Iron tsuba of quatrefoil form with design of bamboo stems and leaves in openwork (sukashi) decorated with carving (kebori) . Copper sekigane. Early Edo period, late 17th century (Kanbun / Enppo era).

First generation Kanshiro of Nishigaki school in Higo Province died in the sixth year of Genroku, 1693, at the age of 81).

Height: 74.4 mm; Width: 74.2 mm; Centre thickness: 4.9 mm. Rounded rim.

The design was quite popular among the Higo masters.

Kanshiro III, early 18th century (Sasano 1994 №267)

Matashichi I, late 17th century (Sasano 1994 №270)

Shigemitsu II, early 18th century (Sasano 1994 №280)

The design of my tsuba closely resembles the one at the last example (Sasano 1994 №280), however, the form (mine is quatrefoil) and the execution (strength) are very different, which result in a very different spirit of my piece.