Spartancrest

A super rusty one makes five! https://www.jauce.com/auction/f1068140619

Okan - not so fresh [just a better image. ] Book - Serious Suriage Damage? [your idea] Damnedest Cut! or how about "Leave the bloody things alone!"

Luca, you would make a good detective! Colin, "Synchronicity" [it happens to me all the time. ] The double even has those "dimples"(?) on the semicircular side panels - no idea what they represent?

Or three? This one with inlay! https://www.jauce.com/auction/t1067947541 - Uniique NOT.

Well I found the original shape of that cherry branch one. There are some slight differences with the decoration so it is unlikely they are cast. Might make a "forced" daisho? https://www.jauce.com/auction/d1067356293 https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1056992179

I have seen many "everyday" objects with tsuba designs,- trivets, beltbuckles, coasters, cake molds/moulds and candlesticks most are made of course in Japan. These Zippo lighters are branded "Made in USA" It seems a strange subject for a firelighter. https://www.jauce.com/user/nudmr48674?search=tsuba https://jp.mercari.com/item/m64078098798 https://jp.mercari.com/item/m93002899452 No great shakes as far as design or execution but hey if a samurai needs a lighter who is going to say no? Who knew?

Kosuke-tagane [worm eaten] around the rim something a few smiths used including Nobuiye, Saotome or even Jingo amongst others. Not much help in narrowing it down. Reminds me a little of one of mine - maybe just the wide rim? Still no help as I can't put an attribution on mine!

Okan, I would say it comes from something original not too dissimilar to these perhaps?

Piers -

Just looking at the nakago-ana I would say modern cast fake. It is in with three other guards that also don't look correct- I like the description by the seller - " Sword accessories Items like sword guards." https://www.jauce.com/auction/m1067617040 The question still remains was it based on a "true" guard and did that guard originally have a rim?

I think it represents 'Fundo'- weights or as this link says "counterweights" https://www.aoijapan.net/tsuba-mumei-ko-shoami-fundocounterweight-patterns/ You will see the small weights on the edges linking the rim - also the inner design is similar to the kogai hitsu outline. The small quarterfoil shapes are seen here with 'flying geese' and they may also represent Karahana [Chinese flowers] Sparse symmetrical openwork of four voided quatrefoils joined by groups of karigane [EAX.10012] to form a lozenge-shaped device Hope this helps.

Late new entry- https://www.jauce.com/auction/d1067356293 They do show the side view of the 'stems' but the patina [or rust] hides any cut marks. I strongly believe this guard was not made without a rim, it is just too jagged.

Jason!

Maybe the last guy drowned!

Beware of the "Blue-Bat of Unhappiness" he can really crap on your roof!

Mauro - do you think it could symbolize blood? Or a clan colour?

The lady is the Aoi, screened from prying eyes.The whip is the man, strength and dominance.

Hi David I am trying to get a much more interesting book out before Christmas, the complete collection of tsuba in the Walters Art Museum - about 800 pages in two volumes, in my opinion they have a better collection than the Metropolitan. I have changed my style a little and where possible I have added associated items from the mounted examples such as F/K, tsuka kozuka and kogai with a few umabari thrown in. In other spots I have added legends or woodblock prints dealing with the subject matter on the tsuba. I must say the Walters Museum has been very helpful and has supplied several "hard to get" images not found in their on-line collection. You might find the Met book a bit disapointing because of the print quality, the glossy paper option would have been very expensive costing around $200 which I thought was excessive so it is only available in 'economy colour' to keep the price within reach. You can always contact me with a personal message, I very likely can get any of the books sent much cheaper than the book dealers. Regards.

Late post, it took me a while to find the image. Nowhere near as nice as the Hamano but the same design by a less skilful maker. [The cicada could do with a diet!]

Hi Roger The business end of town [close to the river] was flooded for a few hours yesterday - I am 24 m further up in elevation, if we get flooded please send a submarine because half the state will be under water! Hate to say it but it is a bit of a news beatup for us, but more serious inundation for smaller centres like Deloraine [central North of Tassie] Sorry David for highjacking your thread I am actually struggling to find another guard like yours - which is not a bad thing, but 'unique' pieces are difficult to to assign school or period. Jean is very likely correct in it being Hizen or made somewhere around Nagasaki(?)

I was wondering if the large symbol on the cross piece might be a Vajra? But it looks like some archaic Chinese symbol. The 'spiral square' is what is called "greek fret" but obviously not Greek and not Manji pattern as it would have a swaztika like pattern I hope someone can come in with some more helpful information. I like the shape of the guard not a common shape at all, it has the look of wooden fretwork seen over temple doorways. Kumiko patterns -

David, another with the same pattern [crude]. https://www.jauce.com/auction/k1067110802

Well there is some confusion about the correct way to orientate the guard - "true" tachi should be orientated as you have in the image, but as "true" tachi don't have hitsu and yours does, it should be the other way up - now this is where the confusion comes in, some tachi were later altered to be used on katana etc. so what we need to find out is, was it altered or was it made that way? One guard in the Metropolitan Museum of Art with two hitsu the same shape but larger. One side has been altered for use, then repaired later. I would say the fukurin has been added on yours much later than the hitsu - but not absolutely possitive.

I think Bruno has it covered - Chapter headings from the "Tale of Genji" https://tsubakansho.com/tag/genji/ David the image Alamy is trying to sell in that clip is in the public domain for free from the Rijksmuseum in Amstedam Number- AK-MAK-1112 - I know because I did a book on the whole collection. How far from the Museum do you live? You can probably get a closeup view!

Derek your design is very good - I say stick with it. The extra hole is a classic water droplet theme and is perfect for the crashing waves. Richard I love that "corrugated iron" look on the sukashi rain dragon - wow! I don't know about America but here in Australia a heck of a lot of homes are covered by corrugated iron roofs, all trying to keep the 'rain' dragon out!