MauroP

Thank you, Jean. I had to tell that story to my wife—with due respect to the proportions, of course.

Here multiplate kagamishi tsuba are reported: https://tsubakansho.com/2020/01/02/hollow-kagamishi-tsuba/

NBTHK papers usually attribute sanmai construction to ko-kinkō tsuba (and, exceptionally, to Nagasaki and Umetada schools). The defining construction technique of a kagamishi tsuba, however, is casting (鋳造 - chūzō).

Hi Bernard, as Jean already said, the shape is not unusual. Here's one of my tsuba. About the signature 國廣 (Kunihiro), it was supposedly used by several unrelated tsuba makers.

I know for sure that tsuba belonged to professor Schrödinger (or to his cat)...

Sorry, the paper says yamagane...

Another close example from https://shibuiswords.com/haynesTsu-924.html

Actually most of tsuba appraised as tachi-kanagushi by NBTHK don't show a tachi style orientation. So, why not, tachi-kanagushi or simply ko-kinkō... Regarding the sukashi it's quite surely sorrel (酢漿 - katabami).

I'm inclined to agree with Dan's suspicions (hard to believe, but every now and then it actually happens...).

Perhaps a way to get an apprentice practicing nanako?

The WAMB member has committed seppuku...

WESTERN ART MESSAGE BOARD An unusual depiction of Voodoo practice in Reinassance Italy I wish to share my finding of a painting portraing a puppet stinged with pins in a well known black magic ritual: - Sorry, the subject is Saint Sebastian, quite a common subject in religious art of Renaissance. I know very well the saints, are always depicted with a halo behind their head... - The presence of arrows clearly point to a scene of martyr persecution. When I was a boy I used to shot with the bow, and the arrows were disposed differently on the target! - Voodoo religion was not practiced in XVI century Italy. I know what I see. Maybe the next time such a painting will be submitted to National Gallery appraisers it will be correctly denominated "Voodoo magic" instead of "Saint Sebastian"! - ...

Possibly the representarion of a bat (flying in the night sky)

Of course representations of stars and constellations are also present on tsuba, and are acknowledged as so by NBTHK. Here two examples, the second one described as 北斗七星 - Hokutoshichisei - Big Dipper.