Covering both bases.

[Spartancrest]

I noticed that the Walters Art Museum has two very similar guards in their collection - nothing unusual in that, pretty common in fact. What I found strange is the descriptions of each guard highlights different faces of the guard as being the most dominant. Who gets to decide which face is the omote? In this case both sides are highly decorated and the choice would be difficult - but my money is on the side of the two birds. I have doubts the two are a daisho, mainly because one is signed the other is not and the designs of the hitsu coupled with the overall different shapes of the guard.

 

51.288

"Cherry blossoms are a symbol of spring and often used as a symbol of Japan itself. Along the lower left edge of this tsuba, two blossoms float on a stream. At the top, a distant mountain can be seen. Two swallows in flight are shown on the reverse."

 

51.376

"Along the upper portion of the tsuba is a gold branch with cherry blossoms and two buds. Two swallows in flight are shown at the right and lower edge. The entire tsuba is surrounded by a raised rim. On the reverse, cherry blossoms are shown floating in a stream. Cherry blossoms bloom in early spring and are a common seasonal motif."

 

[Matsunoki]

Can we tell by looking at the hitsu-ana? The kozuka is usually located on the back of the saya with the kogai facing outwards? ….or have I got that round my neck? Thus on the two above the omote would be the “birds” as the ana for the kozuka  is usually wider……I think🙂

[MauroP]

Indeed a design that Morichika enjoyed.

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/093e25de54040c61f8cb49d3ef439c33

[Spartancrest]

Looks like more than Morichika liked the design. Or at least half of it!

http://www.japansword.co.jp/kako_kodougu34.html
Design of cherry blossom with flying swallows made by Masakage who is a pupil of Tanaka Kiyotoshi . 19th century.

 

And another one from an old auction.