Spartancrest

I think, as Jean has stated, the first is either Hotei's sack [sometimes also Daruma] but may also represent a "furoshiki" wrap. [but these other designs are not to the same standard of quality - - that is for sure!] I love the wave and cloud sukashi

I hate the look of that signature and what is this "spot"? - a raised dot on an area that is supposed to be carved down - - does not compute! You could get a much better piece for much less and with more assurance that it was legit. Familiar "copies"? Looks like a pattern that should be added to "Please avoid at all costs - or it really will cost you!" A missing link to the Bonhams auction mentioned in the 2022 thread [below] is here: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/17816/lot/25/an-iron-tsuba-by-katsurano-sekibun-19th-century/

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/l657634473

Running total going up - 164 from this mediocre group https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1223290758 an unusual "semi flat" design almost like a rounded example squished in a vice. Determined to find 200 examples of these "rare" - "unique" designs.

John see Posted February 6 a MEKUGI-NUKI or mekugi peg remover for a tsuka. Yes I think a very serious "user" could wear it as a pendant for "that special occasion" when you need to remove your sword handle.

https://www.jauce.com/auction/r1222928203

Welcome to NMB Chris. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/33388 an example of Kaneie work, the Met has about fifty examples - Very few have any guarantee of being authentic. As Jean has said the blade age has no relation to the age of the fittings. The shape of the guard would suggest to me it is a later work - it is not a common form, which is a good thing suggesting it is not a copy of another piece. The theme is Jittoku & Kanzan https://asia-archive.si.edu/exhibition/kanzan-and-jittoku/

Okay Okam - - where do you do your shopping? I love that second guard.

Kōfu jū Namitoshi 70 mm x 73 mm x 5 mm https://www.finarte.it/asta/arte-e-simbolismo-dei-fornimenti-delle-spade-giapponesi-sarzana-2026-03-18/tsuba-firmata-kfu-j-namitoshi-183067

The guard looks very similar to a type of gunto guard with the rim removed - except that the majority of these have a locking hole - the guard in question may have been given a "texture" recently if it was in fact a WWII altered piece but the colour is not what you would expect either. Could you give us some dimensions for this piece?

Colin can you access Jauce in the UK? https://www.jauce.com/auction/t1221335764 Most things on Yahoo can be found on Jauce - just substitute the last set of numbers from Yahoo [in this case t1221335764]

Map tsuba : from Bonhams sale https://www.bonhams.com/auction/20790/lot/578/an-iron-tsuba-umetada-school-19th-century/ one from the Liebermann Collection. They all look like Umetada school. The British museum one is a map of the world as known then, unusual with the wide border forming a frame. Snake is shiremono - very common Met Museum from the Stibbert in Firenze pinterest

It could be posted over on the Lion/Shishi thread https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/55087-post-your-lionshishi/page/2/#comment-575961 It might get someone who specialises in this theme. Looks ubu to me, but very worn. Obviously not as fine as this: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/19295/lot/42/an-iron-tsuba-by-myochin-munefusa-19th-century/

Has this appeared before? https://www.tessier-sarrou.com/lot/116199/15882152-koto-wakizashi-epoque-muromachi-1333-1573-signe-mei You need to search through the images.

You win!

You can get those genetic defects fixed these days with cosmetic surgery - Devilishly clever! Sorry but all I see in that Kozuka is this The placement of that rolled up scroll is just wrong [or should that be BONG!]

There is another with the same theme in the Walters. https://art.thewalters.org/object/51.265/ Handy having done a two volume book on that museum with a few extra bits of information added, Henri Joly has him mentioned in "Legend in Japanese Art" 1908

Nice! https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1220501390

This does not exclude you handling it - often! These things were meant to be touched and they often gain more beauty from hand contact. Probably the worst thing to do is just throw them in a drawer. One caveat being if you handle them with dirty/oily hands a wipe with a cotton cloth will stop the dreaded "fingerprint" etching. [After all it is no use having the fingerprint if the owner of it is unknown by the police! ]

A bit of cash needed for this as well! just over $3,000 USD https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/asian-art-furniture/metalwork/antique-Japanese-meiji-period-tsuba-decorated-box-dish-fujii-yoshitoyo/id-f_45586682/ Or if you shop around https://jacksonsantique.co.uk/product/Japanese-komai-style-box-dish-fujii-yoshitoyo/ £1,400.00 which is $1886.92 USD - - It pays to look around!!

https://www.tsukamaki.net/PDF/gary_montgomery01.pdf An amusing story of early tsuba collecting - and why cleaning is not something to undertake without research.

Yes the dirt and muck ADDS to the value - hard to believe but true! [but I did get rid of the chewing gum on one of mine! ]

Aha! Bi-metal consruction