Ever seen this before?

[jt sharp]

Good evening everyone,

I have been a long time fan and practitioner of martial arts and recently got into studying and collecting tsuba. I have a couple antiques and my most recent seems pretty unique. It has a square kogai hitsu. I have never seen this before and cant find any information on it. Any help from the experts would be appreciated. 

 

Thank you,

 

Jt

[Ron M]

Hello JT, I don’t see anything on your post. Please advise and thank you in advance 

[Bugyotsuji]

James, is it squarish, a perfect square, rectangular or what?

[jt sharp]

I have added in a picture of it for reference. Thank you for the interest and replies. The shadow is a little deceiving to make it look a little more squatish when is reality it's more rectangular with square corners. I am reasonably sure it's authentic. My teacher got it for me at an antique shop on his last trip to Japan to train.  This antique dealer was recommended by his sensei who seems to be knowledgeable of such things. 

 

Jt

Edited April 10 by jt sharp

[Spartancrest]

 

Welcome to NMB James!

       a GUNTO lock

 It would help James if we had an idea of the size of the guard, these examples show where a locking mechanism was fitted to secure the tsuba to the saya - If your guard is bigger the hole would not be for such a mechanism, but if the guard is small possibly for a tanto then a lock may be the reason there is a squarish hole in yours.

 

However there are a number of guards that do have square or rectangular "hitsu" such as this example   From David Stiles on a post from 2025

 

Many examples of sukashi tsuba with squared hitsu in this thread but also a number of solid plate pieces which might help.  

 

[jt sharp]

Tha k you for the information. The tsuba is on the smallish side, just a little under 3 inches diameter vertically. 

 

Jt

[Curran]

16 hours ago, jt sharp said:

Good evening everyone,

I have been a long time fan and practitioner of martial arts and recently got into studying and collecting tsuba. I have a couple antiques and my most recent seems pretty unique. It has a square kogai hitsu. I have never seen this before and cant find any information on it. Any help from the experts would be appreciated. 

 

Thank you,

 

Jt

 

Square or rectangular hitsu are not uncommon. This is a generalization, but they were mostly seen on 1500s tsuba.

Then there were some Revival or Retro stretches during the Edo period where they'd come back into fashion for some tsuba and koshirae.

 

Show us a picture, when you have time.

 

 

[Curran]

Muromachi or early Momoyana example.

 

[jt sharp]

Thank you everyone for being so helpful and informative. I have learned a lot from your replies. Based on the picture I provided of the tsuba with the square hitsu, what do you think the value would be?  Not trying to sell, just curious to know for myself. 

[Bugyotsuji]

The monetary value?

In the US?

Are you wanting to guess what was paid for it at 'an antique shop' in Japan? I am guessing somewhere around $50 +/-.

 

The real value surely lies in the symbolic gift, a link between you and your teacher, of an object that was made at a historical point in time as part of the long historical culture of Nihonto. 

[jt sharp]

Not at all. We are of the same mind on this matter.  I know what was paid at the antique shop and regardless of any monetary value, the significance of it as a gift to me is much more valuable and is something I will always treasure.  I suppose asking a valuation was crass and was not my intent to come across as such.  

[eternal_newbie]

1 hour ago, jt sharp said:

I suppose asking a valuation was crass and was not my intent to come across as such.

 

There's no harm in knowing the worth of what you have. I know many of us don't like thinking about it, but accidents (or not-so-accidents) and sickness, old age etc. come for all of us in the end, and having valuations of your belongings will help your loved ones after your passing.

 

It also helps with home & contents insurance.