Robin

Nice one! Most certainly Bizen....or at least made like Bizen. I tried to find the mark, but without succes. I think it's a carved personal mark from the potter. Kilns mostly use stamps. It's either a sake bottle, a bud vase...or both. When you want to clean it for use....better not use soapy stuff. It might not be fully glazed inside. You might end up with soapy sake for a long time when you do that. Water with some alcohol is probably best...it won't do any harm.

Thanks! I seen it while searching this forum for more info....and found another "chart" with a little more on it. Same disclaimer...it's not mine. Source: http://www.users.on.net/~coxm/?page=TsubaII Oh...and almost the same second tsuba there. With mei...without kakine. Also suggesting clouds...like Steve did.

Thanks! Well yeah, they're not very subtle...to say it mildly. The second one reminds me a bit of Oribe pottery. Brutal, abstract and organic. Pairs of shishi lions perhaps? The meaning of the kakine # stamps is also unclear...to me anyway.

Or...Tempo, Tembo, Tenbo....pick whatever name you like. I prefer: Tenpo....for no reason. A well hammered rough surface...smooth rim though. Dai-shi kokuin stamps, udenuki-ana, lead ume. And since it takes two to tenpo... 10 cm x 9.4 cm Brutally stamped with....uhh? ideas? and more faint kakine stamps. Brass and silver (or shakudo) ten zogan. Still waiting for this one...so not in hand yet. Robin

lovely! a bowl deserves to be used, after all that's their purpose and it makes them shine.

Dazzle painting! I'm a huge fan of it! Highly debatable whether it was useful or not, but good for morale and it looks spectacular.

The lenght of many blades is such I suspect they measured the full lenght instead of the nagasa. I'm just short of 180 cm and I use 2.45. Anything above 2.5 and I won't be able to get the blade out of the saya properly! An average Japanese man around 1700 was about 165 cm. "recommended blade lenght" about 2.35. A nagasa of 2.8 and 2.9...not likely.

I presume most seen at least some of the wonderful Kuniyoshi woodblock prints of the 47 Loyal Retainers. Here you have them all together... https://issuu.com/roningallerynyc/docs/47roninbook I wasn't sure where to post this...hope this is the right place. These prints are not only beautiful...they're also interesting for several reasons. The "fashion" on the prints seems to be late Edo...when the prints were made. Around 1847. The striking bold white triangles remind me of the Shinsengumi. Also noticeable...the very ornate and colourful koshirae. Anyway...enjoy Robin

That's where I am now also. I made a couple of mistakes...luckily no expensive mistakes, but lessons learned from it. Personal taste develops over time. It can narrow down...or widen...or even change I guess. I'm not "into" Nanban and (over the top) gold and glitter are just not my thing. No matter how skillful and intricate. I admire the skills involved to make them, but that's about it. My personal taste is more in the direction of fairly basic designs. Tsuba made to be used...not to show off status or wealth. It's nice to compare the first 2 you showed. I like both for different reasons. How I see them (others will see it differently for sure).... The first...main focal point is obviously the lovely scenery on the bottom part. The distant hills / mountains....(enzan) give some depth to the scene. I don't think they're too simple compared to what's going on downstairs. They complement the scene, without drawing too much attention. The second is overall a more still misty scenery. Less straightforward, more moody and romantic. I like it a lot! More 3 dimensional than the first. The mountains stand out much more on this one. Perhaps even a bit too much? The third.... I don't find it very exciting. This is just how I see them with my taste and preferences. It's no judgement regarding quality, value and craftmanship. Robin

Well, no...of course not. Nobody should use an agressive way to clean up art. I was just saying it still looks charming and has a nice appealing shape. Lost detail no matter what caused it is always a pitty, but I still like it. It went rather cheap for a reason I guess.

The organic shape of the rim and the wet look....I find it very appealing. Edit: a bit of wear doesn't bother me at all...it adds to the charm.

Yeah, he was in the Minamoto team. Think his name was Benkei. Sturdy bloke...not easy to pass.

