Spartancrest

Just did an English translation of FRANÇOIS PONCETTON's book "LES GARDES DE SABRE JAPONAISES." Published in Paris by Albert Morance, 1924. With a few more modern images and a lot more descriptions and provenance. Around a hundred pages - images alongside the descriptions unlike the original book that had a series of plates at the back of the book. You can find the original French PDF here - https://www.tobunken.go.jp/archives/PDF/library-books/9000AB4950.pdf It is a very large 178 MB.

There are earlier examples in published collections such as a rather common "Shachihoko" found in Michael Tomkinson's collection of Japanese art published in 1898 item 378. The sticking point is once again, when he acquired it? Before 1868 or closer to the date of publication 1898 some 30 years after the Edo period? Regardless it was made well before the twentieth century. Like this one with the 'pearl' above the lips [there is a version with the pearl in the mouth] https://www.aoijapan.net/tsuba-mumei-shachihoko/

The museum [Saint Louis Art Museum] was a little reluctant to "invest" in buying many tsuba, they did purchase 19 out of their collection of 385. The rest were made up of two bequests one of 24 and the bulk 342. The "tsuba" in question had to have been made well prior to 1929 - the date when the original owner/donator died [Mr. John M. Wulfing]. What we don't have is the date he purchased it in the first place. The museum acquired it in 1949 after it had been on loan since 1937. I guess if there is anything to take away from this, it is to keep good records of when and if possible from whom you have bought your collection - someday someone might want to know where it came from! The museum could have replaced their broken guard for a more "intact" version [but still cast!] https://www.jauce.com/auction/t1181766034 https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/Japan/en/auction/yahoo/input/x1122817965/ https://jp.mercari.com/item/m24767039534 https://jp.mercari.com/item/m89900590068 https://www.reddit.com/r/SWORDS/comments/1hilt73/mystery_tanto/?rdt=42410 This one mounted on a tanto with some gold applied. if you want to see what the guard should look more like see https://collections.mfa.org/objects/11570

It does add to their history - I don't think most people would mark their collections anymore, but then we have the ability to photograph and take detailed digital records. I just traced some more information from some old references, which can show how some information can get lost and now brought back together. These two images are two years apart and neither source had both sides published - goes to show that sometimes displaying the incorrect side can come in handy otherwise you would need to guess what the other side looked like. The Poncetton image has a paper tag attached to the nakago-ana & hitsu so it didn't have to have a number painted on - these little paper tags are a less intrusive way to catalogue a collection, pity we can't read the information on it. It would appear Poncetton didn't like stickers on his tsuba in all cases? fickle

I was doing some work on the Poncetton collection [1924] and noticed an Onin tsuba that twigged a memory back to the Hayashi Tadamasa collection of 1902. [yes I do live in the past! ] I found the images and tried to do a visual comparison. Both collections only showed one side view and of course they were not the same view! However the older Hayashi collection had a brief description which included its catalogue number from that time [1902] - The Poncetton image had even less by way of descriptions except for a tiny number at the top of the nakago-ana no. 49 - - the same collection number as the Hayashi description. Bingo!! That allows me to push the provenance of the piece back beyond what the Poncetton collection knew. The Poncetton collection cites H. Vever. as the previous owner and Henri Vever has an interesting Wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Vever Which in part states "By the 1880s, Vever became one of the earliest Europeans to formally collect Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, purchasing extensively from dealers such as Hayashi Tadamasa." He must also have collected tsuba, at least the one that was still in Hayashi's collection in 1902 (Tsuba are not mentioned in the article but other collectors of the same, such as Gonse & Migeon are listed) I guess the point is if you have any old collection numbers on your tsuba, please, please leave them in place - they may come in handy!

Hi David, it has also one of mine [one and only 'Hot stamp' Hamidashi!] Blink and you will miss it. It is really great of Mat [Mecox] to organise all the elements of his research into a single document - and on various subjects. Top rate stuff!

Popped another one out, just sent to the printers. - A bit bigger book of some 390 pages, single side view images with limited information. It will take some time to be released after I get to proof check the print quality. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tsuba-in-the-national-museum-of-norway-spartancrest/1147268270?ean=9798349985782 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-national-museum-in-warsaw-tsuba-collection-spartancrest/1147268269 https://www.thriftbooks.com/browse/?b.search=tsuba#b.s=mostPopular-desc&b.p=1&b.pp=50&b.oos&b.tile Cheaper than Amazon!

https://www.amazon.com.au/National-Museum-Warsaw-Tsuba-Collection/dp/B0F4K8RYFL/ref=sr_1_1 https://www.amazon.com.au/Tsuba-National-Museum-Norway-Spartancrest/dp/B0F4K6551P/ref=sr_1_1 Nine days to get listed - usually takes up to six weeks!

It has gone very quiet with responses - it must be Easter. I found these two sukashi tsuba with something close to the design on the tanto. Totally different technique of course but I think the B&W Kiri drawing was getting there. Happy Easter all!

