andreYes

Let me introduce a small site with my tsubas collection: tsubaka.ru - there are not much items yet, and the quality is not very high, but I'm just newbie here If you have any thoughts about the site, and especially about tsubas presented, I'll be very obliged for your comments! In few weeks I'll add the rest of my tsubas. Besides, I'd like to ask, what do you think about the style of this tsuba: http://tsubaka.ru/7_en.htm ? Could it be heianjo zogan? On the top and bottom there are zigzag lines (almost lost now) performed in sen zogan. What does it mean? Lightnings?

Concerning the mei: The seller indicated: 小田原住 正次 I think he is right, as the first kanji is visible, and the design resembles the Ito school. So, it's highly probable that the damaged part of the mei is "Odawara..". It seems to me too, that the openings are made later. The strange hole between nakago- and kogai-ana is a late addition for sure: it's made over the mei. The both hitsu-ana are probably also made later, as there are small parts of the original design on its edges:

Thank you, Steve! It would be interesting to see examples of works and signatures of both Masatsugu... The additional hole: maybe it was made to fit to gunto? But the shape and the position is very unusual in this case, I think.

Let me ask about the tsuba with inscription: "Odawara-Ju Masatsugu". The only Masatsugu I've found was the "founder of Odawara tsubako", and lived in 17 century (information from "Nihon To Koza"). Is it possible that he made this tsuba? Maybe someone knows other Masatsune from Ito school?

Thank you again, Koichi!

Sorry for bothering you again, I have one more question about this name. In the "Tsuba An Aesthetic Study" Masanori from the Bushu school is mentioned. His name is written like this: Is he a different person, or it could be another writing of this name?

Thank you very much, Koichi!

Thank you! Could you write here the kanji for "Masanori" please?

Please help me to identify the mei on this tsuba. The seller told me that it's "Efu-ju Masanori". But the last kanji looks different than in "Masanori" mentioned in "Tsuba An Aesthetic Study"...

Thank you, John! I've expected something like this. The problem is, that I don't understand (yet) what is the quality of iron plate . Is it the shape, colour, density, or something else?

I don't want to make a new topic for my questions, so I'll ask here, if you don't mind. I saw a tsuba, signed "Seiryuken Eiju", with the same design as the last tsuba in Mikolaj's post. I wonder, is the tsuba I'm posting original (the mei on the two tsubas are similar, but there is a slight difference)? Is it a usual practice, when the tsubako makes a batch of identical tsubas?

I've finally received this tsuba! After observing it closely, I have two more questions. Please, help to understand: 1. The surface is very uneven, especially the omote. Is it the ishime-ji? 2. The most of the surface is covered with strange lines. Is it a kind of yasuri? Do these lines mean anything?

Thank you, John! I hope, some day I'll see a good Choshu tsuba in real too . I've seen them only on photos yet, but I like very much this kind of tsuba.

Thank you for your comments. They give me much information to think about... I see that it's a difficult theme Choshu-Bushu comparison. Concerning the color of patination, John talked about. Because of lack of experience it's hard for me to tell if the patina is black or very dark brown. I've made a photo (not good quality, but the color seems to be correct) under the sun light of this tsuba side by side with a tsuba considered to be of Bushu Ito school (signed "Efu-ju Masanori"). For me, they have the same color... What do you think?

Please help me to identify this tsuba. It seems to me that it could be Choshu or Bushu. Am I right? Is it possible to distinguish these two schools, if the tsuba is unsigned? And one more question concerning this tsuba. The most of nakago ana walls are filed (looks like it was adjusted for mounting recently). Is it so bad? I've read that it's "like polishing the nakago of a sword".

Thanks, Ian! The symbolism of tsuba designs is a very interesting theme! PS Without "y" - it's my name in French style :D

Thank you, Soshin, for the link. Very useful topic about Kaneie copies. I'm almost sure that this tsuba is gimei. It looks so different from Kaneie style that I've noticed that it's signed "Kaneie" much later than I saw it for the first time. I just would like to know the estimated age, and opinions about the quality in general.

What could you tell about this tsuba? It seems that it's signed "Kaneie" (山城国伏見住　金家作)... But is it the style of Kaneie? Thanks for any comments...

Ford, Ted, thank you! To be honest, I also thought that it's patina, but this thread has confused me.

One more question about lacquer on iron tsuba, if you don't mind . After examining the surface of a tsuba, I've found dark black areas on it. They are especially clear viewed after I've removed a kind of wax and the red rust (the first picture - before the cleaning, the second - after). Before I've found this topic, I thought that it's just patina on undamaged metal. But maybe it's a black lacquer? What do you think?

When I've looked closer on some of my tsubas, I noticed that the zogan details are made of copper and plated. Besides, the flower (see the picture #1) is made of copper too, then plated with silver, and then lacquered. Is it a usual technique? Maybe it's a method to reduce the cost ? By the way, any comments about the style and age of the following tsuba? Maybe Aizu Shoami, mid Edo? And what plant is it?

Hmm... The third one :lol: ! Indeed, very popular design Looks like they are all copies of one concrete picture.

I have a tsuba (picture 1) - not a masterpiece, but I like the theme. Today I've found another one (picture 2), very similar. Almost all branches and flowers/buds are on the same places. I wonder, is it a so popular design? Could it be a daisho (the size of mine - 7,6x7,2 cm, the size of the second one is about 5-6 cm)? By the way, any comments about the style/age? Nara, late Edo?

Thanks for good words! I'm just a beginner in this field, so it's very pleasant for me . Thank you, Mike, for the idea. It seems to me too, that it could be shoami.

Do you mean the inlay? I didn't clean it, just washed the whole tsuba with water.