ububob

My guess would also be Akasaka 5th or 6th generaltion. If you are an Akasaka fan get in touch with Fred Geyer he has some superb pieces available. :D

Useful design works for me are Japanese Art Motives by Maude Rex Allen; Legend in Japanese Art by Henri Joly and Asiatic Mythology by J. Hackin, et al.

Thanks to all who contributed for a most teachable moment. :D

Let's not forget the horsehair brush that Sasano used.

My money is on Mike, Cyrus really is a cupcake.

You changed your avatar! Boo, hiss!

Jean, "Good Grief" is a uniquely Charlie Brown thing and belongs forever in the Peanuts culture. The expression itself although used in the day is growing a bit archaic. Marcello, here is a quick study. Go the the For Sale section of this forum and look up Marius K's offer of 18 tsuba. You could use that as a guide for quality and value.

Curran, it is generally considered bad form to criticize Fearless Leader Hagiyama! Where is your imagination? That is exotic samurai headgear not a shoe. Cyrus---well all I can say is don't quit your day job. You face a dismal future in the performing arts.

Curran, before you take this into the street, just wanted you to know there is a really fast gun-hand here ready to back your play.

Deserves to be on the cover of the next KTK publication.

...and the water wheel design is only common to some schools but not all.

Could it be a water wheel?

The motif is Shiguretei and is one of the most frequently encountered in Akasaka. A far cry from the best execution I have seen for this particular motif. Possibly a copy?

Possibly peonies.

Quite right David, in the end it is just another opinion hopefully a learned one but an opinion none the less...and sometimes a vague one at that.