Spartancrest

In the Museum of Vancouver [Which states it has the biggest collection of tsuba in Canada] there is a guard, Catalogue Number - DB 134 which has "interesting dimensions" Diameter: 3.2480 in, 8.25 cm Length, 3.2677 in, 8.30 cm Width, 3.1890 in, 8.10 cm likewise DB 135 Diameter: 3.6614 in, 9.30 cm Height, 3.6220 in, 9.20 cm Thickness, 0.2559 in, 0.65 cm Width, 3.5827 in, 9.10 cm Can anyone spot the problem?

Auction image upside down https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1192628486

Hi Jason, similar thread here: Also on some impressive pieces. See also: [ title needs an 'S' removed !] The link to the auction in the thread does not work anymore but I tracked down the auction records. link here to the 2014 tsuba auction: https://www.batemans.com/catalogue/afb4f32c61312999f80895cc7c754b1c/9f72c1814b6f84555a7fe5bc5d559a1b/two-day-sale-of-fine-art-antiques-collectables-to-include/?view=grid-wide&searchTerm=tsuba&searchOption=1 Four have punched numbers added - unfortunately the provenance does not tell who or where they came from. Two show consecutive numbers, so it is likely they are all from one collection originally. Images even at the time, were very dark and hard to see the numbers. Image is enhanced with numbers shown.

Lets keep my mental health out of this!

What to make of this? Same image used for two tsuba - both about 5 mm difference between height and width, so which description is correct? From Cornell University. https://emuseum.cornell.edu/objects/9359/tsuba-with-design-of-plum-tree-raised-rim https://emuseum.cornell.edu/objects/9362/fourlobed-tsuba-with-design-of-plum-pine-and-bamboo--rai?ctx=32b8d7f61e2cbb8afc86a61a47e816b23292c641&idx=26

Zippo lighter https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/357280466122

Hi Bruno, that round section in the nakago-ana - do you think the tsuba was mounted once on a Yari? Very nice guard by the way.

Not entirely relevant to this thread but the design of the tsuba in the first post is very close to this one found in Malcolm Cox's Echizen Kinai download

A few hundred seppa to look through here: https://www.jauce.com/search/+切羽?page=1&n=100&link=&auccat=2084057815&query= 切羽 But not one "bohi" that I can see, you might try using these kanji in a search 切羽 they worked at least to find these seppa. They do exist though https://note.com/katana_case_shi/n/na6728882d815

These two examples from a thread in 2020 Half full sekigane https://varshavskycollection.com/collection/tsu-0297/

Just dropping this one in here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/126304128375 This one looks just plain "LAZY" no attempt at maru-bori - you might think it was laser cut and etched with acid! [OK probably just an earlier design? ]

This guard from a post back in March 7, 2024 just relisted https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1192098456

This one I believe was carved AFTER the hitsu was cut into the plate. So the design attempts to avoid the hitsu as much as possible, but a section intersects it. If it was filled with a plug now, there would be a slight lip I think.

All relative, 99% of fakes don't get close to this level

I think it is difficult to tell if the design was first there and cut through later, or was carved up to the existing hole. In your example we can't see how far the carving has gone down the hitsu wall because it is filled.

I couldn't guess. It could be a kantei point for Seiryuken Eiju tanto - they all seem to have it? One here in a museum from Osaka https://www.ikm-art.jp/degitalmuseum/num/002/0020164000.html [Sorry to hijack the thread with Eiju examples, but they were a group that I am familiar with] [I have never been a big fan of papers myself, I like the tsuba not the ephemera that is someone elses opinion at one time]

The colour of the base material, [seppa-dai] and the "silver" looks wrong. There is also some paint overspray on the edges of the seppa-dai. Also when you look at other items from the same seller he has a majority of fakes - some "good" fakes like the two tsuba with horses - until you see the edges. https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1191847950 https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1191847950 both these horse guards have "shakudo" nanako but not when you see the rim edges in one and the hitsu walls in the other - shouldn't the colour be the same in all the exposed areas? Fine details let down by bad painting. [IMHO]

Spelling mistake? No, I am bewildered why this happens. I note that many Seiryuken Eiju tsuba have half the signature removed particularly on the tanto/hamidashi size pieces. Is this some sort of school quality control? Seiryuken Eiju Perhaps some signatures were obvious Gimei and were removed in order for the "true" workmanship to prevail? I have for instance a Soten school piece that was signed "Umetada Myoju" as an attempt to gain more money [poor attempt to deceive] It does make these "erased" pieces very interesting talking points.

Check out just how far fakes have come with their nanako-ji https://www.jauce.com/auction/f1191847540 https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1191843571 Luckily their paint work is still not up to scratch! Newbies beware!!

I think it is young pine or "sugi" cedar used in the newyears celebrations. Note the roots of the plant and feather like branches with the thicker three "lobes" at the top of each branch. I think the original image from Damon just shows it more stylized and simplified. Seen on this guard but not with the roots which are encased [Walters 51241]

Superficially the leaves look a little like Plantain or banana - but not the trunk of the plant - the trunk or stem is not found on ferns either. Not a Cycad or Sago palm - they don't have the smooth bark. Maybe a small plant or shrub? Daikon was a common theme but the leaves don't look like they fit - mystery! You might find it in this thread - big list of plants used on tosogu designs. Plantain.

I think the tragedy is Gary bought his books in bulk and then distributed them himself, [which is a great idea and stops a lot of "proxy sellers"] but once his stock is gone - it is gone forever. I wonder if his family could have his books transferred to a company that does print on demand? That way the books outlast the author. I do print on demand publishing and yes my books get "taken over" by proxy sellers who make whopping profit from no effort - however the books will remain long after I am gone. I am also setting up a system that pays any royalties from the book sales in the future, to a charity - we are not talking about big sums here, more on the average of $30 a month. A charity can make good use of $30 a month, my kids would get what? three or four cups of coffee. Just an idea worth thinking about.

Well first thing is they are not Karigane [Wild geese 雁金 ] they are Herons [Sagi サギ]. Geese and cranes don't have the feathered crests. The design is well known. There are even cast coppies getting about [not the ones featured on ebay which are iron and appear to have been mounted] I think I would agree with Thomas - a bit expensive. https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-010213.htm

A museum collection of 474 tsuba - but only useful if you are blind! https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/search/results?query=tsuba After all, why have a collection where only two have images?

There is some more information on this thread, that dealt with the same theme. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/34549-tsuba-school-opinion-wanted/#comment-363945