Spartancrest

Utsushi - is the word you might need. An "emulation" of a design - not a direct copy but a homage to a design that is well liked. There are thousands of utsushi getting about, but they often get mistaken for the same piece seen in the past - [Who can remember every detail?] I put some Mantis utsushi in my beginners book to compare to cast copies [yes it needs a rewrite] Safe to give the ebay images of your second tsuba as it has already sold https://www.ebay.com/itm/276633048733

Text Pdf available https://archive.org/...anischeText/mode/2up Plates Pdf https://archive.org/...ils/JapanischePlates Reprints from $22 USD https://www.abebooks...neten-9780331743/plp Originals can sell for $171 USD https://www.abebooks...21118&ref_=pd_hw_i_1 The Jacoby along with the Georg Oeder collection were taken by the Russians in 1945 - never to be seen again - unless they are hidden in the "Hermitage" in Saint Petersburg ? [Anyone with a link to get into the Hermitage collections?] I can send a proof copy of the Oeder collection with English translation to anyone who can give me a personal message with a home email address [the file size is too large to send direct through NMB] The Jacoby book was mentioned in the "Connoisseur" in 1904 and included an image of one of the book plates Taf,9. [plate 9]

I found this image from an old ebay sale "Copper 1800-1849 Asian Antiques" no other information on it sorry - I just thought the style and material were similar. [I think yours is far superior though] This one has a very close ura side design but the Katakiri-bori carving is a totally different technique to the omote view of Bruno's. https://www.proantic...eriod-1808-1912.html

https://archive.org/...SwordGuards/mode/2up

Wall hanging? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/196649348714 Wooden background plastic tsuba?

Yes it is not that far away from this design - just inverted with the sharp ends trimmed - - There must be many variants getting about. [but I don't see any religious symbology in this one]

Markus, you are correct about the guards not being on display - I should have said "they remain at the museum to this day." [Early in the morning for you - getting late for bed, here for me! ]

Sorry you are getting Ategane [or ume if you prefer] mixed up with Sekigane - because the Ategane are definitely GONE - the plugs in the hitsu-ana are removed - who removed them? https://www.hanbonfo...ifferent-tsuba-parts 鍔 (鐔) Tsuba glossary 当金 Ategane A metal plug placed in the Kozuka or Kogai-ana. Also refered to as Ume ( 埋 ) 責金 Sekigane A filler of Copper or Lead to to make the fit between the Tsuba and the Nakago snug.

Well Google translate can share the blame I do like the "Protection plate" - that is actually what a tsuba is after all.

From the National Museum of Norway. This museum could easily be posted to the Tsuba casting molds ? Almost 90% of this museums collection of tsuba are described as CAST - not true, but that is what the museum describes them as! https://www.nasjonal...ngen/objekt/OK-10048 The Echizen school tsuba came from CHINA [don't think so] Cast [in this case, yes it is likely cast to start with] and oxidized shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) with chiselled, engraved and pierced relief decoration https://www.nasjonal...ngen/objekt/OK-09443 Another CHINESE [no way] and described as "The Echizen School, Cast and oxidized iron with chiselled, engraved and openwork relief decoration, details in inlaid gold" Several examples are described as being Chinese out of their collection of some 64 guards. https://www.nasjonal...ngen/objekt/OK-07298 a Hamano school also described as CAST IRON "Cast and oxidized iron with chiselled relief decoration inlaid with gold, copper, shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) and shibuichi (alloy of copper and silver)" Lost in translation? Bad descriptions to start with! I guess I am just pointing out that for beginners - museums won't always give you the best information!

If this thread is dealing with "religious imagery on tsuba" we may need to broaden the number of religions - Hidden or not very well hidden "Jewish" Samurai Yes I know it is a family mon but hey that doesn't stop it being a religious symbol - the same as a multiple of so called "Christian" tsuba patterns. https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1151724941 https://varshavskyco...collection/tsu-0235/ I guess the question remains "just what defines a religious symbol"?

Like a dog with a bone - I found the Hotei image, in colour! [it was in my own records- needle in a hundred haystacks] and I know of another publication from the V&A that has a small B&W image "A PICTURE BOOK OF Japanese SWORD GUARDS" 1927 - a booklet of some twenty pages. Trying to save image space here but if you need an image with more resolution send me a PM. Boy on the back with Hotei's hat.

