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I recently found a "stash" of difficult to find tsuba linked to the Ashmolean Museum - through their ASHMOLEAN IMAGE LIBRARY - This added something in the order of 160 more tsuba to the 1,800 odd other tsuba that can be found in the museum searches https://www.ashmolean.org/collections-online#/search/simple-search/tsuba/%7B%7D/15/96/objectNumberSortedSorting1.keyword/asc/catalogue I was taken by a particularly designed piece based on an expanded "Three Karigane" sukashi pattern - which had five birds rather than the more common three - however the description stated the design was "Ginkgo Leaves" So I thought I would let the museum know they had the wrong description. I realise that the link now is corrected so the evidence no longer exists that the museum had the wrong description - how many other corrections have "gone unnoticed?" Jan 1, 2025 As a collector of Japanese tsuba I can say with certainty that the description of https://images.ashmo...searchQuery=EAX.5754 is not ginkgo leaves and should be "five wild geese" or "five Karigane". Perhaps this can be rectified? Regards Dale Today I got a reply : Dear Dale (if I may), I just wanted to mention that our eastern art colleagues have carried out the required update following your kind email! Best wishes Rosanna Rosanna van den Bogaerde Picture Library Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology University of Oxford Beaumont Street Oxford OX1 2PH

If a kinzogan mei is old it should be slightly below the surface of the nakago. When the kinzogan is applied it is even with the nakago surface but with age the iron of the nakago corrodes slightly and grows in volume. The gold doesn't corrode and doesn't gain volume. After a couple hundred years or so you can feel the difference. If there is no difference in height, maybe there is no age either. Grey

It is just sad.

This whole thread has nothing to do with TSUBA. It is Kindergarten, and I am out, too.

Jean doesn't have to state references to the above. It is basic common knowledge to anyone who studies Japanese swords and their craft. Something you take for granted that everyone knows. No need to go look for references for something that is part of the foundation of Japanese sword study. Waste of time to prove something that is already commonly accepted by the community.

Perhaps I'm biased but I believe that is part of what was behind many great achievements in history

We need a FU button, why don't you onward yourself out of here and don't come back there's no need for that juvenile reactions.

Piers, I think you are correct in that the Japanese preference for the sun is red, much as the moon is generally seen in silver. It seems as with so many things in this hobby nothing is set in stone. Obviously there were additional colors seen in their representations of the sun, such as gold and others. Likely a variety of reasons. It is a very precise and time consuming process to produce that deep red seen on some kodogu. Viewing your tsuba, do you think the insert was once plated with gold or silver or do you think the copper was the original look? Looking at it enlarged I can't tell for certain, but it seems to show traces of a light color (silver?) at the top and bottom. Perhaps it was originally depicting the moon. ??? I think the gold plug on my kozuka was to give it a little bling. I would have preferred something a bit more subtle, but......

Hi folks, I have decided to make a major reset to my book buying and selling business. Ever since I started the website I've tried to have a large selection of swords, fittings, and especially books. I'm now at an age where it doesn't make sense for me to have a ton of paper on the shelves for my wife and daughter to have to deal with if I'm gone. Consequently, I've just finished lowering prices on nearly every title on the site – the 2nd time I've done so in the last year – and I've become quite picky about which books I'm buying to replace sold stock. I currently have a great variety of specialty titles – Sendai Han Tosho Meifu for example, at what I think is a great price - but once it sells don't expect there to be another copy. The same goes for many other books on the site: available and reasonably priced, and they won't be restocked once sold. Fair warning. I just took in 3 fine tsuba and 2 of them with dragons are still here; find them at the top of my Tsuba and Kodogu page. And 2 copies of the most difficult to find book on Nobuie: Nobuie Tsuba Kanbetsu Hikkei with a translation, just came available. Thanks, Grey

