Tanto54

Here's a similar motif on Aoi website:

I would agree that the squiggles are probably not script. Another possibility is lost inlay.

Dear Ed, The Kozuka probably has a boat with a fisherman and net (see photos below), but I really need a better picture of the Kozuka to be sure. BTW, the Kogatana is shoved too far into the Kozuka...

Dear Ed, You did well with this sword at that exchange price. The gold disk on the menuki is a straw hat instead of a shield. He's holding the hat and you are looking at the hat from the top. Your tsuba also has a hat and a hoe on it.

Dear Ken, In noto the force is in the opposite direction - Franco is correct about habaki damage when the force is going the other way.

Dear Peeti, You can't go wrong with Sadakatsu - he really was one of the very best of that time period.

Dear Jose, Using vulcanized molds and vacuum casting methods, even a home casting enthusiast can get incredible definition (lines, strokes, etc.). However, what is often lacking is the cleanup work to remove other signs of casting (flash, mold seams, bubbles, porosity, patina, etc.). While the picture of your tsuba is very unclear (so I hope I'm wrong), it appears to have many of the signs of casting to me. For example, usually the ocean spray ("dots") would be separately inlayed on a tsuba like this; however here, they do not appear to be inlayed and are "smoothed over" in appearance (like cast and then polished). In addition, the "spray" dots at the top of the rocks really shouldn't be there and look more like casting bubbles to me. On castings, these air bubbles are often found in deep crevices like the top of your rocks where air bubbles get trapped in the casting process (and I believe that I can see these casting bubbles in the clouds and around your dragon too). In a few places, the high parts of the waves are missing (this could be damage from being used, but it appears more like casting flaws to me). The surface also looks like a poorly cleaned-up casting (but this could also be a damaged patina). Finally, the tegane punch marks appear too smooth (indicating cast and then polished instead of being punched into this tsuba).

Dear Jose, Hope I'm wrong, but your tsuba looks cast from the picture - let us know how it turns out when you receive it....

Dear Anthony, 21's before 31's. Oorah! Semper Fi.

Hi Nick, Instead of Jurojin look at Guan Yu (sometimes Kwan Yu) and some of the stories of his life. Guan Yu is one of the most famous Chinese generals, and he is associated with the Three Kingdom Stories. He is usually represented on tosogu in Chinese dress with a long beard and a Chinese style halberd (guan dao or naginata). His halberd was named Green Dragon Crescent Blade (see how the halberd on your sword has a "habaki" in the form of a dragon just like the example below?) Guan Yu with Guan Dao:

Here are a few of the alternative tosogu uses that I've seen (not all of them are unusual). Probably the worst use of some great tsuba was by a guy who returned to England from a turn-of-the-century tour of Japan and made many good Tsuba into light switch plate covers (filing and drilling holes as necessary to fit...) Yagyu Retsudo's Tsuba Eye Patch: Tsuka Cigarette Case: Menuki Tie Clasp: Menuki Cufflinks: Kozuka Pipe: Kashira Ring:

Probably repurposed for a netsuke (like a manju or kagamibuta netsuke - as a toggle for hanging a large tobacco pouch or yatate from an obi). FRONT: BACK: HOW NETSUKE IS USED TO HANG SOMETHING FROM OBI (BELT)

Dear Ken, One thing to remember is that many parts of Japan have weather, humidity and, historically, open homes with high winds just like Hawaii (and they have mounted oshigata as kakijiku there for centuries...) Here's one of the several places in Hawaii that can probably assist: http://yasumirestoration.com

Hi Ken, Oshigata are usually made into kakijiku (hanging scrolls with fabric boarders) for display in Japan. Last time I checked (about 5 years ago) there were a couple of places in Hawaii that made kakijiku and would mount paintings (sumie and shodo). When you say the kanji are read "vertically" do you mean with the scroll in a horizontal or vertical position? (if horizontal, then the kakijiku method is unusual but not unheard of...)

Dear Bruce, Not sure, but the Tsuba might be bamboo or nanten (nandina) in snow (shown as both clumps on top of the leaves and as the gold dots) with sparrows (suzume) in the "cut outs".

No detectives? Another hint: The Bell on the Fuchi is the Bell of Miidera (sometimes Meidira) shown being carried over the waves by Oni (demon) from the Dragon King, so the Samurai on the Kashira is almost certainly Tawara Toda (Fujiwara Hidesato) (which makes the dragon on his Dou make sense...)

