Bugyotsuji

When you say barrow, it does indeed look like a seoibitsu armo(u)r chest with shoulder straps. (Nearly bought one just last week!)

Good point. Although some of them are made of elephant ivory, it is not easy to say what others might be, and I've never come across elk teeth before.

Unfortunately I think you are right, Jeremy. Possibly she bought them before the stringent ivory laws were introduced under Obama, but none of them look really old.

Despite the fuzzy shots I get a strong feeling (especially from the classical Chinese clothing) of Chōhi and the oath in the peach garden. Three Kingdoms. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/桃園の誓い

Unfortunately Jeremy, more of the same as above. Designed in okimono form a couple of holes were added to give a somewhat netsuke appearance. Same comments apply. Fairly modern, Chinese, and sadly looks like ivory which will make it illegal to buy or sell in most countries. The sticker likely added to make it look like an ex-museum piece.

Great question. I have a piece too, but feel the need to reserve final judgement.

Chris, my immediate thought is Tada 忠

Actually as it's unsigned I think the 'Soten-style' wording is better than outright 'Soten school'. Strictly speaking these were made within the *Hikone Han, the Soten being a line of smiths within that area, the earliest ones signing their work. Becoming popular, later they were apparently emulated elsewhere in Japan. I have a similar one, papered by the NBTHK as 'Hikone'. *Think of Hikone Castle, home of the Ii Daimyo family.

Saw some sets of those buttons at an antiques fair the other day. Not cheap!

Day trip up to Leeds if you can make it...

The second kanji looks more like a different -nari, i.e. 成 Nice object!

Maybe an X-ray would pick up more definition?

Alex, that is painful to look at. I am in danger here of breaking the 11th Commandment. ”Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s sword.”

Specifically Nihontō alone in quality and large quantity maybe no, but the Wallace Collection in London is well worth seeing, as is the Tower of London, plus the arms and armour in the Japan section of the Royal Armories in Leeds.

Colin (Matsunoki) is an expert in this field.

Although it says 細川家, Hosokawa Household, I suspect that someone has simply added that later.

“Who were the Shōami tsuba makers in Japan?“ I just fed that into ChatGPT.

Correct

The tsuba is unfortunately just too large to go on a tanto which has inlay of silver arrows all over the koshirae.

Besides the two seppa washers, you also seem to be missing the fuchi rim fitment for the tsuba end of the tsuka haft. See ‘metal sleeve fuchi’ in the illustration above.

Is there such a Japanese name as 求助 Kyūsuke?

See this for reference, Keio/Meiji, Yamashiro, Kyoto.

Did you buy a single lot at auction, Kirill?

Kirill, the first one has all the marks of a late 1800s Meiji okimono, the central nerve channel being used to pay lip-service to netsuke. Good work, the artist was possibly a netsuke carver first before the end of the Bakumatsu and changes in fashions. The second one (stork?) is hard to make out; if it is not resin it could well be a legit boxwood netsuke. The third one, bamboo shoot and toads(?) gives indications of later Chinese work, the signature written typically in a ‘casual’ manner to suggest Japanese, but not.

Sweet tomobako, and one looks like a nijūbako double box. Dare we ask to see the jizai, or is there a better thread for them somewhere? That reminds me to update this thread myself. I’ve come into possession of some nice bits over the last year or two.