Bugyotsuji

Not easy to answer as antiques markets and dealers vary. Whenever I do rarely see Edo-period tongs for a candle holder, as I collect old lamps and lanterns and candle holders, I expect to pay JPY 2,000 to 3,000 for them. They may be more expensive in a shop in a city somewhere. Iron ones seem to be rarer than shinchu (brass).　Open-air markets can produce bargains though. So when I asked the dealer if he would sell the pair separately, he said 'No'. I didn't push my luck as I had never dealt with this guy before. But then he added that he wanted ￥3,000 for the whole box! Those little ribbed spatulas can easily be ￥1,000 each. Well, that was a no-brainer, so I snapped it up before anyone else could get any funny ideas! Didn't even haggle. To be fair, the tongs were in terrible condition, covered in black and red paint or lacquer or something so it took some time to chip that away and restore them.

Swordjoe, (you forgot to add your real name) you have just downgraded me for suggesting 遠藤 Endo above.

The nakago shots are all upside down. (The end of the nakago tang should point towards you.) 天秀? 遠藤?

Perhaps someone can explain their use better? For everyday use when burning charcoal for heating a tetsubin, yes, but also for the tea ceremony, to keep the ash ground neatly raked. (What I really wanted was the candle/wick pincers/tongs; all the rest were a bonus.)

Very, very close. Think of a hibachi and its uses.

About 20 cm x 20 cm sir!

Tom, thank you! I’ve passed these on and received a note of appreciation in return. ( And whereabouts did you have it polished? Just a general, non-specific answer is fine!)

For Calabrese, who dared to ask! 灰道具 Hai dōgu Ash tools

Not quite the same field, but please allow me to use this old ‘quiz’ thread again. Here is a very humble box, looking like it was clumsily cobbled together with lacquered sections of something else. I bought it at an antiques fair for the contents. The kanji do give a strong hint. (No, it didn’t break the bank.) Will give this 24 hours! Underside of lid

Agreed 100%! Worthy of the ‘We like boxes’ thread!!! (Just add “some small repairs…” hehehe! ) Giving me flashes of old traditional suzuri cabinets. Well done!

Either reading of ‘Ta’ or ‘Den’ would be forgiven, but in my Kokin Kinko Zenshu it lists him as ‘Den’, as you can see with the names alongside in Japanese ‘alphabetical’ order. (+Alternative simplified dragon kanji)

Tom, there was genuine amazement about your blade, and the coincidence! My sword appreciation sensei was particularly surprised, and interested to see the Hamon which is different from another blade made near Okayama Castle which he owns.

Tsuba in tsuba. A friend tells me this was the first tsuba he ever bought as a Junior High student on a trip to Kobe about 40 years ago. He uses it as a (large) Netsuke. And

Yesterday the blades (and the assembled guests) were blessed at Imamura Gu shrine by the Priestess, before they started their new journey to the Osafuné Sword Museum where they are on temporary display. The TV crew were there to cover it. And

Tom, did you have this polished in Japan?