I am no expert on signatures or F/K This one is signed on the left https://ginza.choshu...j/r5/008/00_riju.htm https://www.zacke.at...th-kanzan/?lot=21438 This one on the right, image is pretty dirty. An ebay one signed on the left https://www.ebay.com/itm/276165246574 The Walters has a fuchi signed on the left. https://art.thewalte...or/nara-toshinaga-i/ and other examples of his work. I can't find any Monkey or Eagle - Sorry.

There looks to be a little "Chinese whispers" confusion between Hawkshaw's description and the V&A Hawkshaw states "two {2} boys" no mention of 'Chinese' origin - one carrying Hotei's hat. Which would suggest the boy on the back has the hat, as I can't see the one on the omote with it - not that the image is very clear. The V&A states "three {3} Chinese boys, one, on the reverse, bearing his hat. Well we don't have the ura view so it is not possible to be certain, but I would think Hawkshaw's description would at least get the number of 'boys' correct. For more information you know you can email the V&A and ask for either an image or a more accurate description - they don't bite, but they can take their time answering. While talking to them you might suggest they put some effort into their records and give a few size measurements and present the tsuba images with the omote view in their search engine and not the numerous ura views! Oh and let them know they harbour a nice selection of cast reproductions! [Far be it from me to criticise the technical skills of such an illustrious institution ] Marjolein de Raat <m.deraat@vam.ac.uk> Marjolein de Raat Assistant Curator East Asia

Obviously not the same tsuba. https://www.bonhams....apanese-art-part-ii/ From Bonham's sale The Edward Wrangham Collection part II, 10 May 2011 London It might give us a clue as to the design on the ura?

An altered colour image of Hotei - best I could do. M.308-1911 Tsuba, is made of brass with gold and silver decoration. It is a rounded oblong engraved in katakiri, a style of carving with a variety of line thickness and depth, with a design of Hotei, the god of prosperity, fording a stream, his bundle on his head, a fan inlaid in gold with a silver tassel in his hand. Before him go three Chinese boys, one, on the reverse, bearing his hat. The tsuba has a hammered-up edge and is irregularly faceted. Signed engraved by Shiryudo Mitsuoki [Otsuki School] Approx. length: 7.87cm Approx. width: 7.24cm Purchased from Yamanaka & Co. (127 New Bond Street, W.), accessioned in 1911.

They don't make it easy but I found all of them except for Hotei which the V&A don't seem to have a current image of - they can run but there is nowhere to hide! Some images are still very grainy. The Tiger tsuba in that image: https://collections..../O199603/tsuba-soyo/ M.20-1913 "This one is made of shibuichi, an alloy of copper and silver normally patinated to give a wide variety of colours from silver to brown as well as a range of greys. It is encrusted with a tiger and a leopard which are gold with shakudo stripes and spots. Shakudo is an alloy of copper and gold generally patinated to a rich black colour. Beneath the animals are tall bamboo, also of shakudo, touched with gold, and on the reverse is a second tiger and bamboos similarly rendered." Length: 8cm Width: 7.45cm signed Soyo, Yokoya school, probably ca. 1700-1800 M.465-1916 - YOKOYA Kozuka no other information. M.464-1916 - YOKOYA Kozuka no other information. M.463-1916 - YOKOYA Kozuka no other information. M.259-1911 - YOKOYA - Purchased from Yamanaka & Co. (127 New Bond Street, W.), accessioned in 1911.

Another more colourful example in the V&A https://collections..../item/O465753/tsuba/

there is an image plate 94 at the back of the book and the Hotei fording a stream tsuba was formerly from the Hawkshaw collection now in the V&A A round one in the by Ōtsuki Mitsuoki, 1766–1834 I just searched through 3,325 images in the V&A and they have not updated their records since this entry https://collections..../item/O187937/tsuba/ images from at least 100 years ago! This image taken from the Hawkshaw collection by Henri L. Joly 1910 [ catalogue number 2463 ].

I have been looking for this for some time - many types of nanako on the one tsuba. https://www.metmuseu...lection/search/35144 Unfortunately the museum does not have much information. Image has been lightened.

From Okan's sublime to ebay's shabby. strong design similarity with these two? I am sure this was not the intention of the thread but this is a display board of mine with some pretty common cloisonné tsuba on it.

Positive/negative manjimon

What sort of tsuba does the Wakizashi have?

I forgot I had this one!

I think you have found the culprit The texture and 'kao' on the seppa-dai, the eye and nose hole match - censer (kōrō 香炉) burner top. I even found a black one [image is too small for details]