Dear Nick, very interesting motif. The Kurikata depicts Moso (Ch. Meng Zong [Meng Tsung]). He was a 3rd-century Japanese/Chinese paragon of filial virtue, and is usually depicted with a hoe and bamboo in the winter time (see the snow on his hat and coat?). Moso's sick mother wanted to eat bamboo shoot soup in the middle of the winter. They usually grow in the spring, but he went looking for them anyway. Miraculously, he found fresh bamboo shoots growing under the snow and cooked his mother some bamboo shoot soup. She soon recovered from her illness. Loyalty to parents was a popular samurai motif. You should be able to identify the other characters depicted on the koshirai and then figure out the overall motif (it should be fun detective work for you...)

Dear Evan, I agree with Curran on the MFA one you posted. While I do not know if it is true, I've always heard that another indicator is that true Omori School spray on waves is less likely to fall out (better setting method?). The one you posted has lots of missing inlay.

Hi James, Your tsuba depicts a drum (tsutsumi daiko) with an unmounted drum head (with himo or rope for mounting the drum head) and hat (eboshi) - see the pictures below. If you search on the Internet, you can probably find what story is implied.

Dear Ford, Sounds like exciting research - I'm so pleased that you are doing it. FWIW (and you know far better than I) but I don't believe that this is Somin's signature or work.

Dear Chen Chen, I really like that Omori Wave Tsuba!!! (nice undercutting, silver and gold as well as differently sized spray water droplets, and looks like none are missing - very well made).

Dear Tim, I personally like the crane & turtle approach because it ties the tosogu together in a cryptic manner (and gives you a good story to tell). Not to put words in Stephen's mouth (he has enough of his own... he's a brother Marine, so I hope he doesn't mind me talking $%*!@ about him), but I think he is trying to give you very good advice. With a little diligence you should be able to find authentic, antique kodogu for the same price as that mass produced modern stuff. In light of the expense of getting it mounted, wrapped, etc., in the long run, I think you'll be much happier. Of course, my comments about "mass produced modern stuff" does not apply to the great tosogu artists who grace the NMB (if you can ever acquire any of their work, you will be very fortunate).

Hi Tim, It's a rattan/bamboo bird cage (and the bird has "flown the coop"). This Tsuba certainly refers to a famous old song "Kagome Kagome" (see words below). One of the very strong clues is the shape of the weaving of the basket on your Tsuba which results in hexagonal spaces or "kagome" in Japanese. But "kagome" also has other meanings like "a caged bird". Therefore, with the birdcage, hexagonal shaped holes and fleeing bird, this Tsuba must allude to this song/theme. You can research the "Kagome Kagome" song on the Internet for its deeper meaning (Samurai, strategy, sword fighting, pregnant women, etc...) and then select other appropriate kodogu. (What's on the other side?) Kagome kagome The bird in the basket/cage, When, oh when will it come out In the night of dawn The crane and turtle slipped Who is behind you now?

Dear Michael, I cannot identify the theme for certain, but here are a few potential leads that you may want to consider investigating. The folktale Shita-Kiri Suzume or Tongue-Cut Sparrow mentions the happiness that a bamboo cutter experiences when he comes home each day and greets his pet sparrow at the garden gate of his house. "In the evening the old man came home. As usual, on the way back he looked forward to the time when he should reach his gate and see his pet come flying and chirping to meet him, ruffling out her feathers to show her joy, and at last coming to rest on his shoulder. But tonight the old man was very disappointed, for not even the shadow of his dear sparrow was to be seen." I believe that the shingled roof that we see on your Fuchi is the roof of a garden gate instead of the roof of a house - see how long and skinny it is? Also it has no walls - just a side pillar like a gate. Later in the tale, the sparrow flies away to his home in the bamboo forest (perhaps seen on your kashira). Alternatively, many Basho and Issa Haiku mention sparrows, bamboo and garden gates, so yours could refer to one of their more famous poems. Finally, it could simply be the common meanings for sparrow and bamboo in Japanese art (sparrow = happiness and bamboo = resilience). Let us know if you figure it out....

Dear Ron, I think you may be on to something when you noticed the strange number of petals (31). It's a bit of a long-shot, but the 31 petals may be a reference to Waka or Tanka poems (which have 31 syllables). You might look for a famous poem about waves and chrysanthemums.