Spartancrest

OMG - from the Stevie Wonder school of tsuba decoration. I love the lopsided seppa-dai [Not] Well it is a lot cheaper than the estimates, but still way over the odds, on Mercari https://jp.mercari.com/item/m52104238755 identical images.

I am beginning to think Nobuie made nothing else! https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1229171949 I do like the udenuki-ana. https://www.bonhams.com/auction/22472/lot/99/a-nobuie-tsuba-edo-period-17th-century/

https://www.legacyswords.com/portfolio/sadayuki-tsuba/ This one sadly sold. Another either an utsushi or degraded from the other sale appeared about a month ago on Jauce - it did get a lot of interest. https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1226150302 seen these? https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1026816107 https://www.jauce.com/auction/j1227489912

That's because I don't have a life! The thread for that image is here https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/14733-udenuki-no-ana-two-holes-near-edge-of-tsuba/

https://xmhqqg.dlubowitz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=13979&sid=6XDvntj The site won't open for me either but the image is able to be copied. When I tried to search the second image I get a link including Yahoo Auctions. But still won't show where it originated. Need a froggy tsuba? https://www.jauce.com/auction/w1228933639 Heads up it is a "popular" cast piece! Note the simulated sekigane!

Mine is a bit odd, the cut out in the hitsu goes the wrong way? I like the udenuki-ana on yours, they are unusual on an already sukashi guard. I don't know how many like it there might be? This one from a post last year might interest you. Posted January 3, 2025

Is this the same piece? - found on another site

Matt lovely piece - coincidence as I just won one on auction but I have no idea what I will find under the dirt and rust! Do you think Nobuie was a "Nutter for Nata"?

Fred W. has this one up on his site: Fred needs to check his images - same side view of the guard, no ura view, https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/37749/ a Nata on the back like Bruno's and Grev's examples - must be a meaning there?

Total AI [with a little help from me!] [Funny thing is the nakago-ana is one of the few bits original!]

From Hiroshima - the lights do flicker a bit in the room!

Long time between examples - https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1228610297 Anyone seen a tsuba on a tsuba on a tsuba?

Well what is a best seller? Would 150 copies make the list? Maybe the GLOBE they refer to is a small neighbourhood 15 km from Adelaide in South Australia? Who is the guy that bought a copy in Globe? I want a Mink cover for such a "Highly prized, Bestseller"

Just a heads up with buying tosogu books from eBay and Amazon - the proxy "mark up" is a crime! One from Stephen King. https://www.amazon.com.au/Collecting-Tsuba-S-J-KING/dp/1006317686 $303.00 Someone is making a lot of money from his older book. And it isn't Stephen! Also one of my books https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/287105470242 - It was never legally published in a leather cover and the "mark up" is just plain theft! Anyone know a good lawyer? Oh great another one! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/287111967928

It might not be real - BUT I WANT IT! Dalek tsuba- WHO could resist!

I loved your first prototype and the new ones look very elegant without being overpowering. I wish you every success with these, are you planning to market them? I hope you don't mind me adding the earlier thread for the new people? https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/44246-tsuba-stand/

Hey I had to do this by hand - where was AI when I needed it! Where is the AI "kill switch?"

Looks oddly "oily" - not impressed with the "paint on highlights"

bit better image from Brit Museum Find it here: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1952-0211-42 One for sale with papers? https://world-seiyudo.com/product/tu-070924/ The rotund guy has a slightly terrified look. May have sold? https://www.seiyudo.com/tu-070924.htm One "tsuba?" from the British Museum that probably shouldn't be there! https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2003-0909-2

Not enough gold! AI will be the death of us! You will never be able to trust any image ever again! Personally I prefer a tartan texture!

My stepdad used to do that when attaching the ends of his fishing pole together. Puts a new meaning to "sticking your nose in to something"

This example from a still active company with hundreds of faked/copied designs, operating out of Osaka https://www.jauce.com/user/9sBuThXpTqPVk2Hk6fEs19XhMiFkU?&search=tsuba&n=100&page=1 I did toy with the idea of doing a catalogue with the fakes and the original piece they are based on - but it might end up being a very very thick book!

If it is lacquer I would leave it, it is difficult to remove without taking patina off at the same time - keep moisture away from it - moisture under lacquer will do more damage than unlacquered metal. Lots of tips here but not much dealing with lacquer I think.

Hi Tim welcome to NMB. Do they have Terrazzo corn snakes in Japan or something similar? No menuki on the tsuka?

[I guess the word "utsushi" wasn't in the vocabulary of these early collectors?] From "Ornamental Ats of Japan" 1884 by George Ashdown Audsley - "Although we have in the course of our studies, examined thousands of guards, we do not remember ever to have seen two exactly alike" From "The Scottish Arts Review Vol 1 Japanese sword-guards" by J. P. MacGillivray 1888-89 - "From the variety of designs it would almost seem a first principle with makers of sword-guards in Japan that there should be no two alike. There is nothing characteristic of wholesale manufacture about them." Wow how things have changed!