Spartancrest

I just purchased a small Tanto tsuba, the dealer described it as coming from the village of Yagu not far from Nara. I have seen many Yagu 'Bell' design guards and this is also described as Tsurigane [bell] shaped which it is not. To my eye it is in the shape of a Saké bottle, even down to the pouring spout, I have another image that is described as Wakizashi sized and in the shape of a 'rice bag' [both descriptions wrong] Would anyone hazard a school or style of this guard and could anyone steer me in the direction of the European auction house of the similar design? The dimensions given by the auction of the one I bought are suspect [I don't believe the thickness is only between 1 & 2 mm] Thanks for any assistance.

For anyone else with the same book fault, image has been lightened for better printing and a spelling mistake has been corrected [Tmonobu > Tomonobu]

Perfect daisho - you got very lucky there!

From my opinion I think they look even better with the decoration going in opposite directions. [what if any are the size differences?]

Well the seller has delivered the 1 yen purchase to Jauce [surprised] local postage for it 1,150 ¥ - so that works out at about $13 AU. It is all adding up. [not huge but proportional to the cost of the item it is high]

That's the trouble with birds they tend to fly away!

For the book lovers out there - another one to avoid https://www.uvuloade.top/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=advanced_search_result&keyword=tsuba

There seem to be a few of the design about, this image is from the Varshavsky Collection blog. https://varshavskycollection.com/collection/tsu-0258/ The Higo example can be found at Iron tsuba. The works of the exhibition “Kurogane no hana”, The Japanese Sword Museum, 2014, p. 69, №56: Sugomori-tsuru sukashi-tsuba (Nesting Crane). Mumei: Matashichi (1st generation), early 17th century. http://www.nihonto.us/CRANE SUKASHI TSUBA.htm has a variant that is not very far from the design.

Yet another fake site - I am beginning to think they are everywhere. https://www.loveitive.top/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=101_114 Are there any hackers out there who can drop a virus on these people?

The not so funny thing is the 1 yen auction has now cost 300 yen for 'bank fees' and an extra 720 yen fee for 'winning the auction'. [wonder what they pay the losers?] This could end up being a most expensive 1 yen bid - imagine if I had won it at 2 yen!

Brian - I believe the postage rate will be a bit high to cover his costs! It has happened before, a 26 yen bid ended up costing nearly forty dollars in 'fees' and shipping and that was way back when shipping was around $12 from Japan to Australia. I will find out if he honors it, if it turns up at the Jauce warehouse. They are expensive shippers but I have always received what I paid for, from them. PS. The other one auctions off tonight [Aus time]- but I don't think there will be any takers!

Another site to be wary of https://www.teritive.top/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=62_123 Same sort of format with ebay pictures used.

Last night I was looking at a few online auctions and came across one with a minimal opening bid, starting at 1 yen. Knowing the object was modern, not that well made but came with a fitted box I thought 'what the hell the box is worth a punt' - no other bids appeared and strangely the auction was not withdrawn, so a 1 yen win and another paperweight to add to my collection. Elsewhere on the same auction site an identical object [I won't dignify it by calling it a tsuba] was listed at a starting bid of 20,000 yen. Call me crazy but are the dealers really serious with what they expect to get for a modern copy? At least I got a nice box to put something better in, the expensive bid had nothing else going for it! https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1009658715 vs https://www.jauce.com/auction/v780836906

I don't think Gold leaf will stick to iron by itself, it is either glued, mercury gilding or nunome. I can't see any cross hatching so not nunome. Are the photos taken at an angle? The guard doesn't look symmetrical. Very thin and with a slightly rough surface texture, could it have been gilded much later than when it was first made.

Alex, Thank you so much for that- I will print a copy and add it to my volume. I will send Justin Orr a PM in case he does not see the post. Once again thanks very much.

An old thread may have some information - fifth post.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/w1010216624

I have discovered two sites that are offering tsuba and related pieces at frankly impossible to believe prices. https://www.hispidair.top/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=34_186&page=1 Which has a wide variety of pieces both antique and more modern. The third item listed is a Nanako-ji shakudo guard with a single gold chrysanthemum flower. https://www.hispidair.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34_186&products_id=29082 - selling for $40 knocked down from $490 . . . . Now that is a bargain, or is it? Likewise this site https://www.phasiaon.top/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=advanced_search_result&keyword=tsuba&inc_subcat=0&page=1 which from the top tab address has the same logo and layout, yet listed under a different business name. They are selling a lot of ebay items - how they can offer them at a tenth the price is very suspect. I recently 'purchased' a hard to get Japanese book from a similar type of site for a bargain price - despite several communications asking why there was a delay in shipping I was told not to worry, it was because of covid delays - be patient. However after several months it was a no show. Getting my money back was a nightmare - the company evaporated into the ether and Paypal were reluctant to reimburse me because the time period for complaint had lapsed - all part of the bogus company's business plan. Sell anything at cheaper than normal prices, then get out and change their business name and do it all again. No product, all profit and they can't be tracked down. https://www.xnlmqiavscz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=567341 is an example from another site, modern but at least a third the price of comparable pieces. Anyone interested in purchasing the $40 shakudo on spec? If you do I will double your money if you can send it to me! But honestly it's a gamble I am not prepared to take anymore.

Ford I am definitely on the rusty side. Somewhere along the scale "We buy junk - We sell antiques" [My wife has come to realize that my short comings are as nothing to her previous two marriages - and she is getting too old for a fourth!] Ford we all hope you have many more years of wisdom to impart.

Just sukashi crabs - there are many more on solid plate. I would say the majority that appear are copies with very few ubu Edo examples.

A question my wife asks about me, almost daily!

Ford - you just can't trust anything at face value. I made a Ko-sukashi back in the 80s from a suitably thin plate of steel, cut the pattern out by hand [I had more patience then] took a lump hammer and beat it on some flaky sandstone to get a good texture. Left it in the garden for a week, washed and patinated it and was offered $450 for it [not a lot of money now but that was a weeks wages in the 80s] I didn't sell it, eventually gave it away to someone else years later. Bob. These off the shelf antiques turn up day after day - and no shortage of buyers! https://www.jauce.com/user/dj2hmyuc I wonder if they are made from old 44 gallon drums?

A form of modern Shibayama? [without the skill and lets face it without the destruction of endangered fauna] - My definition of Shibayama is "non functional tsuba-like object to sell to the uninformed". Totally over the top decoration, any idea what the price was? Not my taste at any price.

What opinions can be gleaned from this piece? https://www.jauce.com/auction/b1008381764 or https://zenmarket.jp/auction.aspx?itemCode=b1008381764 It shows many of the same surface features. If it is fake they went to extraordinary trouble, it is not something you are going to mount on a sword of course. At 2.1mm in thickness there is not a lot of meat left - any thinner and it would make a dandy razor. Sunny: Roger is right too many people are hesitant to give an opinion for fear of getting it wrong, some threads go unanswered for days or even weeks for that reason. Glad you stepped up. All opinions can be seen as stepping stones - we often don't know where they will lead to. PS, 'Mistaken' is my middle name!

I am not so fast thinking it is modern or waxed, I recently bough a small sized guard that at first sight looked too glossy [overexposed lighting in the photo] the secondary image was 'normal'. After I received it, under heaps of grime and flaked rust I discovered it was in fact 'glossy' and not waxed. I believe it is a yakite finish. It has been mounted at least once [see top of nakago-ana second image] I have seen many modern fakes and I don't think this is one. If you believe your example is waxed - boil in water for a few minutes, won't hurt the piece as long as you dry it properly. Testing is always better than guessing.