Dan tsuba

Hi Jinsoo! I really like your tsuba! I don't think it is Namban. No Seigaiha Diaper pattern on the seppa-dai or anywhere else. But then, not all Namban tsuba had that pattern somewhere on the tsuba. It also seems to be very thick for a Namban type tsuba. I mean really, what do I know? Not much! I am just guessing!

Hi Hector, If you download this file (written by a member of this great forum) it may assist you. You have to be signed on to the forum to view it.

Hi Roy, Welcome to this great forum. I do not know enough about tsuba to tell you the Era, School, or who created them. Other much more knowlegable members than I am will more than likely tell you that. But from what I can tell (just guessing here!) about the Era- Number 1 tsuba just doesn't look right to me. Maybe made after the Edo period? Number 2 tsuba looks authentic and Edo. Number 3 tsuba is a plain tsuba, but it also appears to be Edo. Number 4 tsuba appears to be cast iron. Maybe Edo, maybe not. Number 5 tsuba looks authentic and Edo. The 3 tsuba shown in your bottom picture are plain, but may be Edo (that tsuba on the far right looks really thick!). Hey, just my clumsy guesses!

I just watched a video (what I consider super great!) about tsuba at the N.Y. Metropolitan Museum of Art. They show (and explain about) some beautiful tsuba! The enthusiasm shown by the two people that are in that video is infectious! Thanks, Brian, for posting that video! The video can be found here- https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/54438-nice-video-on-tsuba-from-the-ny-met-adam-savage/

My friend John C. Making a catalog of our tsuba collection for our heirs is a great thing to do and maybe it will let them realize that we had a great, interesting, and educational hobby. Or maybe they won’t care and just want to sell what we collected! Anyway, it won’t be my problem! But I will say that when I published my small books, Amazon KDP was great! I watched some YouTube videos about it. And even as computer illiterate as I am (with my one brain cell!) I figured it out! Amazon KDP doesn’t cost a thing! You only pay (and it is not very much) when you order your proof copy. I really enjoy that you can always edit and add new things to your book without much of a hassle. Onward my friend, to me taking pictures of my tsuba collection!

Thanks my friends for your kind words and support about cataloging my tsuba. So, here is something I was just thinking about (with my one brain cell!). I have self-published two small books using Amazon KDP. Not to sell them or make money, but just to have my research written down in a book type format. Yes, I am old school and prefer reading a book to reading a computer screen. Also, if my computer stops working or I lose my thumb drive, I still have something written down that anyone can access. Now what is cool about Amazon KDP is you can order proof copies to check out your work, and you can always edit or add to your work at any time. Also, Amazon KDP is a print-on-demand system. No minimum number of copies have to be ordered. Once someone orders a book, it is printed at the nearest Amazon KDP facility and sent out. So no major expense has to be invested by me in my catalog of tsuba idea. So, I think I will digitally photograph my collection and describe the tsuba or maybe just show pictures and the price that I think the tsuba are worth, so my heirs will have some clue as to what to sell them for. Then I will send a copy of the book to all my kids (not really kids any more at 43, 49, and 51 - but middle-aged adults!). Then when I pass, they will be coming over to the house with a copy of my book to pick out the tsuba that they want! Maybe they will keep some or sell some (or all!). Hey, but that won’t be up to me anymore!! I think this tsuba catalog book thing is a good idea!

Thanks Mauro, I may have finally found out how to use Google translate (yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks!). So here is your translation shown above- 鐔 寒山拾得図 * tsuba Kanzan Jittoku zu 朧銀銅广地丸形 * oborogin migaki-ji maru-gata 耳打返高彫 * mimi uchikaeshi takabori 金銀色絵象嵌 * kin gin iroe zōgan 銘定常金象嵌 * mei Sadatsune kin-zōgan 昭和甲辰年春吉日 ＊ Shōwa kinoe-tatsu-nen haru kichijitsu [1964, spring, an auspicious day] 寒山誌 ＊ Kanzan shirusu Then Google translates that as shown below- Tsuba (sword guard): Kanzan and Jittoku design Oborogin (frosted silver) and copper ground, round shape Raised relief carving with turned-back edges Gold and silver inlay Signed: Sadatsune (with gold inlay) Shōwa Kinoe-Tatsu year, spring, an auspicious day [1964, spring] Recorded by Kanzan

My good friends, I know that we have been through some major conflicts on some other of my threads on this forum (oh let’s think, like my "Tsuba casting molds?" thread!). But when the end is in sight (come on God give me at least 10 to 15 years!), everything doesn’t matter anymore. Maybe a little too much philosophy! Oh well! This is a great forum. And I will continue to put forward my thoughts on subjects, no matter what kind of backlash I get. Hey, that is just me! Starting tomorrow, I will start taking digital pictures of my collection to start cataloging them! Onward and with respect!

