Looking for the Book This Tsuba Was Pictured In?

[bond_fan]

Hi All!

 

I got this Tsuba in a trade with Goran Glucina about 10 years ago at the San Francisco Token Kai, and I was thinking about selling it then.   I've since decided to keep it.

 

A year or two after getting this Tsuba I was looking through books on Tsuba at another San Francisco Token Kai, and found what I believe was the same Tsuba pictured in a book, but because I was thinking about selling the Tsuba I decided not to buy the book.  I think the book was over $100.00 USD.

 

At the same show I saw a copy of my Tsuba, but it wasn't as well carved as mine.  I should have taken photos of both the book and copy of my Tsuba!

 

Anyway, I've bought almost a dozen Tsuba books in the hopes of find my Tsuba pictured in one of them to no avail, so it was suggested I post a picture of the Tsuba, and ask members if they could please check their books to see if my Tsuba is pictured in it?

 

As a guide my Tsuba is NOT in the following books, TSUBA-TAIKAN Japanese Sword Guards Sword 1935, Tsuba Kanshoki  by Torigoe Ichitaro 1975, Japanese Sword Guard Cultural History of Tsuba Book 1969 Jiichiro Hattori, Early Japanese Sword Guards Sukashi Tsuba by Sasano, Japanese Sword Guards Masterpieces from the Sasano Collection, Tsuba Kanshoki by Torigoye, 1975, Tsubas in Southern California Hardcover, Hawley, 1973, Nihon to Koza Vol. VI  Kodogu Part 1 by Harry Afu and Tsuba by Kokubo Kenichi and Monichiro Kamiya 1963.

 

Your help would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!!!

 

PS. I showed my Tsuba to Robert Haynes, and he told me he thinks it's from the Northern Shoami school.

[Spartancrest]

Not sure of book but this is an utsushi   from Mauro's post https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/42631-tsuba-identification-help/#comment-437050

 

[bond_fan]

On 3/28/2026 at 9:10 PM, Spartancrest said:

Not sure of book but this is an utsushi   from Mauro's post https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/42631-tsuba-identification-help/#comment-437050

 

Hey Dale!

 

Thanks for your swift reply and information!  

 

Mauro's Tsuba looks like a copy of my Tsuba, but his looks like it's made of iron, and mine is some type of alloy.  I was told what it was before, but I forgot, but maybe Yamagane or Copper Alloy.

 

That would be an incredible coincidence if his Tsuba was the one I saw at the SF Token Kai about five years ago and some how at ended up with Mauro after it was for sale at the show I saw it at! 

 

I wish I had taken a photo of the book I saw the Tsuba that looks like Mauro's and mine, to see if either of them was the Tsuba in the book or not!  Interesting that this Tsuba design was replicated, and I wonder which came first, mine or his, and if it was from the same maker or if one was a copy of the other from two different Tsuba makers at two different periods?

Edited 4 hours ago by bond_fan
Spelling Corrections.

[Spartancrest]

Hi Tim - I went through my books - - all 98 - - and found another utsushi in Greville Cookes book - "The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery - Tsuba collection V2"

You might like to ask   Kissaki for a better image. I don't suppose it was in that book where you first saw it? You might notice the bird has lost some of its tail in this example.