Spartancrest

I received this guard for free with an auction purchase of several other guards, I don't know why it was included but am not looking a gift horse in the mouth - so to speak. From what little I know of sukashi schools, I was wondering if the style was consistent with Owari mainly from the many curved elements rather than Akasaka which are more linear. The mimi is maru, the dimensions 74 mm x 70 mm x 4 mm and weighs 95.5 g. Please feel free to comment thanks.

Thank you so much for that - it ties in so well with the omote view of the guard. It comes from the D. Z. Norton collection. Image has been lightened for detail.

Has anyone ever come across a daisho pair where the larger guard is in iron and the smaller with the same design in kinko? I ask because I found a guard in the D. Z. Norton collection in iron 74mm diam. and one yesterday listed on an auction site at 69mm in what appears soft metal. https://www.jauce.com/auction/g499717457 I realize that they may simply be utsushi but the idea struck me that perhaps they could be a pair - what are the rules with daisho? Just a thought exercise.

I have been trying to work out this gold kanji meaning on a tsuba- anyone got a clue what it might mean? The mei reads Mitsuoki I believe. Many thanks in advance.

Well I don't see that idea being too good for the horse! He either gets shot in the leg or he bolts and throws the rider - and just how do you aim it without falling out the saddle or blowing your own toes off?

For those interested it looks like the Stallion has found a mate - or more precisely a split daisho has turned up https://www.ebay.com/itm/392407861489 I can't say I am entirely convinced they weren't worked on much later than the guard was made - despite what the NBTHK papers say.

True Barry except historically other peoples like the Parthians didn't even use stirrups and yet were renowned for their mounted archery - just ask the Romans - who also didn't use stirrups.

I think you did well with that purchase, the detailed pictures show the textures on the objects so much better, must look great in hand. Nice clean new box what a bonus, daisho boxes themselves can be pricey.

How about the cajones [balls] on this one https://www.jauce.com/auction/f507080904 first you take a plain iron guard and with your paintbrush - - - -

Sorry for a change in topic but would everyone agree that these images are of cast fake 'Jakushi' tsuba ? If so should I tell the museum that has one in its collection that they are taking up space with a worthless fake?

Do you think this came from a Yari ?

I like your evidence based reasoning - far better than unsupported opinion. It is a worthy acquisition to anyone's collection. The sukashi patterns may be linked to 'Tale of Genji'

I presume you already have this information? http://www.japaneseswordbooks.com/Fittings.html A shibuichi kozuka carved in katakiri with a group of horses playing, signed Suzuki Ichirin and kao. This artist worked in Edo and is listed in the Soken Kisho (1781) and was therefore working prior to this date.

They are a surprisingly common pattern and do turn up on auction sites very often, most are good quality utsushi but a few cast examples do the rounds. Daisho are rarer to find of course and would command a higher price but 75,000 yen is reasonably average for two. I supply an image of utsushi that I have collected, the boxed two on the right are anomalous as they do not have pierced windows. PS. an un-gilded single one sold for $40 last week - but the images were poor and there was no guarantee it wasn't cast.

Piers the print is actually up for sale on eBay, https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Kono-Bairei-Kahahone-or-Japanese-water-lily-1889-Print-60x80cm-/273887944921 I also found a set of original books https://www.biblio.com/book/chigusa-hana-bairei-kono/d/1291086764 but the price is beyond me.

Thanks Piers and George - I think you have put me on the right track. This is the closest image I could find that might fit the bill. Kahahone - a species of Japanese Water lily. I think the tsuba maker may have used a bit of artistic license.

Thanks Piers I had a look but not convinced, there are only single leaves on each stalk. This one has the Sagittaria motif, not the same plant. Wish my father was still alive he was an expert on horticulture - it didn't rub off on me!

I am trying to find out the name of this plant depicted on this guard - any ideas? My first thought was Arum but it doesn't look like plant images I can find.

Dare I say I found another one- https://imginn.com/p/CAUsn2CDYz9/

The crack had me intrigued for a moment, wondering how it had formed. Obvious that when the Ten-zogan was put in, the punch was applied too hard. If this is the case it is a construction issue not a later fault or accident. [ I can hear the scream of the maker when it happened! ]

Stephen from the others out there you got a real bargain, and they are all different, from what I see the design of yours is one of the more interesting. Throwing Stephen King under the bus here but he has a similar tsuba - it is the one listed under Gumtree https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/east-perth/antiques/rare-antique-tsuba-katana-sword-handguard-jakushi-dragon/1270358030 His piece is 63 mm x 60 mm, maybe two Stephens have between them a daisho?

Now that is a good thought, how wonderful to base a tsuba on the hamon of the sword itself! I wish I had the sword now!

Mauro I rather like finding utsushi, I have a good data base of a number of patterns. I like the way a single design can be reinterpreted in slightly different ways and still retain the essence of the original. . . . the difficulty is working out which was the original, not sure if that is even possible.

For those who don't have photo shop https://www.jauce.com/auction/g495345461 https://www.jauce.com/auction/k540242012 https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/east-perth/antiques/rare-antique-tsuba-katana-sword-handguard-jakushi-dragon/1270358030 https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_kogatana&tousougu&youhin.html https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/8038-jp-samurai-sword-wave-dragon-wakizashi http://www.nihonto.us/JAKUSHI DM117.htm https://imginn.com/p/CAUsn2CDYz9/ https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/3146-jakushi-tsuba/ http://www.shibuiswords.com/EDLjakushi.html The poem on these would read "When you are on a good thing - - stick with it!"

Wow 4 inches is big! I see some design changes, the ones drawn in Chōsen-gafu have bat like wings, Barry's F/K have eagle (?) wings and yours Andrew have a bit of both + legs that seem to be missing from the others - no legs must make landing difficult so I presume shiachi don't come to the ground? Take off would be really fun to imagine!