Thanks for checking Ken, but...no. I checked again....under the magnifying lamp, with a jeweler's eyepiece and looked at large close up photo's from different angles. Even with a fair amount of wishful thinking...mumei. It's just some honest rust damage. Robin

With my limited knowledge...all I can say is it looks genuinely old and I find it very beautiful. I heard the same description before....Alton Takata got several from the same batch. I don't know if it's true or a hoax. For you and for Alton I hope it's true. On his facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=702970553432229&id=370989386630349&__xts__[0]=68.ARDz1o5cY5kXR0ooCni8yoxoxm5dZssnefYnmZkVWCk7ZicJrFV7cLizPJjizVjM8uA6kTugBh4VfgadBo1zm3RYIHjw3TPVfOjkRCuAYSElUqxCvoLHsLSIg8zpUd1b41vZ6g1d1QC0uajmbvqcFbhJSceJYi1LQ8r0Unzwr8LRA8aVcQgkQDcwNZH_eD0regRm4CLyoHB-FFtAbH5b-qnKkWoqt3F0znfuAwsFRQIJiyHtii6gThwe5RNTBvn56g2wdvPd3GnHMOSUazZF_s6s9MgUmlZ3TzvP0XOz63KG_3nxmgrPAXxPqzcZ2jqYUeRruxc68o2n0SkC8XAuAVI&__tn__=C-R

That was my first thought also, but I think they're not kotoji....kotoji don't have the upside curled feet and are depicted differently... Robin

It might be Iga-yaki....maybe Shigaraki. The foot and makers mark are what people look at after a first glance. I think it's a rather serious crack.

argh!

I was afraid someone would mention that! I'm sitting on my hands not to bid...but...but...argh !

On Facebook a helpful soul just found this auction on Aoi Art... https://www.aoijapan.com/tsuba-mumeiunsignednyochin/?fbclid=IwAR0z7NVeWp-if8RfxCkFzTpv92ILwuvCAYhsnCp7kVTXXQ1D5I8lJzS0Fqs It's a slightly smaller sister tsuba. NBTHK Hozon...attributed to the Myochin school. Mine is nicer I think.

This will look great I think.... this is just a photo I saved a while ago...it's not mine. But...I searched a bit and maybe this comes pretty close.... https://www.seidoshop.com/products/silk-sageo-nakafuji-weaving-fine The tetsukon/white combo looks like it. When the white is too white, you can maybe soak it with tea. Robin

Thanks gentlemen. I got the Saotome idea from the Haynes & Long description and examples and compairing it to other tsuba...online and in books. http://www.shibuiswords.com/KDsaotome.html The use of both silver and brass rain drops on this tsuba is a striking similarity and it fed my Saotome idea even more. But...this is probably not a unique Saotome feature. The fishing nets...I'm not even sure they are fishing nets, but it looks like...and it matched my romantic idea of a peaceful lakeside location. Ah well. I keep learning and above all...admiring, because that's most important. Enjoy the beauty and craftmanship of these wonderful little things called tsuba. Robin.

I received this one today. It has some rust damage, mainly on the backside and the bottom side of the rim, but I still think it's a nice tsuba. Mokko gata, 85 mm x 78 mm. thickness nakago ana 3 mm, rim 4 mm. Brass birds, copper and brass tree, silver and brass fish, silver and brass ten-zogan rain drops. With the drying fishing nets (I presume) and thatched roofed huts and the water....seems to be a lakeside view. I admire the landscape scenery and the tiny birds and fish are so nicely detailed, even though they're just about 2 mm! Still a pitty about the rusty backside. I tried to do my homework and my estimated guess is a fairly early Saotome tsuba. Hope you like it and input is more than welcome. Robin

All beautiful!

The Izakaya or inhere ....I think Japanese gardens are an art, so I guess it deserves to be here. Anyway...."we" have a lovely Japanese garden in the Hague (the Netherlands). Only open for several weeks per year. Hope you like it, thanks for watching. Robin

I just received the Haynes & Long verdict: "Ko-Shoami...a very nice piece". I'll look after it and cherish it...so no iaito career for this one. Robin