Spartancrest

The shape is very similar to a "Fundo" design with the side rings removed - it makes sense to remove them from a small tanto size guard but this is larger and shows no sign any rings have been deleted..

A modern version for Iaido practice swords - hand made in Spain ! https://tanakabuki.com.ar/product/iaito-nacional-dotanuki/ https://superiorswords.com/tsuba-ti09/ - the fact that two companies are making replicas would suggest they are basing their design on a known pattern. I just have to keep searching to find where it is - perhaps Hector now holds it! https://www.ebay.com/itm/236930251257 not quite there but close possibly the same one on Yahoo.

Truly was a horror - the whole place burnt to the ground in 1957- I don't know if the tsuba were ever sifted from the rubble? But some elements of Laurelton Hall were salvaged : https://www.tefaf.com/stories/tiffany-s-fireplace-hood-reunited-with-treasures-from-artist-s-home

With the number of species - it is not unreasonable to suggest that many variations of namako tsuba are possible, not just one standard form. I guess each maker might have been familiar with what type of sea cucumber was for sale locally? From a thread https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/37315-value-reduced/#comment-386984

I can only assume the saya is missing and the mekugi no longer lines up with the mekugi-ana on the blade! Can you buy it cheaply? Rearrange the components and you could make a quick sale and double your money!

https://www.nihontocraft.com/tosogu5.htm Item # 139/17 Price $450 SALE $350 A late Edo cooper kozuka featuring the twelve animals of the Zodiac. Nice patina with gold nunome details. https://www.etsy.com/listing/4483819406/late-edo-copper-kozuka-zodiac-animals Well that makes three of a kind, [the Etsy one is the same as eBay] so what do we think "Shiiremono" ?

This tsuba is the Horse and firewood gatherer casting that almost always has a missing face.

Hi Keith, welcome to NMB. Firstly the tsuba images are upside down - even for us in the Southern hemisphere The first example you show may well be a cast copy and not of really any value as such - but that doesn't mean other people don't try to sell them at "inflated" prices this one also has some missing tail feathers on the Hō-ō bird [phoenix] https://www.ebay.com/itm/331466396417 US $450.00 is way too much! See also https://www.kyoto-yakata.net/sale/65124/ which seems to be a carved piece and https://www.choshuya.co.jp/koshiraeyokanagu/鳳凰図透鍔（鐔）　無銘/拵用金具 which is a much finer example. The second piece looks like a thicker version of this one posted back in 2019 https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28384-tsuba-question/ I would check the second one with a magnet, the colour looks like a copper alloy [Sentoku?] - it may just be the lighting? The third is a little too dark to see any pattern but it may be a rough hammered piece Tembo or Saotome type?

I think the shape was intended as Kobushi-gata and the indent was intentional - the crescent may have been so the guard can be used as a Kake to stop the sword rolling when there is no stand for the sword? This one has an indented section where the sukashi is, but the rest of the shape won't work for keeping the sword oriented blade upwards.

Some riding crop menuki examples - looks like they like to add all sorts of little "extras" https://www.eldreds.com/auction-lot/pair-of-gilt-shakudo-menuki-in-the-form-of-an-abu_00de908440 https://www.Japanese-swords.com/menuki-gallery/pages/015.htm There is a riding crop Kogai here: https://www.tosoguya.com/ko_goto_riding_crop_kogai.html

Good question - I have a few other guards that have been altered over time, this "Nobuie" has a really thin hammered up edge, I think this is often referred to as a "wire edge" that brings the mimi up to 7 mm from the plate thickness of 4.2 mm The crescent "bite" has some features that suggest it was made that way - but the small cut out in the hitsu is a little odd to me? I was thinking of the construction method for the placement of the "nata" sukashi. The outline of the guard must have been done first or else when hammering the rim, if the sukashi was already present, it would tend to bend that portion of the rim inwards. I suppose this is normal practice anyway to get the "blank" first then do any cut outs last.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1236017056 These are as rare as hens teeth [NOT]- there must be a lot of chickens with dentures!

Could it also represent the handle found on a tansu? or is this a big smile?

All from the same seller - they look like top quality pieces. https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1235901241 It is a shame there is some damage - fantastic work. https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1235911663 https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1235910668

From https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/24212-rabbits/ Posted December 4, 2017 Walters Art Museum has two https://art.thewalters.org/object/51.389/ https://art.thewalters.org/object/51.390/ They also make modern fakes https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CISH2471/cas-hanwei-hunter-katana-l6-tool-steel-blade https://www.ebay.com/itm/145103688014 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=183282680271327&set=pb.100057687870485.-2207520000