Spartancrest

I think it is difficult to tell if the design was first there and cut through later, or was carved up to the existing hole. In your example we can't see how far the carving has gone down the hitsu wall because it is filled.

I couldn't guess. It could be a kantei point for Seiryuken Eiju tanto - they all seem to have it? One here in a museum from Osaka https://www.ikm-art.jp/degitalmuseum/num/002/0020164000.html [Sorry to hijack the thread with Eiju examples, but they were a group that I am familiar with] [I have never been a big fan of papers myself, I like the tsuba not the ephemera that is someone elses opinion at one time]

The colour of the base material, [seppa-dai] and the "silver" looks wrong. There is also some paint overspray on the edges of the seppa-dai. Also when you look at other items from the same seller he has a majority of fakes - some "good" fakes like the two tsuba with horses - until you see the edges. https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1191847950 https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1191847950 both these horse guards have "shakudo" nanako but not when you see the rim edges in one and the hitsu walls in the other - shouldn't the colour be the same in all the exposed areas? Fine details let down by bad painting. [IMHO]

Spelling mistake? No, I am bewildered why this happens. I note that many Seiryuken Eiju tsuba have half the signature removed particularly on the tanto/hamidashi size pieces. Is this some sort of school quality control? Seiryuken Eiju Perhaps some signatures were obvious Gimei and were removed in order for the "true" workmanship to prevail? I have for instance a Soten school piece that was signed "Umetada Myoju" as an attempt to gain more money [poor attempt to deceive] It does make these "erased" pieces very interesting talking points.

Check out just how far fakes have come with their nanako-ji https://www.jauce.com/auction/f1191847540 https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1191843571 Luckily their paint work is still not up to scratch! Newbies beware!!

I think it is young pine or "sugi" cedar used in the newyears celebrations. Note the roots of the plant and feather like branches with the thicker three "lobes" at the top of each branch. I think the original image from Damon just shows it more stylized and simplified. Seen on this guard but not with the roots which are encased [Walters 51241]

Superficially the leaves look a little like Plantain or banana - but not the trunk of the plant - the trunk or stem is not found on ferns either. Not a Cycad or Sago palm - they don't have the smooth bark. Maybe a small plant or shrub? Daikon was a common theme but the leaves don't look like they fit - mystery! You might find it in this thread - big list of plants used on tosogu designs. Plantain.

I think the tragedy is Gary bought his books in bulk and then distributed them himself, [which is a great idea and stops a lot of "proxy sellers"] but once his stock is gone - it is gone forever. I wonder if his family could have his books transferred to a company that does print on demand? That way the books outlast the author. I do print on demand publishing and yes my books get "taken over" by proxy sellers who make whopping profit from no effort - however the books will remain long after I am gone. I am also setting up a system that pays any royalties from the book sales in the future, to a charity - we are not talking about big sums here, more on the average of $30 a month. A charity can make good use of $30 a month, my kids would get what? three or four cups of coffee. Just an idea worth thinking about.

Well first thing is they are not Karigane [Wild geese 雁金 ] they are Herons [Sagi サギ]. Geese and cranes don't have the feathered crests. The design is well known. There are even cast coppies getting about [not the ones featured on ebay which are iron and appear to have been mounted] I think I would agree with Thomas - a bit expensive. https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-010213.htm

A museum collection of 474 tsuba - but only useful if you are blind! https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/search/results?query=tsuba After all, why have a collection where only two have images?

There is some more information on this thread, that dealt with the same theme. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/34549-tsuba-school-opinion-wanted/#comment-363945

Wow - just three digits away from a phone number price!

Well first impression is why is the design upside down on the tsuba but it does remind me of this "high quality tsuba" https://www.ebay.ph/itm/226167463543 which at least is the right way up - even though there is nothing "high quality" about a cast copy - https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1182949396 - yes, sorry but I could not find an exact match with the gourd in the Haori design - so stuck with two horses https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/235953631259 not really a tsuba but a commemoration of a military disaster! Japanese Police, 1976 Operation Kikusui Commemorative Medal, Hyogo Prefectural Police Chief and Superintendent, Kikusui Crest & Sword Tsuba Design.Operation Kikusui - Between April and June 1945, thousands of promising young men were sacrificed in a suicide mission commanded by incompetent military officials.The chrysanthemum flower on the medal is a tribute to the deceased.

I thought these two examples [both from raindragon designs] were interesting in that both are signed by the same maker and both have had the seppa-dai cut into and later repaired - but they are not a daisho. Notice the repair is very dark metal that almost blends into the seppa-dai colour. and an example of "highlighting" the repair. Kintsugi (金継ぎ) is the Japanese art of repairing broken items. Recognising that it is the flaws and “scars” that make you stronger,beautiful and unique.

It does look to have been mounted, the sekigane show an imprint of the blade being inserted. Also the ategane 'repair' to the hitsu would suggest the sides of the seppa-dai/hitsu have been previously cut into, to fit a koshirae with narrow fitting kogai and kozuka and the guard was later changed to fit another saya or koshirae assembly. Most repairs like this try to match the seppa-dai colour [but not always] to make the repair less visable. I will try and find some examples tomorrow my time [after midnight now for me ]