Spartancrest

Stephen The link should be there in the first post - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Clear-Jewelry-Suspended-Coins-Floating-Display-Case-Stand-Holder-Box-Easy-Use/352092267124?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Ken Goldstein Well I actually prefer brass brads or pins so they don't scratch the iron - driven in at an angle- but I ran out of the nice soft pins I prefer and the gong board uses the smallest straight cup hooks I could find, brass coated steel. Only part of my collection, about half in kiri boxes and perhaps 10 in the display frames. The taller display cases are good for kozuka (小柄) or kogai (笄) display as well.

I often receive my tsuba purchases without a storage box. This may offend the purists but I refuse to spend more money than the guard is worth on what can be expensive kiri boxes and they dont exactly lend themselves to good display. I came across some clear jewellery cases that are both protective and inexpensive as well as designed for displaying both sides of an object. At first I thought the tsuba metal would 'sweat' being sealed up, but actually the cling film stops any moisture or dust getting in and I have seen no damage at all in four or five years. Various sizes and colours are available but unfortunately some of my really large guards don't fit. I send a link, but check out other related sites because I am not advertsing for any particular manufacturer. I realize this topic has been touched on before but perhaps some newer members are not aware. Also include some standard display boards I made myself. The odd shaped one is based on a Chinese gong shaped tsuba I wish I had (It's a bit too pale for my taste but my wife said she wouldn't let me put up another dark piece of wood!). https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Clear-Jewelry-Suspended-Coins-Floating-Display-Case-Stand-Holder-Box-Easy-Use/352092267124?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Piers D Yes I have two examples of both, rather large for stamps and printed in 'gold' foil (these are stock photos, my examples are mint with no damage). The other design of tachi type I can find no trace of but the image proves they exist - just can't find.

Has anyone come across any postage stamps depicting tosogu, specifically tsuba? The only two examples I have found are the two issues shown. I realize stamps are not strictly tosogu but my interest includes all things tsuba related. The Nippon stamps must be rare, possibly issued in only one prefecture unlike most postage stamps issued nationally in other countries.

Remember those heady hot days when all you needed was a good cold one! But darn forgot your bottle opener - well tsuba to the rescue! The tragedy for this century are screw tops! Ps. Not a drinker myself! Oh and so the sword collectors can feel nostalgic.

George M. 'Post in haste repent at leisure' I spotted that guard on fleabay - catfish - yes that fits the thread - post. Funny I took in the fake nakago-ana and missed the gourd, well it was way past my bed time when I posted it and that's my excuse. You would pass out if you saw the list price on it & its many companions!

Here is a modern copy of the two catfish - it loses something in translation don't you think? That nakago-ana just isn't right!

Well back to the thread, Now these examples below are a slightly different problem. The Kinai school seems to have ended its days by students churning out copies of that schools classic designs and we are left to determine if the resultant horde of guards were originals, copies or castings. Many of the Aoi leaf designs were embelished with gold scrolls or tendrils and signed by various masters. However even some cast examples were reworked and many of the signatures were faked. By the way there are copies of this design being factory produced as we speak. I do not contend that all these images are of fakes or copies but it is very difficult to judge just from an image on an auction site, so particular attention to detail is necessary to avoid buying a dud. I just checked a Japanese auction site that I look at regularly and noticed that three guards of this design were listed just today. The image below is only about a quarter of the examples I have on record - so many in fact I have given up collecting anymore images of these. I bought one myself rather cheap and rusty likely a copy never mounted but don't believe it is cast. - My house has tiled floors so if I drop it maybe it will survive, not sure I want to find out though!

Roger d. Seems like I am following you around the forums. There is a legend that a giant catfish causes earth quakes - from Wikipedia: "In Japanese mythology, the Namazu (鯰) or Ōnamazu (大鯰) is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes. He lives in the mud under the islands of Japan and is guarded by the god Kashima who restrains the catfish with a stone. When Kashima lets his guard fall, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes". Old, I can remember when the milkman came to the house with a horse cart and we got letters delivered twice a day. And don't get me started on the size of chocolate Wagon Wheels they were twice the size for 6 pence! I do laugh at the tech nerds who say without the internet we would go back to the stoneage- ever hear of the sixties and seventies, no computers, no internet, no mobile phones and Dad went off to work and mum stayed at home and everyone owned their own home. What went wrong?

Jose L. Ubaldo That seppa could do with a replacement, don't you think ! Jean. The rabbits have been at it as well - sorry the pic is a bit grainy.

Stephen K. Like it or not - Everyone is on the 'spectrum' the only thing is most people don't know it - it's called being human. Knew this subject (thread) would not make everyone happy - " You can't tell a Mother her child is ugly." My own collection has quiet a few "Elephant Man" ugly pieces but I love them just the same and they all have a history, checkered or not.

Chris S. You are right, not here to discredit - I would not have stayed a collector for so long if I didn't see the beauty in it. If we knew it all why are we here? Proud to say not an expert just observant.

