Tsuba

Japanese hand-forged iron tsuba, used to protect a swordsman's hand from sliding up the blade during use as well as to provide balance. The front depicts two joyful festival performers, one holding a drum and the other holding a fan, the figures in relief with gilt accenting throughout. The backside of the tsuba shows a large mallet and mortar traditionally used for pounding rice into mochi.

Dimensions: 2 3/4" x 3"

Japanese hand-forged iron tsuba, used to protect a swordsman's hand from sliding up the blade during use as well as to provide balance. The openwork tsuba depicting two sages, their robes accented in gilt, one sage with a face of silver and the other with a face of copper. The front image is signed 'Soheishi Nyudo Soten' , the other side reads 'Goshu Hikone ju' (resides in Goshu-current Shiga prefecture).

Dimensions: 3 1/8" x 3 1/4"

Japanese tsuba, a sword fitting to protect a swordsman's hand from sliding up the blade during use as well as to provide balance. The tsuba depicts a scene of hunters, one on horseback and the other on foot wielding a staff, in pursuit of a leaping rabbit, in gilt and silver. The backside of the tsuba depicts a running fox in gilt and copper.

Dimensions: 2 1/2" x 2 1/8"

A large Tembo tsuba. The Tembo (or Tenpo) style evolved from the Saotome school and the sukashi decoration of Okiagari here (an especially nice feature) carries over. Okiagari are self righting toys and the subject was a symbol of inspiration to Samurai in aspiring to improvement and the right path in life. There is, on a curious level of interest, some minute trace of old gold decoration (long since worn off) on the surface of this tsuba. Though there are transitional examples, the present exam...

A well forged, handsome mokume tsuba in mokko-gata form with katakiri-bori landscape decoration on both the omote and ura. The mokume grain is large and well controlled reminding one of ayasugi hada. In fact, this tsuba is indeed a tosho (swordsmith's) tsuba, being made by [Kai Ju] Kiyonaga and dated the third year of Bunkyo (1863) believed to be the same as KIY 298 referenced in Hawley's, Japanese Swordsmiths. Our angled, side view photographs more accurately portray patina and color as well as...

A simple, four lobed armorer's tsuba with simple pierced decoration perhaps depicting a landscape with structure. The udenuki-ana (cord holes) have the effect of completing the illusion of a Sesshu-like landscape. The saotome were armorers turned tsuba makers who worked in this manner and scale. Good condition with good tekkotsu. Sengoku era. 2 15/16 (7.46 cm) inches x 2 5/8 (6.67 cm) inches

A katchushi mutsu-gata sukashi tsuba. The six lobed, thin plated armorer's tsuba with good tekkotsu and with openwork decoration was described by Skip Holbrook (ex collection) as Saotome made and depicting three birds. The Saotome were a line of armorers (katchu) turned tsuba makers. But I think a case could be made for the sukashi decoration being a wabi-sabi flower bloom or possibly paulownia leaves (rather than awkward looking "birds".) Use of the paulownia (kiri) mon could suggest Yamakichi...

Antique Japanese tsuba (hand guard for a samurai sword). Made of bronze in the form of bending grain and leaves inlaid with gold details.
Meiji Period (1868 -1912) Size: 2 3/8" long x 1 7/8" wide.

An iron, Ko-Tosho (early sword smith's) tsuba. The slightest taper from seppa dai towards rim. Pierced decoration. Purchased from Andy Quirt (ex Skip Holbrook collection) at the February 2016 Tampa show, he thought it depicted gourds. I guess the beholder might see different things. I see Japanese eggplants on leafy vine (two fruit and two leaves) supported by a bamboo trellis. An uncommon and well executed, balanced decoration. The hitsu-ana appears to be original to the tsuba. Late Muromachi. ...

An armorer's iron tsuba, possibly for a wakizashi as it is somewhat diminuitive in size. Or perhaps more in keeping with its apparent age, an early example of a proportionately small tsuba used with an uchigatana as was first the fashion. Sukashi decoration of a conch (horagai) traditionally used for ritual practices and for signaling on the battlefield. The rare uchikaeshi-hineri rim (mimi) is significantly raised and defined almost as if to suggest a separate piece of iron around the rim (thou...

A katchushi (or armorer's) tsuba, probably Myochin, with pierced decoration of ship's rudders (the significance being a comparison of rudders steering a ship to values guiding a Samurai's life choices.) The strong, homogenous, dense iron plate with only light tekkotsu and smooth to the touch. Dark patina. Momoyama to early Edo. Good condition: Lamination folds with openings evident on the surface of one side. Ex Skip Holbrook collection. 3 3/32" x 3 1/16" x 1/8" (7.8 cm x 7.7 cm x .32 cm)

An armorer's tsuba, with very slightly raised rim on the strong, flat iron plate. Pierced decoration of a shrimp with pleasing, subtle swell along the antennae and legs (mostly on the ura.) Small, irregular brass inlays for the eyes (missing from one eye - not conspicuous.) The kogai-ana plugged with a copper rich alloy. Oval form about 2 7/8" (7.3 cm) by 2 3/4" (6.985 cm). Thickness at rim about 5/32" (.39 cm). Late 16th century to early 17th century - perhaps Momoyama period. Or possibly earli...

The Katchushi style of this tsuba gives it an earlier look and feel. But it is probably an Edo period work (might expect more wear on the seppa-dai or more conspicuous tekkotsu on an older example.) The thin body nonetheless resilient. Strong, sparse, decorative file marks on the vertical add to character. Adept use of the file, thin plate and slight taper toward the rim could support argument a swordsmith may have made the tsuba. Genji style mon and two five petal blossoms in fine open work (so...

Antique Japanese iron tsuba or hand guard for a sword, in a mokko or melon shape, decorated with motifs of thin tree branches with plums and blossoms, with silver and Shokudo inlay, and an engraved sun in the top corner. The backside has a small cluster of plums inlaid with silver. Size: 3" height, 2.75" width

Antique Japanese iron tsuba, or hand guard for a sword. It has an oval shape with raised motif of gold inlay bamboo shoots and leaves crossing in from the outer edges. Its backside has a single bunch of gold inlay leaves peeking in from the bottom. Size: 2.75" height, 2.5" width

An antique Japanese iron tsuba decorated with motifs of autumn grasses, such as chrysanthemums and a bellflower and suzumushi crickets. The base is done similar to a tsuchime-ji base. Size: Diameter 3.25" height 0.2" Age: 19th century

An antique Japanese tsuba done in a fluted style. The tsuba is inlayed with different copper, gold, and silver colored metals done in the zogan and shakudo styles. The image is depicting the famous scene from the Tales of Ise known as Azuma Kudari where Ariwara no Narihira goes to the East and sees Mt. Fuji. Size: Diameter 2.5" Height 0.2" Age: 19th century

Tsuba with openwork design of a falcon resting on the branch of an old pine tree. Iron, with remnants of gilding on the falcon eye and on the tree leaves. The tsuba is unsigned. Japan, early Edo period. Height: 3 3/8" (8,7 cm. Oxidation, otherwise very good condition.