Curran

Muromachi or early Momoyana example.

Square or rectangular hitsu are not uncommon. This is a generalization, but they were mostly seen on 1500s tsuba. Then there were some Revival or Retro stretches during the Edo period where they'd come back into fashion for some tsuba and koshirae. Show us a picture, when you have time.

I don't know. It is not any easily recognizable metal. They've been patina treated in a strange way giving a f'ugly molting color. Given the patina treatment, I would guess they are copper. There would be a total of 6 per side to knock out. It is definitely meant to tart up the tsuba. --- Nothing precious like gold or silver. ---Nothing historical like certain type of lead or pewter plugs.

In 30 years of collecting, I don't know if I have every knocked out a plug from the kozuka or kogai ana. Anyone know how it is done safely? I'd been thinking about buying an iron tsuba with some very ugly plugs (probably early 20th century add ons to make it attractive to westerners). It is a kodai tsuba, from late in the school. Ie. Not worth really sending off to an expert. Any advice or instructions?

I've been at it a long time. Along a long enough timeline...

I love it when that happens. It has happened to me a few times, at least twice to tsuba I sold on before finding it published. Tosogu classroom: I need to get Vol 4 soon.

Well, I braced myself for what might open upon clicking that link. It was still worse than I imagined. I'm not sure if it needs a parental advisory. I think not. Still, certain things cannot be unseen.

I took for granted the care and handling etiquette lessons taught to me by John Prough and Kodama-san [RIP both], by the NY-NJ-CT group. It is important in how you are perceived when you go to Japan and deal with dealers.

I understood #1, #2, and eventually #3 after another look to better perceive the 3-D and features. Leave final judgement till I had it in hand, or at least the room. Personally, I don't feel #4 is correct, and #5 I would have gone with Tosa Myochin unless something felt very different in hand. I think of this as a very popular Tensho 天正 era suggestive image. [I wish Ford were still here to argue with me about it.] You are going to see lots of interpretations from all over Japan, and the 3-D of the tsuba and working matter a lot. 2-D Black n White images are challenging. I sometimes wonder about the accuracy of old attributions done by mail correspondence with black n white photos. Especially with a design like this.

quadrilobe? Someone failed geometry.

I too bought a tsuba from Bonham's Skinners (Marlborough, MA). Pre-tariff, I think premium, expensive shipping, and USA urban sales tax added +70% to the price. Then the expense of getting it NBTHK papered was about 175% of what I would have spent pre-tariff. All in all, not the bargain I originally thought it.

Hey... No worries! Good tsuba. There are a few of us in the USA that collect Norisuke tsuba and might put an exhibit together some day. I figured one of them had gotten this example. Though subtle, it pulls off the water ripple effect very well. It makes Hotei's bag look very fluid and generous. Even though I am a part time Corp Tax CPA, I totally got my own taxes wrong under the new USA tax laws. It will even out next year, but I owe a lot more than expected this year. Missing out on that tsuba was simply a casualty of timing and cash flows. I really did think it was going to one of the collectors in the USA.

I was an underbidder on the Norisuke, though it seems you and another bidder took it above my attempt to steal it. It is published in the Nagoya NBTHK Norisuke book, along with a smaller companion, as part of a daisho set. I also believe that there is a rubbing of it in the Norisuke sketch book, as illustrated in the back of the Nagoya NBTHK Norisuke book. God of luck's treasure bag.

Higo-san also has good stuff. I've dealt with him and can definitely recommend him .

Longtime but spartan collector: I purchased a kogai recently, so something need come out of that part of the tansu. If Ko-Goto is something you appreciate, i would be willing to sell my worn arrow quiver Ko-Goto arrow n quiver kozuka at $500. There is a similar example for sale in Japan, and similar published in the 2014 DTI catalog. The question is worn Ko-Goto within your aesthetic? To me, the 1500s black beetle shakudo is appealing, but the wabi-sabi aesthetic is not for all. For what it is worth, I did a lot of archery and do look at the arrow tosogu whenever I see it. If you are looking for a specific theme, I can always mention it to you when I see something. PM me, if interested. Curran