Tanto54

The additional information that the fuchi has a minogame clinches the identification of the bird on the kashira as a Crane (instead of a Night Heron). Research the symbols of longevity and you will be convinced too (there are 4 main symbols: pine, bamboo, crane & minogame).

Crane, pine and bamboo are famous combination meaning longevity.

While Diakoku is occasionally depicted on sake bottles, in all of these three cases above (the two tsuba and the bottle shown by Thomas), the god depicted is Hotei. You can tell by the large, bare belly (a sign of Hotei not Diakoku). In addition, Hotei is the patron god of bar tenders, so that is why he is most often the one depicted on sake bottles.

Hi Ed, the signature (left side) is "Jokatsusai Hoichi + kao" who was more commonly known as Chinju (Haynes 00306.0). He lived in Inshu ju Inaba Province and was alive in the mid 1800's. The Hoichi name can also be read as Yasukazu. The kanji on the right side indicate that the image is derived from a certain artist's painting.

Hi Bob, the Sake Drinkers are Shojo, and Item 128 looks to be signed by Jowa, who is more commonly known as Masanaga (Haynes 04251) and who was the nephew of the famous Sugiura Joi. So glad to see you and your marvelous collection are back!!!

Nice!

I believe that the 46th Juyo Session was in 2000.

Dear Omar - thanks so much! Your nice experience is motivating me to try too. Thanks for the detail.

Dear Omar, looks very nice. I'd love to hear more about the whole process (whatever you are willing to share). For example: what part was the most enjoyable (and which part was the most stressful), who did the work, how long each step took, price ranges, etc. (and of course, more photos when you have them).

Dear Andrey, Congratulations! Your tsuba look great! I also loved your website - lots more info about the tsuba that you displayed in the exhibition. http://tsubaka.ru/index1_en.htm

Hi Gwyn, the deep perpendicular scratches makes it look like someone was cutting with the sword, damaged it and then tried to remove the scratches with a finger stone or something else that burnished/disfigured some areas of the hamon?

+1 Another beautiful piece!

Writing is not very clear, but it looks like it says that the sword will only catch at this point (in other words, the catch will not keep the sword fully closed).

Dear Bob, Item 125 shows Karako Asobi (Chinese Children at Play) which came from the ancient tradition of Chinese art of depicting children playing at four pursuits (painting, chess, harp & calligraphy). This is called kinki shoga in Japanese and was adopted into Japan around the 1400's and became popular in many different types of Japanese art - netsuke, woodblock prints, painting and tosogu. Here's your Kashira with a popular woodblock print (from the 1700's) - you can see that the composition is identical (hat, hair pulling, grabbing the wrist, etc.). As you said, the fuchi has the aftermath with two of the children chasing the other whose chonmage (topknot) has been pulled loose.

Best of Luck! Will come by when I'm in the area.

Hi Dale, it was adopted from China a very long time ago - probably over one thousand years ago...

Hi Dale, it's an umbrella from the story of Osho Sennin, who tied a letter (scroll) to the umbrella, tossed it into the air and used it like a mail-carrier to send the letter miles away.

Dear Chen Chen-san, very nice kozuka! Good mix of inlay and katakiribori.

Dear Bjorn, very nice tsuba - I really like it. I believe that most good koshirae were tied together in a meaningful theme that was important to the owner. If the sword is the “soul” of the Samurai and the single most important item to him, why would he just put together a bunch of random tosogu on his sword? I think that your tsuba is a stylized chrysanthemum which symbolizes Autumn, Purity, Longevity and Nobility, and is featured in many different legends and motifs like “the Chrysanthemum Boy,” "the Four Gentlemen," “Master of the Five Willows”, etc. So in addition to choosing other tosogu to go with your tsuba’s color and “solemn” style, you might want to choose a matching theme that is important to you too. For example, if you like the Four Gentlemen, then you would want to find tosogu that match your tsuba in color and style that have the other three flowers/plants of this grouping. Remember that the Japanese view of flowers was very different from most Western perspectives. The Four Gentlemen (Shikunshi) was a well known theme to Samurai that was adopted from Chinese philosophy and consisted of orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum and plum. The traits represented by these plants exemplified Bushido (the Warrior’s Way).

I agree with Geraint - this type of wear is actually highly prized by many Goto collectors (and in some cases may have originally been made to look worn...). I wouldn't advise any restoration.

Dear Bob, your tsuba Item No. 111 depicts the Dragon King’s (Ryujin - king of the sea) messenger presenting the two Tide Jewels (one can make the tide ebb and the other makes the tide flow) to Takenouchi no Sukune. He was an advisor to Empress Jingo and helped her in defeating Korea using these Tide Jewels.

Dear Chen Chen, looking back over this thread, I can see that you have a magnificent collection! Thanks for sharing. I particularly love the story on your new post. I wonder if this is where the story "Rip Van Winkle" comes from?

Hi Bob, on the design of Item No. 108, it is a rare combination of two different Shishi motifs. One is Shishi-Botan ("Liondog and Peony") which means regal or ultimate power because the Shishi is considered the King of the Beasts and the Botan (Peony) is the Queen of the Plants. The second motif is “shishi no ko otoshi” (shishi dropping its cub), where the shishi throws its young off a cliff and will only raise the cubs that survive and climb back up the cliff (tough parenting...) The motif is often represented by just the parent on a cliff or rock or the cub falling or climbing up or down a cliff (often suggesting but omitting one of these elements). Sometimes these elements are represented on different parts of the tosogu (so we shouldn't break up these sets....) This motif was to remind the Samurai to be a great leader and rigorously train themselves and their subordinates.

Hey Guys, Haynes 11577 uses the wrong Yoshi (吉). Bob's Yoshi is 喜, so his tsuba is by Noda Yoshihiro Haynes 11592 who worked in Edo and lived from 1693-1765. Started in the Nara School and then studied with Yasuchika. He worked for the Daimyo Matsudaira Yoshisada and was listed in the Soken Kisho. I checked the mei in Wakayama and it looks good to me.

Agree with shakudo.