//Family crest (mon)
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    Brass hira-zōgan iron tsuba with design of vines and thunder. Muromachi or Momoyama period, 16th century.

    Iron tsuba of round form with dam-shaped rim (dote-mimi) pierced with hitsu-ana and two udenuki-ana (probably cut later on) decorated in flat inlay (hira-zōgan) with vines and symbols of thunder or lightning (possibly - family crest, mon). Hitsu-ana and nakago-ana with copper sekigane.

    Ōnin or Heianjō school, or, possibly Kaga or Umetada school. Momoyama period or earlier (Muromachi), 16th century. Unsigned.

    Size:  64.5 x 63.8 x 2.2 (center), 4.2 (rim) mm.

    Provenance: Lundgren Collection: [Japanese sword-fittings and metalwork in the Lundgren Collection. Published by Otsuka Kogeisha Co., Ltd., Tokyo 1992], №31; The Lundgren Collection of Japanese Swords, Sword Fittings and A Group of Miochin School Metalwork. Christie's Auction: Tuesday, 18 November 1997, London. Sales "GOTO-5881". Christie's, 1997, №2. Lundgren's description at Christie's: Heianjo tsuba. Unsigned. The circular plate decorated in brass hirazogan with flowers, plants and symbols of thunder, dote mimi and udenuki ana, late Muromachi period (16th century). Tokyo 1992 description: Sword guard with design of flowering plants and frets in inlay. Unsigned. Heianjo inlay school. 6.35 x 6.3 cm, thickness of rim 0.40 cm. Iron. Flat brass inlay. Muromachi-Momoyama Period, 16th century. Provenance: The Second John Harding. A somewhat look-a-like pieces can be found in various catalogues. The one in Naunton Collection, №172, is signed: Umetada of Yamashiro: "Iron, small, almost circular, with raised oval rim, inlaid all over with leaves and scrolls in brass hirazōgan."

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  • Heianjō-zōgan mon-sukashi tsuba. Momoyama to early Edo period.

    Tsuba of oval form decorated with vines, tendrils, and leaves on trellis in brass inlay with details carved in kebori, and pierced with six family crests (mon) with two, three and four pointing stars in openwork, each outlined with brass wire and carved in kebori. Original hitsu-ana outlined with brass wire was probably enlarged later. Copper sekigane.

    Momoyama to early Edo period (end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century). Dimensions: 68.3 x 64.5 x 3.4 mm.
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  • Kamakura-bori tsuba with design of encircled paulownia (kiri-mon). Mid Muromachi period, ca. 1450.

    Iron tsuba of round form pierced with design of paulownia (kiri) in a circle in positive silhouette (ji-sukashi), details carved in low relief (sukidashi-bori). Hitsu-ana were cut later and then both plugged with lead or pewter. Brown patina. The most unusual characteristic of this tsuba is its 'positiveness': the absolute majority of Kamakura-bori tsuba are of ko-sukashi type, i.e. with small openings, presenting the motif in negative silhouette. Kamakura-bori school. Muromachi period (ca. 1450). Size: Height: 85.1 mm, width: 84.8 mm, thickness at seppa-dai: 3.2 mm, at rim: 2.8 mm. Weight: 79.1 g. A similar tsuba is presented at Japanese Swords and Sword Fittings from the Collection of Dr. Walter Ames Compton. Part I. Christie's, New York, March 31, 1992, page 11, №3: "A Kamakura-bori tsuba. Muromachi period, ca. 1450. The round iron plate is pierced with an openwork design of a paulownia crest (kiri-mon), the surface details of which are carved in low relief. The design is repeated on the reverse. The edge is slightly raised  and the rim has some iron bones. 78 mm x 77 mm x 3.5 mm. Hakogaki by Sato Kanzan, dated summer 1973."

    Compton's Collection, Part I, p. 11, №3.

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  • Kanayama tsuba with design of rings and crossbars. Momoyama period, 16th century.

