Antique Japanese 18th century, Edo period, Soten school iron tsuba for Japanese samurai sword. The tsuba of marugata shape is made of nade-maru-gata iron, featuring a yo-sukashi design. It is intricately carved on both sides in relief with motifs of chrysanthemums and leaves, which are beautifully highlighted with gold...

Daisho Bushu school iron tsuba. Sukashi decoration of basket weave panels and parcel gilt prunus blossoms. Each signed Bushu Ju Masanaga. A nice pair of tsuba having started life together. Edo period. Good condition. Larger, 2 7/8 by 2 3/4 inches. Smaller, 2 3/4 by 2 5/8 inches.

A fabulous pair of daisho iron tsuba. Haruta school, with the character “Haru” still legible in the seppa-dai of the larger. Realistic depiction of weathered wood with a few gin-zogan (inlaid silver) woodworms in the decoration of the larger. I’ve seen similar work attributed to Hirata school, but that must have been misheard from Haruta. Excellent condition, and the two having started life together. Later Edo period, early 19th century. Larger 3 1/8 by 2 15/16 inches...

A pair of daisho iron tsuba of yatsu-mokko-gata (eight lobed) form. Sukashi motif of fans and gingko leaves (an interesting combination of similar shapes). Some chiseled texturing of the surfaces of the gingko leaves. Edo period, circa 1700. Good, serviceable condition with a few interrupted fan ribs on the larger. It is about 3 1/8 inches diameter. The smaller is about 2 7/8 inches diameter.

A fine pair of Chosho school maurugata form iron daisho tsuba. Sukashi work depicting blossoms on budding prunus branches. Strongly and well carved decoration. Edo period, 18th century. Good condition, with the nakago-ana filed larger at some point. Larger, 3 1/8 diameter. Smaller, 2 7/8 by 2 13/16 inches.

A matched pair of iron tsuba. Geese and ginger. Not a true daisho pair, the workmanship and subject are close enough to consider for a daisho with smaller kasane for the daito. Daigoro was a later Akasaka district artist known for this motif. Later Edo (19th century). Good condition. Larger, 3 by 2 5/8 inches. Smaller 2 5/8 inches by 2 3/8 inches. Note that the smaller one is a bit thicker (see pics).

A fine daisho pair of Akasaka school iron sukashi tsuba. The concentric rings motif reminds of kamon designs but also could be symbolic of the rings on a Buddhist monks prayer staff. Very good spatial design consistent with earlier, sophisticated yet austere samurai taste. These started life together for use on the long and short sword pair. Circa 1700. Excellent condition and consistent as a pair in all respects. Larger, 2 15/16 by 2 7/8 inches. Smaller, 2 13/16 by 2 3/4 inches.

A matched pair of iron tsuba. Wasp and antler motif. Relates to a Japanese saying (we’ll research and get back with an account). Not a true daisho pair, the workmanship and subject are more than just close enough to appropriately use well on daisho swords. Edo period Shoami work, circa 1800. I’ve also seen this motif attributed to Kanayama (the surface texture would be consistent). There could be overlap as Shoami was more a movement than a region-bound school. Good condition...

Daisho ko-Shoami marugata form (round) tsuba. Gunbai-uchiwa motif (gunbai referring to a war signal fan and uchiwa referring to the form of the fan). A pair being understood as a daisho (though one tsuba being for the longer of two swords, and the other for the shorter sword, they are more often than not graduated in size). These started life together...

A rare and beautiful Japanese KOZUKA KNIFE HANDLE of a by-knife that is part of a sword mounting. It is kept in a slot on the reverse side of a Kattana Scabbard, often with a matching Kogai. It depicts the Gatekeepers arm-wrestling, EDO PERIOD (1603-1868). Shakudo alloy with GOLD decorated appliqué of the Guardian Kings AGYO and UNGYO. Size: 9.5 cm x 1.4 cm.

Iron tsuba in the shape of a chrysanthemum (kikugata), openworked in negative with foliage and geometric patterns.

Chrysanthemum shaped tsuba were quite popular in the Edo period as the flower was considered a symbol of nobility and elegance. Kikugata are often openworked in negative. This creates intricate and delicate patterns that reflect the level of sophistication and refinement of the craftsmen.

Japan – Edo period (1603-1868)
Width: 2.9 in...

Rectangular-shaped (nadekakugata) iron tsuba decorated with two dragonflies with copper tara-zogan inlay.

Japan – Edo period (1603-1868)
Width: 2.4 in. (6.2 cm) – depth: 2.7 in. (7 cm)

Ovoid-shaped (nagamarugata) iron tsuba hammered and chased with medallions. On one side, medallions of a dragon with gold highlights and a komainu (or shishi – lion dog guarding the temple). On the other one, a medallion of waves and clouds with gold highlights

Tanaka school
Japan – Edo period (1603-1868)
Width: 3.1 in. (8 cm) – depth: 3.3 in. (8.5 cm)

Iron tsuba inlaid in nunomé zogan (damascened) of gold of different colors. Japanese work from the Edo period 18°-19° century, the artist's signature should give a precise date of creation. The scene finely cut in iron shows us a medieval fight on a bridge, perhaps that of Uji near Nara...

Cut iron tsuba. Decor of dragons and sacred pearls. Inside the beads, tiny iron balls are mobile. The style is called Namban. This kind of tsuba is little represented without however being rare. But the model presented here is exceptionally of excellent quality. Indeed the blacksmith has cut out his pattern excessively finely like an iron lace. We do not know of a model with such thin wires cut at the extreme limit of the constraints of the metal...

Japanese sword hilt (tsuba) in gold damascened iron (nunomezogan). The metal is finely cut with dragons pursuing the sacred pearl in the Namban style. The pearl is pierced and contains a small movable ball. Japanese work beginning of the 17th century Edo period. Dimensions 72x5mm Good condition.

Very large iron tsuba representing a man riding a giant boar. This illustrates the story of a hunter who to defend his lord during a hunting party jumped on a boar, rode it, sat upside down and stabbed it to death. This brave hunter was called Nitan No Shiro and the action took place around Mount Fuji. The tsuba is in hammered iron, the drawings of the hunter and the boar are incised with a chisel, the hat of Nitan is inlaid in sentoku (copper) some details are in gilded bronze or gold...

Tsuba in shakudo decorated with a floral basket flown over by butterflies. Inlays (Taka Zogan) in solid gold, in fact the flowers are not in gilded copper as usual but in cast solid gold. The nanako background is particularly regular and deep. The artist used gold of two shades, a pure yellow and a pale yellow probably due to the addition of platinum or silver. Anonymous despite the excellent quality. Japan 19th century or before. 76x4mm