Intrigued by this super strange tsuba.

[Spartancrest]

Perhaps it serves the same purpose as a boar spear? Stops the spear head going straight through? It is a curious find, thanks Bjorn.

[Toryu2020]

This is an Owari Kan-ryu spear - the tsutsu or sleeve slides up and down the pole allowing for quick thrusts. In this case the "hooks" allow the tsuba/tsutsu which are integral to be locked in place when not is use. This is NOT what you are seeing with our sample tsuba because again the omote would be facing the user so no.

 

-tch

 

Peep out Youtube for Owari Kan-ryu demonstrations very very cool stuff btw

[Spartancrest]

But Thomas the omote does face the user - which would mean the 'prongs' face the blade. Just the same as the spear.

[Toryu2020]

But the Omote is meant to face OUTWARD towards the world at large in the case of a spear that means toward the blade. You don't paint the inside of your house to show your neighbors what good taste you have...

[Spartancrest]

Harking back to Jon and Piers description of Gotoku Futaoki. This guard in the San Diego Museum of Art shows one, with other implements of the tea ceremony.

[image has been enhanced]

That museum has some of the worst images you can find, the photographer was not really interested in showing off the collection - dark and taken at odd angles and images of the ura rather than omote. The site is worth seeing if just to show how not to capture images for future reference. 

https://collection.sdmart.org/objects-1/portfolio?records=50&query=mfs any "tsuba"&sort=9

 

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Really nice find, Dale! 

 

Bjorn's spear (previous page) I missed first time around. Some years ago I was offered one of these and although I said yes, please keep it for me, the owner sold it to someone else while I was away. They are not so common.

Essentially you grip the tube tsuba slide section with your left hand, and with your right you grip the spear shaft itself and jab the whole spear forwards and backwards.

See Kuda-yari

https://www.google.com/search?q=くだやり&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=oDq1AAkxwVHcWM%2C0DTYec_C1B4SkM%2C_&usg=AI4_-kRuEwfyLZZHTpFP3RRLiW5y059EpA&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwiZxtaW-MT3AhWRjZUCHSnGCU0Q9QF6BAgHEAE&biw=1366&bih=625&dpr=1#imgrc=oDq1AAkxwVHcWM