    Iron tsuba of round form with design of two parallel crossbars and two rings in openwork (sukashi). Rounded square rim. Moderate iron bones (tekkotsu) allover. Copper sekigane. Kanayama school. Momoyama period (or late Muromachi). Size: 74.5 x 74.0 x 5.5 mm. The rings possibly represent the sun and the moon, or the stars. The parallel crossbars may represent the "two stripes" (futatsu biki) family crest (incl. Ashikaga family).
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  • Ko-katchūshi tsuba with diamond-shaped family crest motif. Early Muromachi period, 15th century.

    Iron tsuba of round form with design of diamond-shaped family crest (waribishi-mon) in openwork (sukashi). Bevelled, raised rim. Kozuka-hitsu-ana plugged with tin or lead. Ko-Katchushi school. Early Muromachi period: Early 15th century (Oei era). Size: Height: 89.3 mm. Width: 89.0 mm. Rim thickness: 4.3 mm. Center thickness: 2.9 mm. Provenance: Sasano Masayuki Collection, № 41: "In this tsuba, a family crest incorporating four lozenges sits upright on the right side of the nakago-ana. The straight lines of the lozenge add substance and power. Initially, the crest creates confusion regarding the age, yet the overall impression is one lacking in vigor and probably dates rather later than Nanbokucho period".  
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  • Koike Yoshirō Naomasa tsuba with design of paulownia and arabesque. Late Muromachi – Momoyama period, 16th century.

    The chrysanthemoid (kiku-gata) iron plate with polished surface decorated with arabesque (karakusa) and paulownia (kiri) leaves and flowers in brass, copper and silver flush inlay (hira-zōgan) on both sides. Some of the inlay goes over the edge. Kozuka- and kogai-hitsu-ana are filled with lead plugs. Sekigane of copper. Chrysanthemum and paulownia are the symbols of imperial family. The face is signed: Izumi no Kami to the right of nakago-ana, and Yoshiro on the left; the back is signed Koike Naomasa. His signed work is considered by many experts to have been made-to-order only. The original wooden box (tomobako) with inscription (hakogaki) signed by Dr. Kazutaro Torigoye and dated Showa 39 (1964). The late Muromachi or Momoyama period, 16th century. Dimensions: 89 mm x 84 mm x 3.6 mm; Weight: 170 g. Hakogaki lid: Yoshirō  kikka-gata Hakogaki lid inside: Iron, signed on the omote: Izumi no Kami – Yoshirō; on the ura: Koike Naomasa. Kikka-gata, pronounced maru-mumi, two hitsu-ana, karakusa, and kiri design in brass, silver, and suaka hira-zōgan. Height 8.5 cm, thickness 3.5 mm. Herewith I judge this work as authentic. On a lucky day in July of 1964. Torigoe Kōdō [Kazutarō] + kaō According to Robert Haynes [Catalog #7, 1983; №32, page 42-43] "This full form of the signature is seen very rarely". His example, illustrated in that catalogue, measures: height = 86 mm, thickness at seppa-dai = 3.75 mm and signed Izumi no Kami Yoshiro on the back and Koike Naomasa on the face. The further description of his specimen by Robert Haynes:
    "Early signed example of the work of Koike Naomasa. The kiku shape iron plate is well finished. The flush inlay is brass, for the scroll work on both sides, with the leaves and kiri mon in brass, copper and silver with strong detail carving. Some of the inlay goes almost over the edge, which is goishi gata. The large hitsuana are plugged in lead with starburst kokuin surface design. [...]The face is signed in deep bold kanji: Koike Naomasa; the back is signed: Izumi no Kami, on the right and Yoshiro on the left. There are one or two small pieces of inlay missing. Sold by Sotheby London, Oct. 27, 1981, lot 368. Height = 86 mm, thickness (seppa-dai) = 3.75 mm, (edge) = 4 mm."
    Another similar example presented at: "Tsuba" by Günter Heckmann, 1995, №T55 — "Designation: Koike Naomasa. Mid Edo, end of the 17th century. Iron, hira-zogan in brass, copper, silver and shakudo, katakiri-bori. Tendrils and leaves. 87.0 x 78.0 x 4.0 mm." Reference: Japanische Schwertzierate by Lumir Jisl, 1967, page. 13. [SV: Actually, his tsuba is signed Izumi no Kami  Yoshiro on the back; and Koike Naomasa on the front, exactly as Robert Haynes's tsuba. Dating this tsuba Mid-Edo, 17th century may be considered a misattribution]. More details regarding the Yoshirō tsuba. 
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  • Nobuie tsuba with family crest motif. Momoyama period, c. 1580.

