Spartancrest

I will put my hand up and say I bought one years ago but I only paid $12 which is still more than they are worth - but a cheap enough paperweight price! Don't feel sorry for me - - I have had hours of fun bitching about the bloody things and trying to shy people away from them! One behind glass on Jauce https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1096574189 https://www.jauce.com/auction/e451593597 This could go over on the "Share the most cringeworthy tsuba you have seen" thread https://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords10/KY337224.htm Not just the tsuba but the file and scruff marks on the blade they are selling!!

The design is reasonably common, The practice of bean-throwing during Setsubun originated from a legend in the 10th century, during the reign of Emperor Uda, that a monk on Mt. Kurama escaped misfortune by blinding oni with roasted beans. The Japanese word for bean, 豆, is pronounced mame, which can be written as 'devil's eye' (魔目), and some believe that the pronunciation is similar to that of mametsu (魔滅), meaning 'to destroy the devil', which is why people began throwing beans during Setsubun. I am a little worried about the tagane-ato marks in the nakago-ana - - have they shifted any metal or are they just for show? https://www.slam.org/search/423%3A1949/ Perhaps Steven King can show some more similar designs, he has an example himself. Going on some other stock from the same seller - https://www.trocadero.com/stores/ConservatoireSakura/items/1465170/Iron-tsuba-Soten-style-gold-inlay I know this one is mass produced and not worth anywhere near the money they are asking!

But please don't fall for this "Hamano" mass production! https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/286451162808 or https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/286451162659 or https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/365486205999 or https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/387824172249 well I guess you get the idea! I don't even trust this one with papers - https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-050320.htm I have seen half a dozen with iroe that look just as good at first glance. https://www.bonhams.com/auction/18980/lot/15/a-bakumatsu-shakudo-tsuba-late-19thearly-20th-century/

https://art.thewalters.org/object/51.111/ The Walters like many Museum collections have rather dark images - maybe the lighting bills are high? The Walters has seven examples of Ichinomiya Nagatsune's work https://art.thewalters.org/browse/creator/ichinomiya-nagatsune/

One test will determine if it is cast or forged - have you got a concrete floor extreme test . . that there is no coming back from!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/156674455343

Definitely Northern Territory Aboriginal tsuba motif of the "Wandjina" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandjina

There are a few more Tanuki in the Chōsen Gafu book - One looks like a Kashira design you will have to look out for? https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24642 I also did a cleaned up copy of the book 154 pages of tosogu designs. https://www.amazon.com.au/Album-Designs-Metal-Carving-Chōsen/dp/1034179020 - Amazon and others want way too much, I can get soft cover copies for around $40

Two museums with very similar tsuba of Yoshitsune & Benkei at Gojo Bridge, both signed Kaneie - Are they real Kaneie or copies? Do we know if Kaneie made daisho? [these two are almost the same size]

Even if it is a cast, that is not a bad price - a unique cast? well it would be a bargain considering the effort in making it. [Confidentially I rather like it as well ]

Okan, yours ? https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q1169771894 or https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1169771894 Something similar on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/285348435808

What is the going rate for scrap iron these days? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/356728135536 $64 US Seems a little bit steep to me.

Just listed on Jauce https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1179272417 and Buyee https://buyee.jp/item/jdirectitems/auction/e1179272417 Out of my price range!

Not the same design but a similar discussion back in 2010 - I have not yet found another with the same design which is unusual if indeed it does turn out to be cast. Nothing to stop "one off" cast pieces being made, it would make a lot of sense and help to hide them. Bruno's example stands out to me because of the rectangular nakago-ana a feature of Chinese guards? See also https://colbase.nich.go.jp/collection_items/tnm/F-19668?locale=en a signed curved bamboo example like in the linked thread.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/s1179046309 Was the design too heavy? Crazy seppa-dai - my vote is cast, those holes have rounded edges.

Kurt, you have plenty of room for more! I looked in my tansu and swear they have multiplied by themselves - is 320 too many? [I am glad I don't live on a boat I doubt it would still float! - poet and should be . . . ashamed]

A lock, a cage - strong box. What can it be? Interested in opinions.

Even some "rustic" - and rusty tsuba can have silver inserts. https://www.jauce.com/auction/v1178919843 As Justyn has asked - are they inserts or is the tsuba made up of a three layers? [Beautiful piece by the way ]

complicated three piece puzzle for toddler?

涙滴型 Ruiteki-gata teardrop shape? Are we supposed to notice the possitive part or the negative part of the design? https://www.ebay.com/itm/405485770306 current ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/146411835301 Starting to stray

SHARDS OF NARSIL TOSOGU!

https://zentnercollection.com/product/Japanese-antique-tsuba-sword-guard-with-waves/

Cast, . . . . well yes we can guess that! https://www.jauce.com/auction/f1178689750 Can anyone find an intact copy of the pattern? I have searched high and low but nothing so far matches and I would guess they didn't make just the one. I wonder why they bothered to stick it back together - it wasn't well done to say the least!

Coin for the Ferryman?