Spartancrest

Reminds me of this! Delish!

Hi Bruno, I think this design is getting close to the third most common one ever encountered. They are everywhere - mostly in iron - I like the one in kinko you posted. There are 21 examples here from my utsushi book.

Colin, the only 'dumb' question is, one that is never asked. - [Quote from Confucius or me? ] There has been a long running thread on cast guards and within it there is some information on how the Japanese were able to 'soften' their cast iron works by a process of annealing. This allowed fast production of metal work [including tsuba] and allowed fine details to be carved into the softened metal as a secondary treatment. It also allowed the tightening of the guard to the blade by means of Tagane-ato [punch marks] around the nakago-ana. [personally I would still be nervous doing this] The spacers you mentioned are 'sekigane'. Glen and Dan De Rooy and others have amassed a great deal of evidence based information in this thread.

I think Glen has nailed it. The cavity can be explained thus: "Cold shuts are caused by premature solidification of the melt during casting, e.g. caused by insufficient casting or mold temperatures or insufficient casting height or casting rate. Cold shuts preferably occur at level surfaces with relatively large thicknesses. The result may be separation of coherent material so that holes, unfilled areas, as well as rounded edges and overlaps remain." https://www.giessereilexikon.com/en/foundry-lexicon/Encyclopedia/show/cold-shuts-3854/ Being an avid fan of "Forged in Fire" as well, I know that Cold shuts can also occur when forge welding is done without 'clean' metal surfaces but there is generally no large void as in this case.

Seeing things once or twice is usual, but when they show up in numbers you have to wonder? From Henri Joly's image [1908] these are not a new phenomena, though the first examples paint job looks new! Anyone got any more images of this design?

one of mine by Munenaga, Iwamoto school - I think 8th generation?

I am guessing it is not the pattern like these?

Alban a Woodblock to add to your collection. Battle of Dan-no-ura. You will notice the type of low sided ship. https://wasenmodeler.com/resources/glossary-of-Japanese-boat-terms/

The features are hard to see, not great quality, hitsu cut in later [really hate the lighting] https://www.ebay.com/itm/294849989720

Another variant some elements changed around but related to the fourth guard in the original post. https://www.jauce.com/auction/d1063676067

They sure made a few of this design - https://www.jauce.com/auction/g1055737662 One that got away https://www.jauce.com/auction/b1060869808 will find its home with Steves87. In we hope, a short time.

Just for fun I bought a 'pole, ropes and bucket' tsuba - see what you have done Grev! The one I purchased makes four of them that I know of - One being in the Cleveland Art Museum, I am certain they are all cast and possibly reworked to varying degrees. Facinating variation in cost - I can now say I have a 'museum worthy' piece [not] Still looking for that elusive first test piece!

Malcolm there is another contender for your tsuba image. Monju Bosatsu https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/monju.shtml and he does ride a Shishi. "Shishi: They are usually associated with rocks, waterfalls and peonies. On such a lion rides Monju Bosatsu, whilst the same creature crouches at the feet of the “Sennin with the Shishi.” Legend has it that the shishis tested the vitality of their progeny by throwing the young ones from the top of a cliff ( shishi no saka otoshi ). Should the animal survive it was certain to live long." from Henri Joly's "LEGEND IN Japanese ART" P.162

A nice Heianjo one with a sukashi mon - a little bit of both with some nice inlay as well. https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1055697146

A translation of the above mei comes back as 美春作 Yoshiharu saku. But the second character 春 does not look correct. Is it just the kanji style or has Google gone on holiday again? Any help for a kanji challenged collector is welcome.

Mauel, there is a 'daisho' in great condition here- https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1061687572 But would two different ships make up a daisho? Suppose so they are signed by the same maker.

Love the look of that one Roger - the new inserts should darken up with time, I can't see anything wrong putting back what was there 'originally' they were altered all the time in the past. Just my opinion.

Good one Thomas! I know they are tea whisks but they remind me of this. Yum

Roger have you checked this thread? Your top guard is very similar in design - especially to one of mine but yours has that something extra with "Amida Yasuri" symbol of the Buddha's aura.

Walters Art Museum one by Tsuchiya Yasuchika (1670-1744)

What are the thoughts on this one - banana or some other plant? What a difference when the lighting is varied. Nunome close up

I think the 'Shishi ' is a badly done tiger. HOKEN ZENSHI (also Bukan Zenshi) the Taoist Rishi, Feng Kan. Shown riding upon, or sleeping near a tiger, or in company with the two mad Sennins, Hanzan (Kanzan) and Jittoicu (Shi Te) From Henri Joly's LEGEND IN Japanese ART 1908 See MFA - https://collections.mfa.org/objects/12075 https://nihonto.com.au/product/yasuchika-tiger-and-monk-tsuba/ Like you say Shoki rides a Shishi

Bruno, I might have to go into collecting just the signatures! I don't think I have seen the same one twice!

Ships and the sea - you would expect a bit of corrosion. I wonder if there are any in soft metal? Or exclusively made in iron?

Hi Manuel have you seen this? https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1062696566 Also see https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1062683610