    Iron tsuba of mokko form decorated with encircled family crests in low relief carving; niku from 3.0 mm in the centre to 4.0 mm at rim and full 1 mm raised uchikaeshi-mimi. Nobuie [信家] signature (hanare-mei) to the left of nakago-ana; on the reverse, to the right of nakago-ana, the inscription reads “62”, which may be how old the master was at the age of making the tsuba. Pewter or lead plugged hitsuana. In a wooden box, in a custom pouch. Size: H: 80 mm, W: 75, Th(c): 3.1 mm, Th(r): 4.0 mm Weight: 103.5 g

    Signed: Nobuie [信家] / 62

    Probably the work of Shodai Nobuie (c. 1580).

    Tokubetsu hozon certificate № 2002993 of the N.B.T.H.K., dated January 15, 2016. NOBUIE TSUBA by Steve Waszak The iron tsuba made by the two early Nobuie masters are regarded as the greatest sword guards ever made across hundreds of years of Japanese history.  Only a small handful of other smiths' names are even mentioned in the same breath as that of Nobuie.  Despite the well-deserved fame of the Nobuie name, virtually nothing is known with certainty about the lives of the two men who made the pieces carrying this name.  They are thought to have been men of Owari Province, with the Nidai Nobuie also spending time in Aki Province at the end of the Momoyama Period. Two Nobuie tsubako are recognized.  The man whom most consider to have been the Shodai signed his sword guards with finer and more elegantly inscribed characters than the smith seen by most as the Nidai.  The term used to describe the mei of the Shodai is "hanare-mei" or "ga-mei," while that used to characterize the signature of the Nidai is "futoji-mei" or "chikara-mei."  These terms refer to the fineness and grace of the Shodai's signature and the relatively more powerfully inscribed characters of the Nidai's.  The Shodai is thought to have lived during the Eiroku and Tensho eras in the latter part of the 16th century, while the Nidai's years are considered to have been from Tensho into the Genna era.  This locates both smiths well within the Golden Age of tsuba artists -- the Momoyama Period. Nobuie tsuba are esteemed and celebrated for the extraordinary beauty of their iron.  The combination of the forging of the metal, the surface treatment by tsuchime and yakite married to powerfully expressive carving, the masterful manipulation of form, mass and shape, and the colour and patina of the iron makes Nobuie sword guards not only unique in the world of tsuba, but the greatest of the great. The sword guard here is a Shodai-made masterwork, done in mokko-gata form, a shape the early Nobuie smiths mastered to a degree unmatched by any others.  The expanding of the mass of the tsuba from the seppa-dai to the mimi, increasing by 50% from the centre of the guard to the rim, creates a sense of exploding energy, which is then contained by the uchikaeshi-mimi, yielding a lightning-in-a-bottle effect of captured energy.  The hammering the master has employed to finish the surface is subtle and sensitive, achieving a resonant profundity, and the deep blue-black colour -- augmented by a lustrous patina -- leaves the tsuba to positively glow in one's hand.  In this piece, Nobuie has used a motif of several kamon, or family crests, each carved only lightly on the surface in a loose ring around the nakago-ana.  Due to the shallow depth of this carving, together with the tsuchime finish of the plate, the effect is to leave the kamon with a sort of weathered appearance, recalling the prime aesthetic values of sabi and wabi, which had great circulation in the Tea Culture so ascendant in the Momoyama years.  However, the effects of sabi and wabi expressed in the treatment described above are amplified and deepened by the color and patina of the iron, thereby adding yet another aesthetic value -- yuugen -- which is linked with the abiding mystery of the universe and one more — mono no aware — which alludes to the pathos of life's experiences and transitory nature.  In short, this Nobuie tsuba joins poetry with power and therein exemplifies the unrivalled brilliance of Nobuie workmanship.
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of birds, plants, well, and family crests. Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of round form profusely decorated with brass inlay of plants, birds, well, and family crests (mon) in suemon-zōgan technique and occasional brass dots (nail-heads) or ten-zōgan. Seppa-dai and kozuka-hitsu-ana outlined with brass inaly, possibly repaired: rope-shaped wire here and there replaced with flat wire. The plate is very thin, with remnants of lacquer. Ōnin school. Size: 75.8 x 75.2 x 2.3 mm. Weight: 77.5 g. On the front side (omote) motif includes the following elements (from 12 o'clock, clockwise):
    1. Water plantain (a.k.a. arrowhead, or omodaka): "a perpetual plant of the water plantain family, was also called shōgunsō (victorious army grass). Because of this martial connotation, it was a design favored for the crests of samurai families" [see: Family Crests of Japan. // Stone Bridge Press, Berkeley, CA, 2007; p. 63].