Two of my tsuba have red numbers painted inside the nakago ana . I can trace their provenance back to the Sothebys sale of Dr Stevens's collection on the 25th of July 1967 . Dr Stevens had a huge collection that was sold over five sales by Sothebys from 1966 to 1968 Does anyone else have anything else from the Stevens collection or anything with similarly placed red numbers ? I would like to understand whether these numbers are peculiar to the Stevens collection or if they relate to an earlier collectors numbering system . In similar vein I have another pair signed Kikuichi Tsunekatsu . These were sold by Sothebys in their sale of the 3rd of June 1981 and the catalogue stated that they are ex Trower and Stark collections . Both tsuba have tiny stamps on the reverse about the size of a pinhead . I suspect that these may also be a collectors identification mark. Has anyone seen such a mark before ? Ian Brooks

Dear All. This has been and continues to be a wonderful thread. Thank you to all for sharing your treasures. I have to say that the gakumei kozuka that Ed shared is quite something and I think Jean has it right, the gold is simply a way of making something of the nakago ana but it certainly adds to the piece. All the best.

https://www.jstor.or...table/48647105?seq=1 page 5 You asked Jean to state his references. He was referencing the article that you shared, that I linked above. On page 5. But you’re right, he can defend himself, and I’m sure he will if he chooses to. But Dan, your inability to connect the dots is flabbergasting. I think it’s time for me to retire from these fantasy and guesswork threads of yours. Goodbye Dan, best of luck finding the ghosts you’re looking for. -Sam

Kofun period Toran Kei

The sun in Japan is traditionally rendered as red, almost on an automatic subconscious level. I did a little experiment at college with a class of Japanese and some overseas students. I laid out chalks of various colo(u)rs, and called on students to come up and draw a scene (which happened to include the sun). The Japanese students all reached for the red chalk, whereas the Westerners chose yellow. In the present tsuba Jean, I am guessing that the choice of copper akagane 銅, 素銅suaka (or 山銅 yamagane) means the tsubakō was envisioning the sun. https://ameblo.jp/o-...try-12170960771.html

Piers, the KOZUKA is probably very special and rare. While the gold dot just fills in the NAKAGO-ANA, the gold dot on the TSUBA might represent sun or moon, I believe. Looks indeed close!

Occasionally during the more formal Japanese surrender ceremonies, the officers presented their swords in bags along with elaborate tags.

Most sword bags traditionally have long cords for wrapping the inner sword package fairly tightly and protectively. Tying a tag to that would be quite natural.

Yes but I have a diagnosed "handicap" - Asperger's and too much time on my hands!

Kinzogan-mei for named swords are typically not original. They are most often added to blades that are osuriage mumei like the one you shared. And the fact that they have been added later is in no way something that detracts from the value of the sword or it's kinzogan-mei.

Ko-Katchushi

One more with Temple Bells.

Hello, I recently obtain that tsuba, from a friend. I wanted to know more about it. I was thinking about some higo work, but I would like to know more. The theme is some grave stone(?!)with gold numome, spider and web made from hirazogan, on wooden pattern, with a large numome rim. The size is 86x83mm The thickness is 5mm on the rim and about 3mm on seppa dai.

Hi Dale, Kara = Chinese, so Chinese flower: https://jisho.org/search/唐 %23kanji And, yes, 6th generation.

We've seen plenty of examples from Tatsutoshi and his students Namitoshi and Tatsunao, but this (from Facebook) is the first one I see signed Naminao:

Fantastic. Hope there's more where that came from. Other museums need to start taking a ginko leaf out of the Ashmolean's book

His reference is the article that you, yourself, shared. His quote is on page 5, I think https://www.jstor.or...table/48647105?seq=1

The short text may seem interesting to some, but as far as sword forging in Japan is concerned, it is not correct in parts. I read: .....Once you had joined, then you had access to oral and practical instruction and ultimately to the manuscript texts which embodied the “secret” knowledge. All this came at a financial cost, of course: the knowledge had not been privatised and professionalised for nothing...... Well, as an interested apprentice, you could not choose a school or a master, but you had to apply for apprenticeship, hoping to be accepted. Additionally, as a young lad, you certainly had no knowledge about sword making schools or differences in techniques. And learning did not contain manuscript texts or whatever instruction, oral or practical. In the beginning, you were allowed to watch the master and to learn by copying movements and techniques. This has only changed with some smiths in modern times where real teaching is practiced. Apprentices did not have to pay (as was usual in Europe at that time), but only as an UCHI DESHI they could sleep in the house and were fed by the smith's family. For everything else, they had to rely on support from their own family. The only process that was kept secret for outsiders was the temperature of the quenching water in the trough. So no, this text part is not well researched and mostly fantasized.

