Curran

Better images of my one example. Not sure why it rotates like that. I've always enjoyed the Korean influence and nanako on this one. I'd date it to 1600-1615? Naturally, I prefer the pre-1600s ones. The earlier the better. Those like Les' don't seem to appear very often. The last Muromachi one I saw, a few guys ended up in a bidding war at the end of the auction. Though under the radar of a lot of people, they are still very hard to catch.

Yes. Ditto. I too would appreciate it more than a little.

Very well said by Colin. Though not something that gets me to put down my beer, the flashy post Edo stuff has found an appreciation base the last few years. Several of us had noticed the recently over the 100 year mark had been gaining a fanbase at the auction houses. Maybe tech-bros and crypto-kings be searching for bling?

I hadn't really looked deeply at the offerings. Someone I trust said there was a lot of "lipsticked pigs" (from the phrase, "To put lipstick on a pig."). A quick look seemed to confirm that. Decent things do come up in Auction Houses now and then. I did pick up a good Hayashi Shigemitsu at an auction house last year.

Yep. It is more pleasant than obvious in the photo. The patina is particularly nice. I'd rather own this one.

caveat emptor https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/caveat_emptor

Only one that I own

And vice versa from early philosophy to present. Dear wife comes from a Buddhist --> Christian family. Personally, I ended up somewhere in the middle after having explored both for quite a number of years. Put another way, I was not particularly good at being either. Still, both are knowledge through stories.

It took me a long time to fully appreciate these Kirishitan tsuba, though I am not Christian. With enough time and understanding, I too appreciate them. I gauge mine to be around 3rd gen.

I regret letting this one get away about 15 years ago. I have my personal favorite Kanayama now, but this one was On Par. I am glad to see it again.

Ditto

I was unaware there was an unofficial translation. I picked up that book this year, as I have one Kagamishi that I much like and have seen photos of an early Muromachi one in Japan that knocks my socks off.

From prior experience helping with the deacquisition of about 140 tsuba from a small museum, the first two numbers (28) usually reference the year it was taken in by the museum. Then pull the old books kept by the museum and look up acquisition item 722 from that year. The collection I helped with was largely taken in 3 waves during the 1920s and 1930s. I still have two of the tsuba that I bought from it. Over the years, I have had other tsuba with Museum #s. Currently the only one I have is this big thin Ko-shoami or Ko-Kat. For various reasons, I know what country it came from but not what museum. Anyone have anything similar and information to share, do let me know.

Same opinion. Most look real, but 1 image is not great. Rough look to some of them.

Interesting theme. I learned something new today. Thanks guys.