Chris. S. I don't think it was machined - it is a complex construction and really we don't have all the answers as to how they were made. Can you imagine the results Europeans would have come up with, molding iron in such fine detail, it isn't easy [just check out cast iron furniture, its not art work!].

Stephen K. If I don't offend Chris, I think apart from the corrosion your piece was better. Can't do much about past damage and no matter what we do at some time in the far future all our loved items will be piles of rust - just that we will get there first! My wife would not agree that it is 'work', more an obsession, that if she let me, would consume most of my day! [Don't know if I have mentioned it earlier but I am 'High functioning Aspergers' - always wanted a label! Social distancing is my way of life, this Covid-19 lock down is my everday. But my brain still works and as such I made up my own saying ' Aspergers means I am not handicapped by being normal.']

Chris S. The patina is good and even, I like it for what it is. Have you any idea how the tiny punch dots got there around the seppa-dai and the bottom cross shapes? They are something different, can't work out what that means. Was the finisher doodling with his tools or did it happen much later?

George M. Just getting back to you, I have found a picture of a rather too common fuchi with kabuto decoration, I know its common because I had one just the same (for the life of me can't find it though) So there was/is a huge industry pushing out copies of all sorts of fittings and no doubt the sword collectors will include swords as well - just who when and where I don't know - the why is always money!

Chris S. & Stephen K. Well they look like a much better guard in this design than average, obvious fine carving but what worries me Chris is the chip on the top, a casting spill bottom right and the fact it has no evidence of being mounted. Comparing yours and Stephen's you can see they have differences in the inner ring of 'petals' or ornament. Stephen's likewise shows no evidence of having been mounted, it too has fine carving and the eyes as he says look like inlay,also the 'seppa-dai' is finer. What I can't decide is if the beading is faulty or has suffered bad corrosion. From the pictures I can't tell if the beading on Stephen's is hemispherical or just curved in one direction. Don't shoot the messenger, but that cast over-run at the bottom does not bode well, as I think I may have said before a lot of cast guards were reworked (Izarae) to bring out the finer detail. If indeed Chris's guard is Hizen then the Hizen school must have done some casting. I can only go on what I see, to prove my observations check the comparative pics of both guards and the highlighted areas. Sorry but you did ask.

Grev. "Hi Dale The link is a description not place to buy the V2" You will get me into trouble if you want to buy a V2 - I understand they were not very popular about 70 years ago!

I am unsure of the production methods, some of the castings are very detailed and I would think lost wax method unlikely. When did injection molding of iron start? There are some copies that look stamped out like coins, this is not some backyard operation it is high tech factory production. I know a lot of Kinai school pieces were production line produced copies of famous designs. I think that the majority of iron copies are older than 40 years - examples in 19th century collections are evident. I did just purchase some obvious repro menuki (Gold as it happens). That I intended to use as decoration on my tsuba display boards, they are still on their way. Paid 1,000 yen about $12, the seller must have heaps he sells them in batch lots!

In Australia it's 'dodgy' or 'a bit dodgy', there is a gradient !

George M. Menuki are not my thing - but have certainly seen many that look alike to me, there are also a lot of fuchi that turn up, not the obvious Chinese fakes and modern sword shop manufacturers but once again looking ubu but there are just too many of the same design and not utsushi because they are too much alike. Namban: don't get me started. I have a page layout from my book here, its a bit blurry because of the way I copied it, I have retyped my comments in the lower right corner, it should be noted that a lot of copies have also included tagane-ato imprints in the casting and not added by a chisel so dont try to adjust in this way you will only get a broken replica! Also I have some examples of one of the most common namban dragon cast copies.[The pages have the alternative spelling of nanban.] As well you may not like the other composite picture that shows a range of copies that are very common - and some adorn the collections in the worlds best Museums. There are also copies done in soft metals that are also common.

Just checked his site - all his gear, and some of it very nice, is eye wateringly priced ! Out of my league. https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=hirotakahori&item=114176467435&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR10.TRC1.A0.H0.Xtsuba.TRS1&_nkw=tsuba&_sacat=0

Grev Like I said not a tech head - see if this works ABE BOOKS has Public Domain/ Metro Vol 2 from US$ 37.65 https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?isbn=0464534364&clickid=39fXoEwvlxyORKSwUx0Mo3k3UkixSGX4xUpMRU0&cm_mmc=aff-_-ir-_-64613-_-77416&ref=imprad64613&afn_sr=impact Living on opposite sides of the planet has its timing difficulties!

Roger 2 Glad you didn't do that swim across - the water is a bit chilly, you do realise it's nearly ten times the distance of the English channel, have you tried that before? To keep the thread moving I include another set of copies that may upset a few collectors - it upset me! My very first guard I ever purchased turned out to be a fake ! At least my example is of better detail than this lot and probably had some izarae [finishing]. It shows a Chinese General and Sage from a famous Chinese legend.[ Looks like the General is trying to read the other guys newspaper ]