    2. Heron (sagi): "...considered an emblem of longevity, and from China comes the practice of regarding the bird as a mount of the gods and the Taoist sennin. [...] heron also reflects an inauspicious connotation, for the word sagi is homophone for 'fraud' and 'false pretenses'." [see: Merrily Baird. Symbols of Japan. Thematic motifs in art and design. // Rizzoli international publications, Inc., 2001; p. 112]. Some may say, that this is not a heron but a crane (tsuru). It's very possible, and in this case the negative connotation is lost, but the reference to longevity and allusion to sennin remain.
    3. Pampas grass (susuki, or obana): as per Merrily Baird, p. 95 and John W. Dower, p. 66, pampas grass is one of the Seven Grasses of Autumn. When combined with flying wild gees, conveys strong autumnal mood.
    4. Plum blossom (ume): according to Merrily Baird, the flower has a vast variety of symbolic meanings, including longevity, and a reference to the Chinese Taoists. It is used in 80 family crests [see: Japanese Design Motifs: 4,260 Illustrations of Japanese Crests; Compiled by the Matsuya Piece-Goods Store; Translated by Fumie Adachi. // Dover Publications, Inc., 1972.] Plum is "celebrated for its sweet perfume, delicate blossoms, and habit of blooming at the end of winter".
    5. Tree flying wild geese (kari): "Wild geese arrive in large flocks in southern regions during the autumn months, and following their migratory instincts, head back north in spring" [Family Crests of Japan, pp. 85-86]. "The importance of geese in Japanese art was further secured by stories of several military heroes who had achieved victory in battle when a sudden breaking of ranks by flying geese signaled an ambush. The protective role of the birds led to their frequent use in decorating sword furnishings and possibly also their adoption as a family crest motif.Finally, the goose in Asia plays a role in religious traditions" [Merrily Baird, pp.111-112].
    6. Hikiryō (line, or bar, or stripe) - a symbol which consists of one, two, or three horizontal or vertical stripes in a circle. "In wartime, Japanese generals [...] surrounded their encampments with huge cloth curtains. Usually these were made of cloth sewn together horizontally and varying in color [...] to distinguish the individual general and his followers. The stripe thus assumed strong martial connotations, and became a mark of identification on personal military gear as well. In the early fourteenth century  the heads of the Ashikaga and Nitta, then the two most powerful clans in Japan, both adopted stripe patterns as a family crest". [See: Family Crests of Japan, p. 111 and John W. Dower. The elements of Japanese design - A handbook of family crests, heraldry & symbolism. // Weatherhill, New York, Tokyo, 1985, p. 144].
    On the reverse (ura) motif includes the following elements (from 12 o'clock, clockwise):
    1. Hikiryō, see above.
    2. Pampas grass (susuki, or obana), see above.
    3. Bellflower (kikyo): One of the Seven Grasses of Autumn. "As a crest, it have been adopted among the warriors around the thirteenth century, primarily because of it's beauty" [John W. Dower, p. 48].
    4. Four flying wild geese (kari), see above.
    5. Weeping willow (yanagi): "It is commonly represented with water, snow, swallows, or herons.  A branch of willow (yoshi) is one of the attributes of the Buddhist deity Senju Kannon (Thousand-Armed Kannon), who is said to use the branch to sprinkle the nectar of life contained in a vase. [Merrily Baird, pp. 66-67].
    6. Lone plum blossom in a well frame/crib (igeta, izitsu): "Well crib was one of the most popular motifs in Japanese heraldry".  As a crest it may stay simply for the first character (i) of the family name, however, with a flower inside the well frame, and together with the other symbols present, it may aggravate the sense of autumn-ness. The ten-zōgan dots in this particular case may represent the snowflakes or autumn stars.
    The beholder may imagine a high-ranking samurai resting near a river or lake after the battle. Surrounded by clusters of pampas grass, he's watching a flock of geese flying in the skies; it is late in the autumn, and the occasional snowflakes hover around; heron is walking amidst the arrowheads, hunting for food. The last lonely plum blossom floating in a well... According to Gary D. Murtha, this type of tsuba "could be considered as Onin or as early Heianjo work. The brass trim around kozuka hitsu-ana and the seppa-dai are characteristics of Onin work [see: Japanese sword guards. Onin - Heianjo - Yoshiro. Gary D. Murtha. GDM Publications, 2016; p. 27].  
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of family crests and arabesque. Muromachi period, 16th century.

