Bugyotsuji

I guess Nihonto were not generally used like fencing rapiers, i.e. to probe and prod and stab, but every option was there for the highly skilled swordsman.

Oh, this is very sad news. I wondered why he had gone quiet, but not this. A kindred spirit… We will remember you Roger! ❤️

Good questions Darrel. I have something quite similar, but unsigned, so at the very least no one can call it gimei.

Darrel, play with Tōmei + Kaō. 東明

Mark Radburn gave an interesting talk last Sunday to the UK Token members in which he mentioned the large side hitsu ana on Hosokawa/Higo tsuba as representing bait baskets for the lord's falconer. Suddenly I remembered Musashi's namako tsuba, thinking they were pretty similar but smoother internally, with no 'jags'. Thanks for the information above, Arnaud. Interesting. The thought that a sword, or even a spear blade might poke through the tsuba is a scary thought, though.

https://aucview.aucf...om/yahoo/w145131855/ Here’s a navy blade with the same Mei.

https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=武孝+銘　読み方&client=safari&sca_esv=557782243&hl=en-gb&ei=Th3eZISPCe6vhbIP_dKYIA&oq=武孝+銘　読み方&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIhbmrablrZ0g6YqY44CA6Kqt44G_5pa5SNwzUJoJWP0ucAJ4AZABAZgBYKABygaqAQIxMrgBA8gBAPgBAcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgIQKcICBRAhGKABwgIFEAAYogTCAgQQIRgVwgIHECEYoAEYCuIDBBgAIEGIBgGQBgo&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#vhid=Y_5KQPM201sI0M&vssid=l

No problems Bruce. I fed that 孝 Kanji as ‘Kō’ into the system expecting alternative ‘Taka’, but it can also be read ‘Yuki’, apparently.

武孝 Takéyuki (or Takétaka) have you tried, Bruce?

So are you suggesting that the bar sukashi could be an indication for bonsai?

Nice. Which reminds me, Alex! Mustn’t forget the similar blossoms of ボケ, (boké), the flowering quince bush.

Although, even in such an environment, you can see occasional elements of respect.

Although strictly speaking not a plum in the Western sense, umé is Japanese apricot, with beautiful flowers. The fruit is used mainly for umeboshi and ume-shu.

$1,450 is not way overpriced. Quite reasonable, especially if it’s been there for a while and the store owner is open to offers. The only question is how much you personally like the set. Will it give you pleasure every day, every time you set eyes on it, regardless of what others might say? Some things do just that. Besides, a really bling, er… uh… nice set will probably cost you a ton more than that.

Quick apology to David before reverting to starter’s topic. The word crude could perhaps be substituted for earthy or rustic.(?) Early I can accept, an artisan maybe playing with new techniques, but the design itself is not great art, and if not crude, how should we express it? Honest, wholesome? (Personally speaking, I like the tsuba.)

There are many types of squirrel in Japan, including Hondo-risu, Ezo risu, shima-risu, Taiwan risu, ji risu, musasabi, etc. The designs on the latter tsuba are so crude that it may be impossible to say what animal it is for certain, but the bushy tail seems distinctive. 'Risu' or squirrels featured in designs that came from China, but squirrels 栗鼠 (= 'chestnut mouse') stored up food, so they were considered a good omen, a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Combined with the inome, kikusui and kemari balls, the feeling I get from this tsuba design is general good fortune.

Which means Kiku (no) hana sukashi zu tsuba, Which means Chrysanthemum flower openwork pictorial tsuba.

The NBTHK paper says Karakusa, or foreign vine (Arabesque), but unlike the box lid, it does not commit to Tessen/Clematis. Also the paperwork says Heian-Jo hira-zogan, whereas the lid says Kaga Zogan. No date is given by NBTHK, although the box lid says beginning of Edo. Tessen flowers are generally portrayed in designs with six petals, but you do find five, or even seven or more as they became less real and more abstract. PS I like the tsuba, by the way.

正阿弥重勝、Shōami Shigekatsu and something about 鍛鉄作 made from forged iron?

Suetsugu is a famous name, with several generations, so it may simply mean ‘in the line of’ or ‘inheriting the name of’.(?)

Using wifi not too bad, faster than it was not too long ago, but if I use 4G (non wifi) I invariably get this message (for the NMB only), and I then cannot go back or forward so I always give up:

Yes, the symbol you ask about is two Kanji saying 必勝, meaning ‘victory is certain’. (The others come up regularly here.) http://www.romajidesu.com/dictionary/meaning-of-武運長久.html

I thought the same, but the dates do not seem to support that. So we have to consider other possibilities.

No critical eye at home complaining yet?

Great information, thanks. Now I need to reassess and look more carefully at things. Is that your cannon above, Alex? Very nice indeed. How big is it?