Oldest one in existence is tachi by Naminohira Yukimasa dated 1159. The second oldest is tachi by Bungo Yukihira that is dated 1205.

Below is a chronological listing of books about modern Japanese edged weapons from 1868 to 1945 published after 1945. (This thread is an update of a previous one called Bibliography of Modern Edged Weapons, 1868-1945.) I would like to give thanks to BangBangSan (Trystan) for providing the information about Chinese language books. Any comments, corrections, or additions welcomed, either publicly or privately. Inami Hakusui 伊波･白水. Nippon-tō: The Japanese Sword. Tokyo: Japan Sword Co., Ltd., 1948. Yumoto, John M. The Samurai Sword: A Handbook. Tuttle Publishing, 1958. Robinson, B. W. The Arts of the Japanese Sword. London: Faber and Faber, 1961. Ōno Tadashi 大野･正. Gendai tōkō meikan 現代刀工銘鑑 [Encyclopedia of Modern Swordsmiths]. Kōgei shuppan 光芸出版, 1971. Index https://www.japaneseswordindex.com/gtmindex.htm. Gregory, R. Japanese Military Swords. 1971. Gendaitō meisaku zukan 現代刀名作図鑑 [An Illustrated Book of Modern Sword Masterpieces]. Satō Kanzan kanshū 佐藤･寒山 監修 [Editorial supervison by Satō Kanzan]. Tōken shunjū shinbun-sha 刀剣春秋新聞社, 1977. Index https://www.japaneseswordindex.com/gmzindex.htm. Ōno Tadashi 大野･正. Gendai tōkō･kinkō･shokkata sōran 現代刀工･金工･職方総覧. [A General Survey of Modern Swordsmiths, Metalworkers, and Artisans]. Seiun shoin 青雲書院, 1977. Gregory, R., and R. Fuller. A Guide to Showa Swordsmiths: With 106 Oshigatas. 1978. Murakami Kōsuke 村上･孝介. Shōwa tōken meibutsu chō 昭和刀剣名物帳 [Catalogue of Noted Japanese Swords of the Shōwa Period] Tōkyō 東京: Yūzankaku shuppan 雄山閣出版, 1979. Fuller, Richard, and Ron Gregory. Swordsmiths of Japan, 1926–1945. 1983. Fuller, Richard, and Ron Gregory. The Oshigata Book. 1985. Fuller, Richard, and Ron Gregory. Military Swords of Japan, 1868–1945. London, GB: Arms and Armour, 1986. Johnson, Larry. Japanese Bayonets: The Definitive Work on Japanese Bayonets, 1870 to the Present. Broken Arrow, Okla.: Cedar Ridge Publications, 1988. Miyazaki Masa[o] 宮崎･昌幸. Imperial Japanese Daggers, 1883–1945. 1980s. [During the 1980s, Masa handed this booklet out to collectors to show them the dirks that he was interested in.] Imai Akio 今井･昭夫and Ikemori Masato 池森･正人. Nihon no gun'yō tōken 1868-1945nen 日本の軍用刀剣1868-1945年 [Japanese Military Used Swords, 1868–1945]. Army edition 陸軍編. 2 volumes. Zennihon gunsō kenkyū-kai 全日本軍装研究会, 1990. Shindō Susumu 進藤･進. Nihon guntō zuroku 日本軍刀図録 [Illustrated Book of Japanese Military Swords]. 