Spartancrest

I am no expert on kanji - I struggle with the crazy English language! But try these kanji ロバート Robāto I see problems translating surnames - even Japanese surnames can translate to "odd" word groups. 越前住 記内作 = Echizen-Ju, Kinai Saku But if you put this into google translate it comes out as "Written by Echizen Sumi"

Perhaps Gustavo Hoefs could answer this? : He has done several works and adopted one set of Kanji [グー ] which is pronounced Gū. This is close to his pseudonym of Goo However he has had feedback from Japanese and others that leaving his pieces unsigned in anyway is ideal - a view I tend to disagree with. If you are proud of your work why hide it? Also an unsigned modern utsushi just muddies the waters and creates future problems of authenticity and provenance. No one would like their work to be lost or worse, thrown in as some sort of Chinese fake. My opinion is "You make it, you take ownership" JMHO

Kannon tsuba by Kano Natsuo Halo figures, recent additions to older tsuba? A cross over from Kannon to the Christian Madonna - "Maria-Kannon" This syncretic icon was developed in the 17th century by the Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christians)

Yes I have searched and thus far never seen a CONVEX LENS shaped guard - it is not oval or egg shaped - perhaps it represents a grain of rice?

Granules of silver melted onto the base metal - just hot enough to pool the silver without it running off. Rare because getting the temperature correct is extremely difficult. Technique found here in:: https://ia801304.us.archive.org/2/items/arsorientalisar111979univ/arsorientalisar111979univ.pdf ARS ORIENTALIS THE TECHNIQUES OF THE Japanese TSUBA-MAKER By ELAINE I. SAVAGE* and CYRIL STANLEY SMITH** VOL . 11 FREER GALLERY OF ART, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION DEPARTMENT OF THE HISTORY OF ART, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Copyright © 1979 " An interesting variation is the use of silver in the effect called gama-hada , “toad-skin” surface. In this, convex drops of silver are attached to an iron surface to yield interesting contrasts of shape, texture and color (fig. 35). For rather subtle reasons dependent on the balance of inter-atomic forces at the interfaces between the iron, the silver, and the air, the molten metal does not spread out over the surface, but remains as drops with a well-defined angle of contact (fig. 36)." The technique does sometimes [mostly?] fail, I have an example of such.

The word for "Jew" in Armenian is HREA - the omote side of the guard has these letters - I am not sure this is relevant and would seem to be a bit of a stretch.

A Gama-hada tsuba from the A.H. Church collection [Ashmolean museum] Tsuba with gama-hada, or toad skin, surface (EAX.11186), Bequeathed by Sir Arthur H. Church, 1915.

I do like the illuminated cases - they are just not big enough to display a LARGE collection. [300 plus!] Max are the display boxes like these on eBay? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/147150238802

I found this entry mentioning Meiju From this site : https://datekatana.jp/en/column/tsuba-artisan-guild-independence-school-formation During this period, "Umetada Meiju" appeared. While possessing the skills of a sword smith, Meiju elevated the creation of tsuba and sword fittings to an art form, introducing "pictorial high relief carving (takabori) and inlay work (zougan)" to tsuba—a revolutionary artisan. The appearance of Meiju became the turning point in establishing tsubashi socially as "metalcraft artists." But I think it merely reflects a misspelling of Myōju. From Captain F. Brinkley's "Sculpture on Sword-Furniture" [1902] He lists a Meiju, Umetada Okada. 1640 - originally an artist from Kyoto, but moved to Hagi in Choshu and founded the Okada family. I find Brinkley very unreliable.

Hi Jean P. Do you mean Umetada Myōju? There is a brief history of him here : https://www.giuseppepiva.com/en/news/the-umetada-school-and-the-work-of-myoju/ As far as I know Umetada Myōju lived 200 years before Seiryuken Eiju. Myōju was born in 1558. Seiryūken Eiju (成竜軒栄寿) was the art name of Tetsugendo Toryuken, also known as Naofusa (尚房). He was active in Osaka, Kyoto and later Edo from circa 1775-1800. He was a student of Okamoto Harukuni and adopted son of master craftsman and founder of the Tetsugendo school; Okamoto Naoshige. Tsuba carrying his name and signature vary considerably in style and quality, and many even exhibit different kao (personal seals). The most likely explanation is that he ran an atelier with several craftsmen, and was only involved in some of the pieces himself.

Have you seen the cost of gas lately! Who could afford it!

Please please Santa I would really like this for Christmas! https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/miyao-a-fine-parcel-gilt-bronze-okimono-of-a-tsub-12-c-9dfc5ad8c7

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/an-extraordinary-and-large-lacquer-'sword-fitting-203-c-d594166dbd Got a cool $10,000 to $20,000 USD to spare?

An interesting take on the design please note the fan sukashi has been enlarged for kozuka or kogai. A little crudely executed? https://www.jauce.com/auction/1123954297

Wow! A rare CARVED namban double dragon tsuba - so many of this design are cast pieces - very nice indeed!

I think the tsuba, O-seppa and seppa just need soap and water - don't go overboard, the patina is best left intact. There may be traces of lacquer on the edges? You might need an ito specialist [Tsukamaki] to do a rewrap of the tsuka.

One going to auction now! https://www.jauce.com/auction/b1193004897 it looks a little older but probably still Edo? You know what I say "never just one!"

Two almost identical other than the nakago-ana: One in the Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/35193 what I find odd is the shape of the Met's example nakago-ana, too sharp for its age and little to no wear? https://eirakudo.shop/tosogu/tsuba/detail/324249/ a papered piece as Katchūshi I also see these on some auction sites - makes me think many are Edo revival pieces.

All aboard !

Coca, the Japanese daimyo drug Lords?

https://www.jauce.com/auction/t1229781619

A similar cloisonne guard selling at auction now : https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1229777805 starting at 150,000 yen. By the time fees are added in - this is approaching $1,000 USD

Well I got you all talking! Heck it was just a suggestion - I would like to buy a few of them myself! Not that that would be any guarantee they would survive forever. What is the consensus of splitting up collections? They never "go back together again" do they? + Curran - do you want me to name the prestigious Universities and Museums? There is a long list!

I did spot one cast copy and possibly two guards made for replica tachi mounts. The rest are looking OK and there are one or two I would like myself! Just a suggestion, but as we are really just temporary custodians of these things - any thought of donating them to a local museum? Along with the story of how they were found would add local value to them and keep them together. [Like I say just a suggestion]

Other patterns: https://www.jauce.com/auction/f1229523918 https://tsubashi.com/product/katchushi-style-tsuba/ https://tsubashi.com/product/signed-katchushi-style-tsuba/ and this one with no borders https://tsubashi.com/product/a-fine-saotome-tsuba/ [I am not confident with the sellers attribution ] - but he has found the ishime term - chirimen-amidayasuri