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/37977/ An oval iris sukashi - the dimensions don't add up. From time to time in the collection measurements change orientation from Height x Width x Thickness - to H. x T. x W. Weight is never given accurately in grams Dimensions 3 1/16 x 2 1/4 x 3 1/16 in. (7.8 x 5.7 x 7.8 cm) weight: 3.2 oz. (0.1 kg)

Hamidashi tsuba both hitsu are open. It is for a smaller sized tanto, nice raised rim. Wisteria decoration (?). The ura side looks recessed to fit over the Habaki closer into the saya. There is some information in this thread about similar types. An odd one here https://soldiersmuseum.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=97 It says it was fitted with a thick wooden seppa but the one you have has the recess better made.

Twice the mistake as the cm are wrong as well - they slipped a decimal point. The museum has a few badly out of whack dimensions and shows far too many images ura side only. It is a relatively big collection and mistakes are bound to happen but shouldn't a conscientious museum take corrections onboard?

This is the Museum that just keeps giving and giving https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/37862/ Wow the sword must have been enormous if the guard is 29 inches across! Dimensions 29 x 3/16 x 29 in. (73.6 x 0.5 x 73.6 cm) weight: 3.5 oz. (0.1 kg)

Viktor, have you noticed the two main designs of these "Fallen Liondancer"? One lot has bare feet like your last example and the other are wearing 'tabi' shoes as in your first one. Nice paperweights - now obsolete even for that purpose! Ebay junk https://www.eldreds.com/auction-lot/inlaid-shibuichi-presentation-tsuba-with-high-rel_10B489BA6A [expensive auction junk] https://www.ebay.com/itm/285283666195 [worse than junk!] https://germaniainternational.com/Japan.html Dragon High-Art [] Tsuba (signed) (Item Japan 1-14) DESCRIPTION: Here is a very fine bronze Tsuba. PRICE: $485.00 Christies sale - at least his tabi are clean

It looks very grand, Soten or Hikone style. I think from the work invoved in making it, you could expect the higher price. Out of my price range as well.

Hi Louis and welcome! Perfect place to ask. I think the tsuba is genuine - possibly late Edo - not top of the line but good. Sages studying a makimono [scroll]. You are correct the decorative tsuba were not used in warfare as such - at the time there was very little warfare going on, maybe a few personal feuds. The decorated tsuba were a means of showing status or wealth, Samurai didn't wear jewellery as such and displayed their wealth in their swords, inro and tobacco pouches.

Nice pieces Gary. I love the long eared rabbit sukashi! Some extra information for you on the double Ho-ou/Hōō https://yokai.com/houou/?srsltid=AfmBOopYPekWwOoB7MaC6Y_dMh3LxyxYTPes2yP-ePy9-Gbuf7KKQ8CY https://cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl/en/catalog/512025 https://bibliotheque...re&o=bookmark&n=0&q= See the illustration section [back of PDF] guard number 26

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/8677/ - can someone close to Saint Louis lend the Museum a tape measure please. Just doing some basic image comparison the height [if indeed it is 44 mm] when compared to the width shows a difference of about the rim thickness - at a guess 3 mm? I don't see the guard being 44 mm in height to start with, it is much larger than for a tanto wouldn't you say? I don't think we can trust many of the sizes given by this museum. I look forward to seeing what the museum has to say - Dimensions 1 3/4 x 1 1/8 x 1/8 in. (4.4 x 2.9 x 0.3 cm)

These look like a modern design from sword part suppliers https://www.ebay.com/itm/256749986998 from China A little more exotic also from China. With a lot of Chinese reproductions they are often based on older genuine published designs - I haven't found the original piece yet though.

Bruno, yes some nice pieces, I discovered these when I was doing research on the Tadamasa Hayashi collection. Hayashi donated several of his pieces to the Guimet Museum back in 1894 - I am not sure what happened to the bulk of his collection, did it go to the Louvre or were they auctioned off?

Another from the same museum https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/37670/ - add this to approx. 20% of tsuba images in that museum showing the ura side only- Yes I have let them know, but will I get a reply?

Yes back again with more complaints - I just sent a message off to the Saint Louis Art Museum - I am sure it is just a typo, but can you see the problem of the dimensions given to this? https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/37636/ The Museum is also not very good at converting oz to grams.

It all looks off - that hitsu shape with the ategane is just odd - [where are my glasses? - - ] Oh that's right I don't wear any [Maybe it is time?]

https://www.jauce.com/auction/1180342028 What has happened here? It is not possible for the damage to have been caused in battle - not unless the attackers sword had cut through the sword blade itself. The tsuba must have been struck when unmounted - crazy destruction!

Piggybacking this thread with two new books just listed - both are Museum catalogues/catalogs and not scholarly works. Small collections with little information - picture books at best! https://au.blurb.com/b/12376932-tsuba-in-the-national-museum-of-norway Hard and softcover versions https://au.blurb.com/b/12376937-the-national-museum-in-warsaw-tsuba-collection Hard and softcover versions