2 volumes. Zennihon gunsō kenkyū-kai 全日本軍装研究会, 1991. Volume 1 第一巻: pages 1–161; Volume 2 第二巻: pages 162–319. Kishida, Tom トム･岸田. Yasukuni tōshō 靖国刀匠 [Yasukuni Swordsmiths]. Tōkyō 東京: 1994. Tsutsumi Akira 堤･章. Guntō kumiai shimatsu: Rikugun jumei tōshō no shūhen 軍刀組合始末: 陸軍受命刀匠の周辺. Aizu bunkazai chōsa kenkyūkai 会津文化財調査研究会, 1994. Dawson, Jim. Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868–1945. Newnan, Ga.: Stenger-Scott Publishing, 1996. Fuller, Richard, and Ron Gregory. Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks. Charlottesville, Va.: Howell Press, 1997. Kishida, Tom トム･岸田. Yasukuni-tō: Dentō to bi no kyokuchi 靖国刀: 伝統と美の極致 [Yasukuni Swords: Tradition and Ideal Beauty]. Tōkyō 東京: Yūzankaku shuppan 雄山閣出版, 1998. Kurihara Hikosaburō Akihide zenkiroku: Nihontō o nido yomigaeraseta otoko 栗原彦三郎昭秀全記録: 日本刀を二度蘇らせた男 [A Complete Record of the Life of Kurihara Hikosaburō Akihide: The Man Who Saved Japanese Swords Twice]. Kurihara Hikosaburō denki kankō-kai 栗原彦三郎伝記刊行会, 2000. Wallinga, Herman A. Gendaito Made at the Minatogawa Shrine. 2000. [35 pages.] Slough, John Scott. An Oshigata Book of Modern Japanese Swordsmiths, 1868–1945. Rivanna River Company, 2001. Fimio, Frederick A. Swords and Swordsmiths of the Gendai Period, 1868–1989. Edited by Jane Nittolo. Barrie, Canada: The Japanese Sword Society of Canada, 2002. Kapp, Leon, Hiroko Kapp, and Yoshindo Yoshihara. Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths: From 1868 to the Present. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2002. Kishida, Tom. The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan, 1933–1945. Translated by Kenji Mishina. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2004. Dawson, Jim. Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868–1945. Cyclopedia ed. Newnan, Ga.: Stenger-Scott Publishing, 2007. LaBar, Raymond C. Bayonets of Japan: A Comprehensive Reference on Japanese Bayonets. Tunnel Hill, GA: RAYMAR, 2008. Banks, Ken. Japanese Pattern Dirks: The Banks Collection. Zor’s Military Antiques, 2011. Xu Yao Hua 许耀华. Ri Ben Dao Chuan Qi 日本刀传奇 [The Legend of Japanese Sword]. 航空工业出版社 Aviation Industry Press, 2012. Chinese language 中文. Fuller, Richard. Japanese Sword Surrender Tags, 103 Fully Translated: Plus Retention Certificates & Surrender Letters. Dreadnought Publishing Co., 2014. Kapp, Leon, Hiroko Kapp, and Leo Monson. Modern Japanese Swords: The Beginning of the Gendaito Era. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. Wang Hui 王･辉. Ri Ben Leng Re 日本冷刃 [Japanese Cold Steel]. Shan Dong Mei Shu Chu Ban She 山东美术出版社, 2016. Chinese language 中文. Bowen, Chris. The Kato Smiths of Meguro, Tokyo: Taisho to the Present – Excellence in Obscurity. 2017. Ohmura Tomoyuki 大村･紀征. Shinsetsu tatakau Nihontō 真説 戦う日本刀 [True Theory, Japanese Fighting Sword:]. BAB Japan, 2019. The End.

