a genuine "period" tsuba. All three are currently offered on Jauce. https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1183545952 https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1183581334 https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1177510480

It really is a splitting image of what Okun posted. Still a bit strange to see effort go towards producing a fake of a relatively unknown Yagyu/Ohno unless it is in fact the link to Christianity that has a market. The post where I found the article was by a sword enthusiast who described replicas of this tsuba based on an identical example from a seller in Europe. So, there is likely at least a small following of such enthusiasts. I count myself among them! The Jauce auction details about the museum and article that featured this tsuba had me sucked into a narrative that overrode any suspicion I may have had for a fake. It came in a custom fitted box! I simply dropped my guard. So the sad truth is that fakes are out there all too often. Maybe it was even originally sold as a replica that was resold down the line with the belief that the tsuba was genuine. The cast tsuba was reproduced down to minute details of the sekigane. However, there is no sekigane on the ura (left out) and there are no chisel marks inside the walls of the sukashi. I just finished filing down the nakago-ana to fit my blade. It’s just steel throughout. No genuine sekigane.

I also thought of Yagyu. The style of the bamboo joints reminds me of Yagyu, but not the bracken sprouts.

The consolation for me is that high quality modern reproductions from Tozando or other Japanese iaito manufacturers are $90-110. This one is also the right theme (bamboo) to match the other modern sterling silver fittings that will go on the katana.

The”sekigane” don’t extend to the ura.

Thanks, gentlemen. I looked more closely at the “sekigane,” which are clearly just a part of this cast fake or modern reproduction. The joke’s on me. The pics on Jauce should have given it away. My eyes were clouded by my focus on the form at the expense of other details and features. First time for everything! Maybe the real deal is still out there somewhere… This one will go on the new katana I am making from scratch starting with just a blade and habaki. Right size and right fit.

Beautiful, Curran. I’ve long admired this Ono composition. I think there are quite a few that have been misattributed to other Owari schools. They are among the most monstrous iron sukashi tsuba I have been able to appreciate in hand.

This papered Ohno sold previously on nihonto.com (it doesn't seem to be on the site anymore).

My latest acquisition has arrived and it's a beauty. I think this Ohno tsuba may be a so-called hidden Christian tsuba because one with an identical composition is in the small tsuba collection of a Japanese museum dedicated to documenting the early history of Christianity in Japan. It was featured in a newspaper article in the Asahi Shimbun on "Hidden Christian Tsuba" (see the tsuba on right lower corner). My write up on the speculation that this tsuba contains Christian iconography hidden within Buddhist iconography and a few pics follow. I had the good fortune of being the only bidder willing to spend $112 for a truly wonderful Ohno in amazing condition and imbued with meaning. Height 71.2 mm, width 69.5 mm, thickness 7-7.6 mm at mimi (6.6-6.8 at seppa-dai), weight 116 gm. Compare with my Ohno kuruma tsuba (Momoyama Period).

Congratulations, Okun. Marvelous and mysterious.

I would tend to agree. It has more Kyo features than Akasaka including that elegance from the thin walled sukashi style.

Yes, that is my understanding as well. Thicker Akasaka more consistent with the first three Akasaka masters. I have never seen an Akasaka with convincing tekkotsu.

I think it is an utsushi in the Yagyu style with a motif that I've never seen before in Yagyu tsuba. It's a bit thin for the classic Yagyu tsuba. The appearance of iron is difficult to judge as "sandy" (not sure if it would appear differently with different exposure).

Nice observation, Ken. This has the large dimensions of Ko-Katchushi tsuba with the seppa-dai thicker than mimi. Kanayama are smaller and thicker. Evolution doesn't often take place in discrete jumps, but rather incrementally. This may be such a transitional piece moving towards symmetrical and abstract sukashi elements that emerge as the other categories of early sukashi tsuba we are familiar with.

Here is another "grouping" of Kanayama tsuba (small size, lumpy tekkotsu), but with unusually pictorial imagery. Sasano doesn't quite argue that #1 and #2 are likely by the same smith, but he presents them together and describes them as unusual. If this is another distinct Kanayama workshop group, then the taste is more of the "rustic elegance" sensibility of Enshu's kirei sabi. An additional one (#4) from my collection (ex-Sasano, Gold book, #75) has the same yakite shitate "melted" surface treatment and hitsu-ana that are similarly if not identically shaped as those of #3 (especially the kogai hitsu-ana).

My argument is that, as often is the case for mumei tsuba and even when there is an identical name (but clear stylistic differences in execution) on tsuba with mei, in the absence of historical identification of named individuals or ateliers—the best we can do is to use our powers of inductive reasoning to observe the work of such distinct individuals or their workshops. We are in fact doing that through a community on this thread and have to be comfortable with uncertainty even as we do this because there is no other way. I think that relying on conflicting theories from a small group of “experts” will give a false sense of certainty and will not really move the needle forward. We must be discriminating and decide for ourselves whether any argument holds water. Additional analytical tools (eg using AI for more accurate identification, more detailed spectroscopic testing) may be brought to bear if validated. BTW, Sasano sensei often remarks on the likelihood that a specific tsubako made a number of tsuba that have striking similarities (gold book). So, this is by no means a new approach I am using to propose the existence of Hyotan-dai.

Point well taken, Tim. If not individuals, then a handful of workshops producing distinctive sub-styles of what we call Kanayama tsuba. Within a workshop it is not meaningful or possible to identify a named person since they are historically unknown.