Would like help identifying this Tsuba. Thoughts?

[IslandBoy]

It has got some Japanese characters on it. 

[Ray Singer]

Somin + kao. Compare with examples below.

https://www.google.c...1C1GCEU_enUS954US954

[Tensho]

Missing the Fukurin?

[IslandBoy]

2 hours ago, Ray Singer said:

Somin + kao. Compare with examples below.

https://www.google.c...1C1GCEU_enUS954US954

Thank you.

[IslandBoy]

2 hours ago, Tensho said:

Missing the Fukurin?

Maybe, but I don't think so. There are other similar ones sans fukurin. I'm kind of wondering if my tsuba was made for display purposes? I saw another post somewhere on this site discussing tsubas that had punch marks (like mine) and that perhaps they were some sort of identifier - as their location wouldn't be seen and thus perhaps tsubas with those punch marks might have been for display purposes. I would have guessed it was to tighten up the fit on the nakago. Regardless, I'm totally speculating. 

[Spartancrest]

6 hours ago, IslandBoy said:

I'm kind of wondering if my tsuba was made for display purposes?

No I think this guard was definitely made to be mounted - evidence is the tagane-ato punch marks along with the slight seppa shadow seen on both sides - Tensho was probably referring to the notch at the base of the guard and a faint outline around the rim, the notch would be where a fukurin was joined together and the metal overlapped. This is the area where most fukurin would be joined on a guard.

     

[IslandBoy]

Love the insight. I could have stared at that notch for 10 years and I never would have figured it out. Thank you, thank you. 

[IslandBoy]

14 hours ago, Tensho said:

Missing the Fukurin?

Thanks Tensho. Spartancrest explained it to me. Perfect.

[Stephen]

Larry so glad you found my tsuba PM me for my address 😉 

[IslandBoy]

10 minutes ago, Stephen said:

Larry so glad you found my tsuba PM me for my address 😉 

 

[Spartancrest]

18 hours ago, IslandBoy said:

somewhere on this site discussing tsubas

You will have to forget the "s" on tsuba - some people can get very literal.  

"Tsuba" is used both for singular and the plural form [like 'sheep'] I can show you dozens of historical documents spelled with the 's' and some with rather strange spelling like "Tsubu" but convention has narrowed our spelling. [Converting one language to another is not always a good fit ]   

[IslandBoy]

Thank you Spartancrest. I will not make that mistake again: Tsuba. I also just learned the meaning of Mei.  So much to learn. 

[Spartancrest]

2 hours ago, IslandBoy said:

So much to learn. 

40+ years and still learning! 

[IslandBoy]

I'm very much new to this, but I've gone deep down the rabbit hole on other topics and love the journey of learning. Thanks to you and the others for all of your comments and insights. Great community.