Paul is already on the case... Shin Gobankaji Project

IMO, the only way is to promote the art : making expositions around the world, entry level books (as the last one from Paul Martin), qualitative but accessible youtube chanel or netflix-like documentaries, movies, inviting more new comers in the field by sharing our passion daily if we can... Personally I dream about a blockbuster historically accurate (for what we know) on the life of a swordsmith, like Kotetsu or Go-Toba, highlighting swordsmithing of course. Most of us came to the hobbies thanks to Kurosawa for example.

For the most part, categorizations of unsigned pieces and dates of production are indeed rife with theology Mauro @MauroP. That's abundantly evident once you start gathering multiple papered examples to try to glean some sort of insight into possible kantei points for specific "schools". Well, I was hoping people would actually give the twelve tsuba I posted an honest attempt... with no fear of judgement. But it seems that everyone is either too busy at this point in time of the year (speaking of theology ) or just don't even have an idea where to begin trying to group together such seemingly disparate examples I'll spare you all the angst of trying to figure it out. It turns out ALL twelve of these tsuba were papered as Ko-Shoami, which is a purely fictitious attribution that really gained a foothold with Sasano's publications. It seems to me like the only kantei points the NBTHK is using for this attribution are: -must be unsigned (so there's no way to check) -pre-Edo period or Edo period (it really doesn't seem to matter, even though the "ko" in Ko-shoami is supposed to mean "pre-Edo period") -steel plate (which can be solid or have just about any type of sukashi you can think of) -and most importantly, it must be difficult to place in any of the other limited number of "schools" that have been pronounced and established over the last 100 years. ...so pretty much any steel tsuba that you can't stick into an existing category. It's kind of like the "Island of Misfit Toys" (a seasonal reference for those of you who know it...) Actually, "ko-shoami" is a very handy category to have for an organization that needs to label things for money. It's like a "get out of jail for free" card for those troublesome tsuba

Daisho tsuba - lacquer exterior iron core…

Look, it's a valid complaint. Not saying it's shilling or not....and not making any ethical statements on this practice. But as someone said, if the seller is good to work with, and offers good stuff and has a decent reputation, then it's time to put it down as a hidden reserve that either gets met or doesn't. Frustrating for buyers, but our community is small and it's time to get to know the handful of known and decent sellers personally. eBay isn't the answer. There's a reason many sellers don't use it, and those that do probably use it more to get their name out there. I'll consider this one closed, with the usual caveat of buyer beware and know your seller.

You would have to take that up with the NBTHK. Their call was Ono.

This is one of the “alleged” momoyama period Rope Mimi tsuba in my collection.Nice and thick! 🤣

I collect iron kozuka and kogai, they tend to be early, these guys are Muromachi, the "namban-ish" style is probably Momoyama.

Kanayama

tsuba has a HIGH EDGE, and the surface appears dark

Hi everyone, This will be my last print order for flashcards for now. If anyone was thinking about getting these, please message or email me directly to place an order. https://swordsofjapa...supplies/flashcards/ Mei (names) - the more commonly seen kanji used in swordsmith's mei, including examples of mei containing that the featured kanji - 152 cards Kuni (provinces) - the reading of the Japanese province names, with information about the provinces and some reference information on related schools and representative smiths - 90 cards Nengo (time periods) - the kanji for time periods from the late Heian period to the present, with reference information on each time period - 144 cards My hope with these is that everyone who uses the cards can have a better understanding of the fundamentals of reading Japanese sword inscriptions and kanteisho, and this will unlock access to Japanese language sword references. These cards are now available for $25 each plus shipping and $75 plus shipping for the complete set. Please email me at raymondsinger@gmail.com if you would like to order a set. Best regards, Ray

The crown or ball of the tassel is a separate piece that covers the ends of the strings. You can see on the sword below where the crowns have come off.

Item No. 150 Iron tsuba 8.2 cm x 7.7 cm x 0.36 cm Subject of dragonfly with water and reeds on rear , carved in katakiri bori , signed Myochin motte kitao A wonderful piece of carving. The corrosion spots are well in excess of 100 years old - this piece formed part of the Red Cross exhibition of 1915 , and the image from the record of that exhibition shows the spots. Provenence - Ex. Colonel J B Gaskell collection Exhibited Red Cross exhibiton 1915 Published - Japanese Art and Handicraft by Henri L. Joly, pp 112 , no. 48

Item No. 126 A Tsuba in copper alloy ( sentoku ) with shakudo inlay 8.13 cm x 7.74 cm x 0.36 cm Subject of oak branches , leaves and acorns in the Umetada style by Ford Hallam about 12 years ago. A tribute to the Umetada style with finely worked inlays . This can be seen particularly in the veins of the leaves where they finish in a tapered point ( less than 0.2 of a millimetre wide typically ) - simply a tour de force of inlay work. The blank started to develop ( or reveal ) a few cracks while being forged ( not uncommon with this alloy ) and Ford has chosen to accentuate these with silver instead of trying to hide them . They seem to have no effect on the integrity of the piece itself which rings like a bell when struck.

