Another 'knock off' Nobuie?

[Hector]

Hi, 

 

I'm still considering dipping my toe into the vast, deep, unknown of tsuba acquisition and I'm too dumb on the subject to know what I'm looking at - beyond whether it appeals to me or not.

 

I've read here and other places that Nobuie is the tsuba god and so virtually anything you find with that signature will be gimei. However, I like this guard anyway because of its rugged, wabi sabi aesthetic and the Nobuie mei is so worn down as to be hardly legible anyway.

 

All thoughts are welcome, even those that point out my obvious ignorance and deficiencies. 

 

Best,

Hector

 

 

[Brian]

@Curran can probably tell you more, but there were numerous groups signing Nobuie that are considered legit, but not by THE man or his workshop. Perfectly legit tsuba, but you need to delve into the whole "wide spaced mei" and other variations, and it's a whole rabbit hole.

[Spartancrest]

     These are often described as "Abalone" design most are not signed and as you already speculate, a signature by Nobuie is likely gimei.

 

The tsuba is featured in the movie "Ichi" - blind swordswoman 2008,  image is poor resolution [how is that for trivia ] 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/296923445362

Edited January 16 by Spartancrest

[Tim Evans]

10 hours ago, Hector said:

I'm still considering dipping my toe into the vast, deep, unknown of tsuba acquisition

A question to ask yourself is "why do I like it?". It may be worth owning it to figure out the answer.

 

Here are some common approaches that provide a focus to collecting and help sort out your direction:

• Category collecting (one example of everything)
• Collecting certain themes
• Collecting high quality
• Collecting certain time periods
• Collecting certain schools or artists

Something that may be helpful is to track tsuba you like on Yahoo Japan to get an idea of price vs. availablility vs. condition. It is also a place to test your eye to see if you can spot the reproductions and modern fakes. Right now there seems to be a good selection of antique tsuba at reasonable prices. Finding out what you like is a journey or process. Discernment and taste will develop over time. 

[Hector]

Many thanks to everyone who came back to me with observations and advice!

I only login every one or two weeks so I've just seen your comments.

 

Best,

Hector

[Curran]

On 1/16/2026 at 2:52 PM, Tim Evans said:

A question to ask yourself is "why do I like it?". It may be worth owning it to figure out the answer.

 

Here are some common approaches that provide a focus to collecting and help sort out your direction:

• Category collecting (one example of everything)
• Collecting certain themes
• Collecting high quality
• Collecting certain time periods
• Collecting certain schools or artists

Something that may be helpful is to track tsuba you like on Yahoo Japan to get an idea of price vs. availablility vs. condition. It is also a place to test your eye to see if you can spot the reproductions and modern fakes. Right now there seems to be a good selection of antique tsuba at reasonable prices. Finding out what you like is a journey or process. Discernment and taste will develop over time. 

 

I like this post by Tim. It sums things up well.

I largely collect (school) + (High Quality) of Owari and Higo schools.

The two general groups are about 80% of what I own.

 

This doesn't mean that I don't buy outside of these groups.

The other 20% does really fall into category collecting (one example of various schools)

 

There are some that collect entirely certain themes. 

I've walked into households where there are 1000+ tosogu of a certain theme.

 

[Spartancrest]

One category Tim missed, * Weird.  

I have changed my collection preference to Kawari-gata - this can of course involve most if not all of the other categories that Tim has listed.