Tsuba Help

[Poory]

Hi all,

 

I have got my first Tsuba. I am new to this world. Can anyone provide information on this piece i have got!?

Thank you

[Ken-Hawaii]

Welcome to the forum. Please sign at least your first name, per Brian's rules. Second, tsuba should always be shown with the nakago-ana (the pointy part) pointing up.

 

Your tsuba is quite interesting. I thought at first that it was Heianjo (which I collect) because of the inlaid brass, but now I'm not so sure. It has features that I'm not sure about. The shape is a simply maru gata (round), & since there are holes (cut-outs) in the tsuba body, it can be generally classified as sukashi.

 

I'll leave the rest for others.

 

Ken

 

[Poory]

Dear Ken,

Thank you so much. I will try to learn and get better at this. Thanks for your time replying to my post

 

Poorya

[ROKUJURO]

Poorya,

welcome to the NBM board!

I have never seen a TSUBA with an extra hole in the SEPPA-DAI and I can't imagine the use of it. The design elements do not immediately point to a certain school. Compare AIZU SHOAMI and KYO-SHOAMI for the rim.

[EdWolf]

Hi Jean,

 

Here is another Tsuba also with an extra hole in the SEPPA-DAI.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/4480-masatsugus-tsuba/

 

Regards,

 

Ed

[Andi B.]

Maybe this extra hole is required for the locking mechanism of military swords (I'm not familiar with this field...).

[Poory]

Iresearched those two holes are traditionally for the kogai and kogatana, which fit into slots in the saya. The holes are asymmetrical because the tools are asymmetrical. They exist so that the tools can be removed without drawing the sword. (the handle for the kogatana is refered to as the kozuka, and so the hole can be referred to as the kozuka ana, rather than a kogatana-ana /end useless trivia)

Some tsuba only have a hole for the kogatana

 

Poorya

[Lee Bray]

He means the smaller hole in the seppa-dai next to the kogai slot.

It's possible that it was used as a hiding place for a small sliver of 'emergency' gold or silver or some sentimental memento. Sandwiched in between seppa, it's not going anywhere, whatever it is.