Steves87

Like those "shattered" lord of the rings movie swords that you see encased in a table (or something), this could make a good Tsuba version of one of those!

Haha, yes, auto correct

Museum's will keep those sorts of Tsuba if they are part of a fronds, or if they were of note to a well-enough-known individual... if this is the case, it is very unlikely they will ever be deaccessioned. Relatably, if a museum does not have a collections policy/collection direction for that type of historic item, they will not go out of their way to find better examples either. My local state museum is a prime example of this. As for removing images, there are a few-to-many reasons for doing this... not usually for any untoward reasons... cases may include: updating digitisation efforts, management software upgrades, inadequate digital storage space... the list goes on.

Yes, it was. I was in more than two minds to initiate it to be honest... I didn't want to find out any bad news, I also did not want to intrude on Dale's privacy, and I was also concious of using police resources. I was properly concerned though, so I made the call. The services acted very quickly, I hope Dale didn't feel intruded upon.

Relief!!!! All is ok, I have confirmation it is a case of severe technical issues!! @Spartancrest will be back in due course!! My mind is at ease, really been missing Dale!!

Rural and semi rural areas are tricky for internet in Aus. My area is probably a bit more rural than Dale's, but him being in Tasmania, may be in a similar situation. In my area we do not get any fibreoptic internet connections, they are impossible due to rocky terain and many hills; consequently, we access internet wirelessly via central internet towers (this is what I am on), but you have to live within a fairly small radius, and you need to have "line of sight" for it to work. Mobile networks are generally pretty good (at least telstra is) but Dale doesn't use this as far as I know. Satellite is a possibility, but it is very expensive, comparitively speaking. Hoping he is just OS... I actually believe this, but at the same time I have had conversations with him in the past about "sending out the search parties" after not hearing back from each other for much shorter durations. And now, here i am....

As Mauro says they are also known as yose-tagane; although, in some ways both are not the best description. I think yose-tegane is often more of a decorative feature (often symmetrical and consistently placed), and tagane-ato is more functional. It would be good to get this 100% confirmed. I would not be surprised if the hammer/chisel marks on your example are called something else altogether, as they are a little more extreme than the norm. But apologies, and to the question.... They are done to displace metal at the nakago-ana for a more snug fit to the blade nakago. This is also another way to do the job of the sekigane, and I still can't be sure that if a Tsuba has both, it means it has been fitted to two blades, or if it means it is done in conjunction for an extra sturdy fit. Even if the metal is displaced too much with the deformations, the positive is that it can also be filed back down for fine tolerance.

I have not heard from Dale via post; consequently, I have contacted the necessary authorities to see if a welfare check is possible. Reading through some of the online info, it doesn't look like I'll get too far, but awaiting their response. Edit: Had a reply from the authorities, they are progressing the query (whatever that actually means, i don't know yet)

Dale told me the same thing, it's always a very possible chance that this is why it was modified... there was another example floating around about 6 months ago that was still fixed to an old broken bokken tsuka... i feel like this was a good reason why Dale had said this. I always wonder though, were bo-ken prized enough to heavily modify an iron Tsuba? Especially when metal modification required cost and tooling? With this in my mind, I could definitely see that a naginata was a more "worthwhile" arm to warrant the modification. The hitsu-ana may be a later mod, i think they still fall within the area of inlay (inlay didn't extend to original seppa-dai) but they do look too far away from the original nakago-ana. And then, having said all of this.... how sure are we that it wasn't a Naginata Tsuba from day one... later modified to fit a sword? It was a good price from memory, especially given the combined features, makes a good one-off collection piece.

You mean the tagane ato?

I find your example quite interesting from a different perspective... it is the first time I have seen rivets/pins holding the fukerin join together. Obviously a later fix, but I'd love to know how the rivets are connected to the shakudo plate... a "belled" bore with the rivets filling the belled end?

The post letter will have definitely arrived at his box by now... I'll give it until friday week to hear back either via letter or email, then I will look into more direct forms of contact. Very out of character, but I have faith he is in Japan on holiday (as he has other personal interests there), and didn't alert anyone he was going.

Thanks for sharing, they are unique! Maybe also share them to the Habaki thread

I have sent a postal letter to Dale, hopefully I get a reply.

Thanks again Paris, I hope this is all. I plan to send him a traditional letter this week, hopefully he responds.

Hi All, just wondering if anyone has heard from Dale (spartancrest) since the 22nd of Jan. I keep in fairly regular contact with him out side of the forum (almost daily) but i haven't heard from him since the 22nd of Jan. If you have heard from him or know if he was off jet-setting or something, can you please send me a pm. Thanks

Kaga Yoshiro Mon is another well known user of square hitsu-ana

Myochin plugs only, or can we make it an any school-Plugs thread?

Dan, I feel you are hugely dismissive of my opinions, on every one of my opinions. Just so you are aware, I have a background in metals technology that was started from an interest at the age of about 9yo. I have been studying Tsuba (not exclusively) since I was a teenager, and I have tried my hand at making them (with inlays) for about 5 years. I have been collecting authentic Edo Tsuba for over 10 years, and last year (2024) I spent the much of the year with the conservation department at a well known museum, as well as giving advice to history curators on related Tsuba details. I also have a formal education in curation, and I have a proven record of correct object identification through photo images. Using the correct Australian-Scillian terminology, I feel like a dick head for tooting my own horn, and ill likely never spew this out again... but I do want you to know that I am not an dumb-ass. The original Tsuba of this thread is very very very likely hand made and subsequently, accidentally, been in contact with extreme high temperatures, causing a surface transformation (either through coatings or iron impurities) which has given the appearance of melted (even cast) iron (that is why the pine needles look wierd). The areas that are missing are where this surface transformation has chipped off. Chipped off likely due to oxidisation of the 'still good' iron core. The exposed iron has since been treated to some degree... this is something I have seen on multiple occasions in the conservation departments, and when assessing acquisitions within certain museum departments. I still think you should research cast Tsuba, but start looking at the 'known examples' in all museum collections, versus the date of DONATOR acquisition.

Here is an example (thereabouts) of how it should look with the two shi shi

Guys, that is clearly missing inlay... they are in the shape of shi shi !! There is no alternate construction there, just Suemon-zogan that has been lost

Thank Jean, that is exactly why I went for it! It is hard to see from the image, but both Hitsu-ana are added in the same way.

Like the post from Curran, this Tsuba is also concave both sides (Hoiteibara)

I am doubting the external finish is soft, but instead,very hard and brittle.... as per the info in the second half of the gpt image I shared. The Tsuba example I gave earlier in the thread is like this, some flaked off years ago and it was way harder than the iron interior, to the point that it didnt indent like iron should, but just "snapped"... i wish I had of put a magnet on it back then. Also, as per that second gpt part, it does make mention of coatings causing an encasement... take the finish look that it mentions with a grain of salt though.