Item No. 108 - Iron Tsuba with gold 76.9 cm x 7.12 cm x 0.56 cm Subject of peony and shi-shi in sunken relief cave or caverns. Signed Yoshihiro- age unknown. Could this Yoshihiro be from the Myochin lineage ? If so it would be of considerable age but somehow it feels younger in the hand. High grade workmanship all round with painstaking details on the rock carving and a highly animated shi-shi almost leaping free from the plate. The peony, eye and bud appear to have been carved from solid gold . The plate itself showing pleasing grain structure , not untypical of Myochin , hence the question above regarding artist school. As usual , any comments , help or corrections gratefully received.

Dear Bob, when we see a wasp on tosogu it is often wordplay (which the ancient Japanese loved). One of the more common combinations is wasp and monkey which in Japanese are homophonous with “granted fiefdom” and “lord” respectively. So a monkey grasping a wasp means the good fortune of being made the lord of a fiefdom, but a monkey simply watching or ignoring a wasp means something like “don’t waste your opportunities”. See the following NMB thread for more info on that theme: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/30375-ishiguro-masatsune-2nd-generation/ In the case of your tsuba Item No. 104, wasp can be read as Hou (or Hachi) in Japanese and deer can be read as roku (or shika). “Hou” plus “roku” makes Houroku which sounds like the word for the “stipend or salary” that a Samurai receives when starting out as a warrior. This makes your tsuba an excellent tsuba for a gift to a new Samurai. Darcy has another beautiful example and explanation of this theme here: https://yuhindo.com/goto-joshin/

Item No. 100 - Tsuba in Shakudo with gold , silver , copper and shakudo highlights 7.44 cm x 7.03 cm x 0.48 cm Tsuba from the Haruaki School , with Jurojin seated beside a crane and deer , crane and fledgling on reverse . Signed Hogen Haruaki with gold cartouche and seal. Fine nanako ground. Tsuba from the Masters of Detail - Haruaki School - with almost microscopic features and a nicely applied nanako field which continues over the mimi. 19th Cent. Acquired about eight years ago.

Item No. 94 - Iron Tsuba 64.0 cm x 53.5 cm x 0.45 cm Iron sukashi tsuba for tanto - evidence of being mounted on numerous occasions Has a ' feel ' of a 17th cent. piece Item No. 95 - Iron Tsuba 9.21 cm x 8.83 cm x 0.35 cm One piece iron tsuba thin plate but heavy because of large size. Signed - Yatsuhiro Third Generation Jingo Made This tsuba is made from a single piece of iron with the dimension at the centre the same as the mimi. The metal has been carved away in order to allow the mimi to stand proud , rather than forging a lip on the edge . Quality piece of work as you would expect from the adopted head of the family . Haynes 02039.0 name - Nagayoshi ( 1691 - 1777 ) NBTHK papered

Item No. 89 - Kozuka in shibuichi , with gold , copper and shakudo Subject of a Nio temple guardian in typical pose , signed Katsuhira A well crafted kozuka featuring a ferocious Nio warding off evil spirits . The nanako in regular pattern and spacing , the inlays ( including the teeth ! ) all well executed. Tree engraved to rear. Bought from auction about seven years ago.

Item No. 83 - Tsuba in Shakudo 7.60cm x 7.11cm x 0.59 cm at centre , 0.38 cm on rim Repeating punched pattern on heavy shakudo plate , signed Goto Koju. Good quality workmanship , as you would expect from this school , with all punchmarks in nigh-on perfect alignment. Bought direct from Japan , 10 years ago.

Item No. 80 - Iron tsuba with shibuichi and gold - 8.05 cm x 7.38 cm x 0.38 cm Subject of pine tree , stream and moon , made approx. ten years ago by Ford Hallam A strong , stately pine tree partially depicted with branches and needles . The plugs shaded to represent the moon , reflected in the calmly flowing water . Overall a contemplative piece , with a quiet , soothing feel that evokes a similar response from the viewer , especially when held in hand. This tsuba was the first entered into the annual NBSK competition to win gold for a non-Japanese maker.