Show and tell – Tsuba

     

Tsuba
I’m no expert when it comes to tsuba. What I can tell you with some level of confidence is that a tsuba is a hand guard on Japanese swords. Unfortunately, the word also means saliva but more on that later.

The only thing I know for sure about this tsuba, is that I like it. I bought it about 10 years ago, on-line of all places. I’ve since shown some people here in Japan & it seems it is of a low-ish standard but that I needn’t hang my head in shame.

Description
It’s very small (58mm x 49mm / 2.28in x 1.92in) & heavy and you can see it has a four-lobed, rounded rim. Within the rim are gold (low purity) & silver inlays. The two copper blobs indicate it has been fitted & refitted to several blades during its lifetime.

A visit to an antique store
What better place to find tsuba than in an antique store in Japan. There’s always a few on display, and you can count on all the good stuff being out of sight. Out-of-sight – awesome but also out-of-sight – you need to know the secret handshake. One thing I’ve noticed, is that if you show signs of interest in anything on display at one of the more up-market stores, the staff will either be suppressing a snigger or will openly mock you. And this is before you even get the chance to ask the all-important question:

Sumimasen, TSUBA ga arimasuka? – Excuse me, is there any saliva?

Tags: ,

  • http://www.poolofzen.com コルーズ・真秀

    I have a similar experience when I go buy used cars……..

    Any idea how old it is? I think the next step is to find a blade to put it on isn’t it? Poor little thing isn’t fulfilling its destiny.

    Great post!

    Matt

  • admin

    That gave me a chuckle! I could just picture the scene – not that I take you for a fool of course.

    It’s hard to say exactly how old it is, but I showed it to some people who are serious collectors and they believe it’s from the 1600′s. As for its destiny, there’s plenty of time yet. It’ll be around a lot longer than I will be.

    Have you ever bought any antique?

  • http://www.poolofzen.com コルーズ・真秀

    That’s pretty cool. Who cares if it is “lowish standard!”

    I have some edo era woodblock prints and an old Tetsubin That i picked up in Kyoto. I wouldn’t think that they were anything special………… Since I didn’t pay an arm and a leg for them.

    Who knows, maybe your Tsuba has already fulfilled its destiny and is enjoying retirement!

  • admin

    You have to do a post about those Uikiyo-e. I’m already licking my lips in anticipation.

  • http://www.poolofzen.com コルーズ・真秀

    Why would you want to eat them?

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/rekishinotabi Rekishi no Tabi

    Collecting tsuba (and hopefully not collecting saliva) can be a fun but really expensive hobby–especially if you want the NBTHK certificate of authenticity (pedigree paper) to go with it. I have only three in my collection and would love to buy more, but first I think I need to win the lottery– not the one they have here in Japan–but one of those mambo-sized American “Powerball Lottos”!

  • admin

    In the current economic climate buying another tsuba is well & truly out of the question, so I’ll take ANY lotto!

    Thanks again for those Sunpu Castle photos.

  • http://community.japanese-castle-explorer.com/show-and-tell-tsuba-ii/ Show and tell – Tsuba II « Japanese Castle Explorer

    [...] this year I introduced to you all my interest in Tsuba, the hand guards of Japanese swords (link). Well, here is another in my collection. There are only three Tsuba in my collection, it's an [...]

  • http://twitter.com/JJLuke77 JJLuke77

    Secret handshake!?!? SERIOUSLY?

    I WANNA KNOW IT! :D

    Oshiete kudasai.

  • admin

    Hi there. I would tell you if I knew it myself. I think you need to be related to them. I suspect though that it could be within the pages of a Dan Brown novel… the Da Vinci code perhaps. :(