Mike

No words Mike

Nice kiku tsuba, what's the width of the plate Stephen? I have katana size kiku tsuba with no seppa dai as well, common to this design. Mine is also Saotome school. I think that the sukashi mon is later addition. The width of the plate is 2.5 mm Mike

I will take better photos with less macro as Curran suggested, not sure about it been in a fire though. Thanks for your comments Mike

Well I think that the macro photographs did not serve right. It is not homemade and definitely not shinsaku, on the contrary. This is Ko Shoami tsuba from the muromachi period, rather good condition to its age and possibly used to fit katate-uchi. Mike

Hello everyone, I have been away of the forums the past two years or so, in which I have sold a substantial part of my tosogu collection, keeping few of my favorite tsuba. Now, when I am back again, enjoy the reading and educate myself, I would like to post the remainder of my tsuba collection, one at a time and have discussion if the tsuba turn out to be interesting. I also will not post deatails of era and school, letting you, respectable fellows, have the chance to find out I will start with this one, I purchased it from a forum member years ago. It is sukashi rounded square shape, measures are 63 mm x 65 mm x 5 mm, dark grey-brown color. What do you think? Any opinion and information will be gratefully accepted. Mike Ps- The photos are bad comparing the true beauty of the jigane of this tsuba :?

Yes it is the Taira clan mon as Henry posted. Mike

Well I missed the US part Mike

and a nice person as well Mike

I can recommend Mr. Zenon Van Damme in Belgium, he had professionally restored for me an antique saya with black urushi. His web site is http://www.japaneseart.be/index.asp?taal=uk Mike

Thanks all for your contribution, my laptop has crashed so I wasn't able to see all the comments. BTW I have papered yoroidoshi with 0.9 cm thickness at the machi, so 1.7 cm is really for heavy duty. Mike

Thanks Mariusz and Brian, it is roughly 0.8 cm thick at the mune-machi and has triangle profile so I strongly believe it is yoroi-doshi. Unfortunately it is out of polish though it kept in a closet ever since he got it. At first I suspected it to be shinshinto era due to fresh nagako, but the yasurime suggests koto era. I'd like to get info on the koshirae as well, should I post it in the tosogu discussion forum? And one more request, a value estimation. They intend to sell the tanto and would like to ask a reasonable price, I know it is hard but even rough estimation would be OK Thanks a lot! Mike

Hello all, I've been asked to see if I can help in id and info of this tanto, yoroy-doshi in fact. It belongs to retired minister of the Israeli parliament who got it as a present about 50 years ago. As I have very little knowledge, and this tanto is far from my area of interest (which is koto blades) I am seeking here for info. It is 35 cm OAL, blade is 23.5 cm. It is interesting blade as it has what appears to be gunume-chozy hamon on the mune. It also have nice representative koshirae. Photos of the blade are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/118379156070072875548/Tanto_1_blade?authkey=Gv1sRgCOSorbqp_crZuwE Photos of the koshirae are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/118379156070072875548/Tanto_1_koshirae?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPv6o2FrcDCTw Any help would be greatly appreciated. Mike

Great read , thank you. Mike

The nakago ana does not have any tagane-ato or seki-gane which makes me wonder how this tsuba can be or was adjusted to sword. This is not a good sign. Mike

Differences in the shape of the nakago ana and the different tagane marks also indicates different makers. Mike

Look at the items location, maybe he found them in drowned pirate ship. Cheers Mike

I have just seen this and it came to my mind that without hi-res photos any guess is good as the other, it is just a gamble with 50% chance to win (or loose). Not meaning to sound rude, just my thought. cheers, Mike

I think Yoshiharu is the correct reading of the mei. I have no reference of this tsubaco. I also think the tsuba is mid-Edo Bushu school, but of course I might be completely wrong about the school attribution as I have still a lot to learn. Mike

Thanks Rich, That is interesting observation, I am lacking of knowledge about Umetada school, so this is a good time to start catching up. Thanks again, Mike

I have a tsuba with similar design, water wheel and cherry flower, it measures 68 mm X 69 mm X 3.7 mm (at the mimi). I have seen identical to mine on NCJSC To-Ron few years ago, described as katsushi. I tend to think mine is shoami dated to mid-edo. Mike

I think Thomas and Keith nailed it, looks like broken tip of longer sword modified into tanto, I've seen that before. So if getting modest amount of money I'd take it Investing - no way. Mike

Hello Mark, I am afraid I can't help you, but regarding the Higo Nashigaki Kanshiro tsuba, I have similar design (especially the top part). It is Higo school but I wouldn't say a Nashigaki Kanshiro (I wish ). Here's a photo. Mike

The bo-hi looks a bit odd to me, but I'll go with Brian, it is better than any repro yoroi, though I wouldn't invest in restoration. Mike

Good catch in terms of design and quality, I definitely would like these mounted on my sword Mike

You got me Carlo, but actually they are no. 6 and 7, here are no. 5 and 8. No. 5 is probably ko-Akasaka wild geese, peony and ginger plant in sukashi, no. 8 is Akasaka with the view of Matsushima islands (pine trees and waves), rather uncommon design. Mike