Tengu1957

The use of oversized Tsuba to add additional Weight to assist in the act of cutting is pretty well covered in Marcus Sesko's book on Tameshigiri. The oversized Tsuba isn't something I know much about but I have always thought of them as either Shrine dedication pieces , Tsuba for oversized shrine swords , or plain ones used for Tameshigiri. Gary

I would agree that it's possible that it may have been used for tameshi. I wondered if the small cut out would have been used for a shim to help fit the various blades in the handle. I have a large copper one that is about 400 grams that I believe was used for tameshi. No other way to get the cutting results on smaller swords. Gary

I will buy the Tsuba but would still like to hear your opinion about age. Please provide your PayPal info. Thanks

I am interested in the Echizen Tsuba , would you please PM me with what you consider age. Thanks Gary G.

Is Tsuba 20 still available ? If so I would like to buy it. Thanks Gary G

Based on what I have read I always thought that after the early Edo period there was not really any need for the gun or more accurately no need to develop any new technology. After Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea where Japanese gun technology was better than theirs there was no threat of advanced technology from the outside so the status quo was good enough. The government wanted to maintain the technology for gun production and to keep the Daimyo poor so they required Daimyo to subsidize the technology by forcing them to order a certain number of guns each year even though they clearly did not need them. I collect large bore matchlocks which I believe many of the Daimyo or higher level Samurai commissioned to satisfy the need to subsidize the technology as symbols of power and displays of wealth. The armory's were full of standard sized guns or rather enough guns and too many of the standard size guns in the hands of the low level Samurai created a risk of revolt. I have many of the large bore guns with the Meiji period license inscribed on them but never a standard size gun. Maybe they are out there but I have not seen them. This makes me think by the end of the Edo era during the Boshin war that the importation of modern guns forced a rush to the new technology and many of the old standard sized guns were discarded or destroyed because the new technology made them obsolete and they were not as valuable as the large bore guns as art objects. I have never seen a matchlock with a post inscription that it was awarded to a Samurai for an act of valor so maybe they were viewed more as utilitarian objects than an overt representation of the soul of the Bushi ? Just some thoughts.

Would you accept $550 for the shoami moth Tsuba