I would like to ask the opinion of members on this subject If I have more than a decade left to live, I will consider myself lucky. Hopefully, I am lucky! Should I try to make a catalog of my meager (about) 200 tsuba collection? As many members know, I collect what many would consider low end tsuba. Is it worth my time to try to catalog my tsuba? I mean who knows, after I pass, they will probably end up in a Goodwill or Salvation Army store because my heirs really have no knowledge about tsuba and won’t care about my collection. Just asking for opinions. e

Hello Mauro, Thanks for the hakogaki pictures and your statement of “The hakogaki is well written and states some perfectly legitimate assumptions about the tsuba. Unfortunately (or rather, thank God), it is not by the Satō Kanzan. Below are others hakogaki, likely written by the same “pseudo-Kanzan,” concerning modern tsuba.” Unfortunately (as much as I have tried!) I can’t read Japanese. Why is everything written about tsuba in Japan always written in Japanese? Ha, ha, ha, ha, etc! Just having a bit of fun! Anyway, I don’t know enough about computer translation to translate the hakogaki. If someone out there can translate them, I think that would be of interest to many members that read this thread. Thanks!

I have always thought that Dr. Lissenden’s thesis on namban tsuba was ahead of its time. As most new subjects written by forward thinking academia individuals usually are. It is a great read, and I refer to it often in my own research.

I can see what everyone is saying about the tsuba shown being modern (not Edo period or before). What do you call tsuba like this? Replicas, forgeries, or fakes? Unfortunately, I feel bad for the collector (or anybody else) that purchases one of these thinking that the tsuba is an original authentic Edo period tsuba. I mean to get ripped off for about $2500 dollars (or more) is not a fun thing. My motto, if I don’t spend a lot I can’t get ripped off for a lot (but that’s just me!).

In appreciation of John P. Lissenden. Dr. Lissenden (who received his PhD before submitting his master’s thesis on another subject and area of study) was a member of this great forum. Unfortunately for the tsuba world, he passed on several years ago. Dr. Lissenden wrote a master’s thesis on namban type tsuba. In some of my posts on other threads, I have referred members of this forum to his excellent paper. If anyone wishes to gain further knowledge on namban type tsuba, I highly recommend his thesis. It was written in 2002 and (in my opinion) is a masterpiece! Dr. Lissenden’s paper can be found on this website- https://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4129/1/4129_1648.pdf Just something I wanted to pass on to newer members of this forum.

So, here is my latest acquisition from Ebay. $117 dollars with shipping within the U.S. (I don’t want to pay the tariffs from Japan!). I have always liked the sea cucumber motif. Anyway, I don’t think it was too shabby of a deal. I got to looking at the tsuba and I noticed something in the nakago-ana and the hitsu-ana. Has the metal of this tsuba been folded over? Included pictures below are of the tsuba. Then the close-up pictures (taken by my digital microscope) are views of the nakago-ana and hitsu-ana. Those close up digital pictures at the bottom of this post showing the paper clips have to be clicked on and downloaded (and I think you have to be signed into the forum to see them-I don't know why?), yes I am computer illiterate (but at 75 years old, I have an excuse!). If this tsuba has been folded, it is the first tsuba that I have that shows that. I would appreciate the opinions of other tsuba collectors, since my knowledge of tsuba is extremely limited! Thanks! 20251212145717501.tif 0002.bmp 0003.bmp

Again, comparing collectible Colt revolvers to collectible tsuba (yes, I really like Colt revolvers!). The amount of craftsmanship on some museum quality tsuba is superb and breathtaking. They are beautiful and a testament to the artistic capabilities of their makers. I love looking at pictures of them. Why? Because I could never afford them! So, I must appreciate them from afar! Just like Colt revolvers! The first picture shown below is of a superbly crafted and artistic model 1851 Colt. The next picture shown is of a model 1851 Colt that I could afford! Although both revolvers perform the same functionality. Just like highly artistic tsuba compared to more plain looking tsuba. I guess if I ever win the lottery, I will upgrade my collection of tsuba!