Iaido dude

I actually agree with you, Tim. I wouldn’t have invoked Christianity as associated with this tsuba if not for the attribution in the article. it isn’t clear how they base their attribution other than by form. I’ve also seen many such attributions that don’t even make convincing pictorial sense. Steve Waszak also pointed out to me that in all likelihood it represents a mon. I just wanted to see how far my imagination might take me even if not historically correct.

Here's a great demonstration of a genuine Akasaka tsuba (later generation copy of well-known work by 2nd hereditary master) and modern replicas for an iaito of a bamboo theme. The first two are advertised honestly. Is the third one genuine or replica? The seller seems to imply it is a genuine "period" tsuba. All three are currently offered on Jauce. https://www.jauce.com/auction/l1183545952 https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1183581334 https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1177510480

It really is a splitting image of what Okun posted. Still a bit strange to see effort go towards producing a fake of a relatively unknown Yagyu/Ohno unless it is in fact the link to Christianity that has a market. The post where I found the article was by a sword enthusiast who described replicas of this tsuba based on an identical example from a seller in Europe. So, there is likely at least a small following of such enthusiasts. I count myself among them! The Jauce auction details about the museum and article that featured this tsuba had me sucked into a narrative that overrode any suspicion I may have had for a fake. It came in a custom fitted box! I simply dropped my guard. So the sad truth is that fakes are out there all too often. Maybe it was even originally sold as a replica that was resold down the line with the belief that the tsuba was genuine. The cast tsuba was reproduced down to minute details of the sekigane. However, there is no sekigane on the ura (left out) and there are no chisel marks inside the walls of the sukashi. I just finished filing down the nakago-ana to fit my blade. It’s just steel throughout. No genuine sekigane.

I also thought of Yagyu. The style of the bamboo joints reminds me of Yagyu, but not the bracken sprouts.

The consolation for me is that high quality modern reproductions from Tozando or other Japanese iaito manufacturers are $90-110. This one is also the right theme (bamboo) to match the other modern sterling silver fittings that will go on the katana.

The”sekigane” don’t extend to the ura.

Thanks, gentlemen. I looked more closely at the “sekigane,” which are clearly just a part of this cast fake or modern reproduction. The joke’s on me. The pics on Jauce should have given it away. My eyes were clouded by my focus on the form at the expense of other details and features. First time for everything! Maybe the real deal is still out there somewhere… This one will go on the new katana I am making from scratch starting with just a blade and habaki. Right size and right fit.

Beautiful, Curran. I’ve long admired this Ono composition. I think there are quite a few that have been misattributed to other Owari schools. They are among the most monstrous iron sukashi tsuba I have been able to appreciate in hand.

This papered Ohno sold previously on nihonto.com (it doesn't seem to be on the site anymore).

My latest acquisition has arrived and it's a beauty. I think this Ohno tsuba may be a so-called hidden Christian tsuba because one with an identical composition is in the small tsuba collection of a Japanese museum dedicated to documenting the early history of Christianity in Japan. It was featured in a newspaper article in the Asahi Shimbun on "Hidden Christian Tsuba" (see the tsuba on right lower corner). My write up on the speculation that this tsuba contains Christian iconography hidden within Buddhist iconography and a few pics follow. I had the good fortune of being the only bidder willing to spend $112 for a truly wonderful Ohno in amazing condition and imbued with meaning. Height 71.2 mm, width 69.5 mm, thickness 7-7.6 mm at mimi (6.6-6.8 at seppa-dai), weight 116 gm. Compare with my Ohno kuruma tsuba (Momoyama Period).

Congratulations, Okun. Marvelous and mysterious.

I would tend to agree. It has more Kyo features than Akasaka including that elegance from the thin walled sukashi style.

Yes, that is my understanding as well. Thicker Akasaka more consistent with the first three Akasaka masters. I have never seen an Akasaka with convincing tekkotsu.

I think it is an utsushi in the Yagyu style with a motif that I've never seen before in Yagyu tsuba. It's a bit thin for the classic Yagyu tsuba. The appearance of iron is difficult to judge as "sandy" (not sure if it would appear differently with different exposure).