NotANinja

...And the mune is off-centre which doesn't help!

I'm not all together sure if I'm honest Bruce! It's on a koto naginata naoshi which has quite a diamond shaped cross section, and polished quite a lot, so I think it's just a bit of a crude attempt at getting it to fit a bit better

Oh I fully accept that it could just be that, but as we have no way of truly knowing I kind of want to believe it's kirikomi

Here are some kirikomi on a naginata naoshi I have hoping to get it polished one day and maybe try and keep them if they can be saved, interesting history!

I thought that was the case. I suppose that was more the question I was asking - what do they sign it with when there is no teacher? I suppose for me then Robato 路馬登 would be more accurate?

Here's my contribution of a rather battered two-part copper habaki! Bit boring compared to some of the other here but never mind

Thank you Jean and Manuel, that makes sense! I did not know if they were signed with a Japanese pseudonym, and then I wondered if that would be a bit of a faux pas if a westerner gave themselves a Japanese name. Probably thinking far too much into it! In a fictional universe I suppose mine could be 茶色 for my family name of Brown! Not sure what I'd use for Robert though

Thank you for your reply Dale! Yes I couldn't agree more with your comment about utsushi - especially if it's high quality, after a few buy and sell cycles it's provenance might get lost and possibly even mis-identified as a good condition antique! But thank you, I always wondered if it was kanji pronounced like their name (or as close as) or if they took a pseudonym and signed it with that

Apologies if this is a stupid question but I cannot read kanji and know that some western artisans sign them this way, so I am wondering what they say as western names don't translate well into kanji.

Could the oxen be uchidashi, with the wheels soldered or braised as a possibility? The underside of these look like uchidashi, but I agree the wheel spokes look difficult to achieve with that method

It's a cast copy, the sekigane is fake and you can see porosity holes where the metal was too hot practically all over

Thank you Dale for the extra examples! Although I'm not sure what that last one is trying to achieve looks like a satyrical modern work!

Thank you! I did not know it was referencing a specific legend, I just assumed it was an artisan in a good mood one day haha!

Hello all, I recently visited the samurai exhibition at rhe British Museum. Although the actual exhibit was only okay, this tsuba did stand out to me and to put it in simple terms - it made me happy and smile, so I think I've found my new favourite genre of tsuba. The exhibit didn't go into detail about the tsuba, just that it was "a tsuba, late edo" so I'd like to find out more about it if possible to direct me towards similar examples on the theme. Anyway here it is, apologies for the terrible photo quality it was the best I could get in low lighting behind glass. I just love that it's a fella exclaiming enthusiastically at a cat or racoon dog shaped teapot because it's exactly how I'd react, to both the tea and the teapot! Rob.

Well done Manuel! Very skillfully crafted and looks fantastic! Forgive me for the possibly stupid question but to submit tsuba to this competition they have to be traditionally made right? Must have taken days to do all that carving by hand!

I sincerely hope so Rohan!

Some rudimentary menuki but I love them!

Thank you Jussi for the in-depth reply! It's exciting to me there aren't any other examples you can think of with the hi only on one side! And just to be clear the measurements I took for thickness are at the mune, not the thickest part - that's more like 6 and 4mm like your ko-uda naginata. Do you think they both might be ko-uda? It's a shame it's out of polish in it's current state!

Habaki doesn't fit super well, it's a two part cat scratch copper habaki that looks a bit battered...

Here you go Jussi, measurements are on the images, hopefully this helps! Do you know why the naginata-hi may have only been on the one side?

Thank you Sam, that's all very helpful information! I inted to get it polished I think, and will update the thread when it is! But that may be some time away yet

Yep no that makes perfect sense, I shall leave it as is!

Ah I see, to prevent further deterioration could I put some clear spray on varnish or will this damage them further? Just the tosogu, nothing else.

Yes I think you're right about the sugata Sam, although Tensho is almost certainly right too about it having lots of polishes. The kissaki does flair out slightly and looks like it used to more. Hopefully I'll be able to take it to someone way more knowledgeable than me for them to see in hand next month if life doesn't get in the way! And then I'll report back with that they think! Any ideas on age Sam? Thank you!

I know I love it, totally wasn't one of the main draws for me haha!