    Thin iron tsuba of round form with design of family crests (mon) and arabesque (karakusa) in brass or copper inlay (suemon-zōgan) and occasional scattered brass dots or nail heads in ten-zōgan. Seppa-dai outlined with brass wire in the shape of a rope; kozuka-hitsu-ana outlined with scalloped brass wire. Rounded rim with iron bones (tekkotsu). The surface covered with lacquer (urushi). Ōnin school. Late Muromachi period, 16th century. Family crests on the face: 1:30: Two lines (double stripe) encircled (maruni futatsu biki). 4:30: Stylized clove (choji). 7:30: Divided rhombus, or four lozenges incorporated in one (wari-bishi); it is also called Takeda-bishi, the family crest of warrior Takeda Shingen (among the others). 10:00: Stylized Genji-mon (Genji kō-zu) or incense symbol. On the reverse: 2:00 - "Chinese cloud" not a crest. 5:00: Bit (Kutsuwa) 7:30: Number four in a fan (ōgi-san) 10:30: Two dots in a well frame (igeta).      
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of family crests and cherry blossoms. Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of mokko form (quatrefoil) decorated with a pair of cherry blossoms (sakura) in small openwork (ko-sukashi) and inlaid in brass (suemon-zōgan) with designs of waves, distant pines, chrysanthemum flowers in halves, tendrils and leaves, lightning or thunder symbol (inazuma), flying geese and family chrests (mon): two interlocked rings (wachigai) on the face, and three encircled stripes (maru-no-uchi-ni-mitsuhikiryo) - kamon of the Kikkawa clan  - on the reverse. Hitsu-ana outlined with inlay of brass wire. Surface treated with lacquer. Copper sekigane. Though some consider this type of tsuba to resemble Heianjo school, “...the brass trim around the hitsu-ana is a characteristics of Ōnin work” [Japanese sword guards. Onin – Heianjo – Yoshiro. Gary D. