Tsuba: Open-work and ants decor

[inimicus]

These appear to be iron (tho the ants look copperish).
All insights welcome please as to age, maker (no signatures but maybe id by style?), etc.
In hand they appear quite old, and the details are impressive.
Swift comments especially appreciated. Many thanks

[inimicus]

3-4

[inimicus]

5-6

[inimicus]

7-8

[inimicus]

9-10

[inimicus]

Last

[gunto]

The one with ants is old , remounted with hitsu-ana.
I live tsuba with insects .

[inimicus]

thank you - you should come to our kitchen in summertime and play with them!

[inimicus]

… but seriously, folks. 81 views and ONE comment? a little help here, please - whether they're great or total shyte. 'appreciate it.

[GHP]

… but seriously, folks. 81 views and ONE comment? a little help here, please - whether they're great or total shyte. 'appreciate it.

I have no idea. If it had a name engraved I'd give it a try.

--Guy

[inimicus]

THANKS A LOT, GUY! I FOUND A VERY SIMILAR ONE ON THE 'TAKUMI WARRIOR' SITE DESCRIBED AS BEING FROM 'MIDDLE ETO PERIOD,' AND 'Design: chrysanthemum petals and cherry blossom'
QUITE OLD, THEN. HERE IT IS, UNMARKED LIKE MINE BUT WITH ONLY 2 'HOLES' NOT 3 LIKE MINE

[BruceP]

That's going to be your solution, DW. There are serious collectors of just tsuba. Finding their sites and chatting with them will bring the info you're seeking. There are a couple of guys here or NMB that study them, but not many.

[inimicus]

many thanks, bruce. my problem is the press of time, alloyed to a, um, weak financial position.
and by the way sorry to all for the caps lock in previous post - didn't mean to 'shout.' happy weekend, david

That's going to be your solution, DW. There are serious collectors of just tsuba. Finding their sites and chatting with them will bring the info you're seeking. There are a couple of guys here or NMB that study them, but not many.

[Beater]

The pierced tsuba with cherry blossom in negative silhouette is in the style of Higo Hirata school c.17th C (source "Japanese Sword Guards" in the Peabody Museum of Salem, page X, exhibit E8931, for a very similar item).

I'm less keen on the ants theme tsuba. Rather crude work, ugly sekigane in fills and the plate appears to have a split on the edge and to have been coated with something?

[BenVK]

Please bear in mind that looking for tsuba on ebay is fraught with danger.

There are numerous Japanese sellers who list tsuba and other sword fittings that don't belong to them. They steal photos of examples from genuine Japanese websites and then try and sell them on ebay for large profits.