Spartancrest

Map tsuba : from Bonhams sale https://www.bonhams.com/auction/20790/lot/578/an-iron-tsuba-umetada-school-19th-century/ one from the Liebermann Collection. They all look like Umetada school. The British museum one is a map of the world as known then, unusual with the wide border forming a frame. Snake is shiremono - very common Met Museum from the Stibbert in Firenze pinterest

It could be posted over on the Lion/Shishi thread https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/55087-post-your-lionshishi/page/2/#comment-575961 It might get someone who specialises in this theme. Looks ubu to me, but very worn. Obviously not as fine as this: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/19295/lot/42/an-iron-tsuba-by-myochin-munefusa-19th-century/

Has this appeared before? https://www.tessier-sarrou.com/lot/116199/15882152-koto-wakizashi-epoque-muromachi-1333-1573-signe-mei You need to search through the images.

You win!

You can get those genetic defects fixed these days with cosmetic surgery - Devilishly clever! Sorry but all I see in that Kozuka is this The placement of that rolled up scroll is just wrong [or should that be BONG!]

There is another with the same theme in the Walters. https://art.thewalters.org/object/51.265/ Handy having done a two volume book on that museum with a few extra bits of information added, Henri Joly has him mentioned in "Legend in Japanese Art" 1908

Nice! https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1220501390

This does not exclude you handling it - often! These things were meant to be touched and they often gain more beauty from hand contact. Probably the worst thing to do is just throw them in a drawer. One caveat being if you handle them with dirty/oily hands a wipe with a cotton cloth will stop the dreaded "fingerprint" etching. [After all it is no use having the fingerprint if the owner of it is unknown by the police! ]

A bit of cash needed for this as well! just over $3,000 USD https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/asian-art-furniture/metalwork/antique-Japanese-meiji-period-tsuba-decorated-box-dish-fujii-yoshitoyo/id-f_45586682/ Or if you shop around https://jacksonsantique.co.uk/product/Japanese-komai-style-box-dish-fujii-yoshitoyo/ £1,400.00 which is $1886.92 USD - - It pays to look around!!

https://www.tsukamaki.net/PDF/gary_montgomery01.pdf An amusing story of early tsuba collecting - and why cleaning is not something to undertake without research.

Yes the dirt and muck ADDS to the value - hard to believe but true! [but I did get rid of the chewing gum on one of mine! ]

Aha! Bi-metal consruction

Hi Mark, a very nice guard! The overall design is not uncommon but so far as I know all other examples are in iron so yours is even more unusual. https://varshavskycollection.com/collection/bizen-shoami-sukashi-tsuba-with-a-butterfly-design-early-edo-period/ https://www.flyingtigerantiques.com/ca-1600-large-Japanese-katana-tsuba-of-the-ikeda-clan-mon-form.html https://www.liveauctioneers.com/price-result/bizen-shoami-sukashi-tsuba-with-butterfly-design-a-cut-off/?srsltid=AfmBOoqXf04EdDxx-K4vRdHHHFGXVgEhwJa_3yaSjEVbIdiUzrIZBmu4 Very likely these examples have had the rim removed. MFA Boston https://www.espace4.com/en/collections/marugata-iron-tsuba-butterfly/ https://world-seiyudo.com/product/tu-030522/ Welcome to NMB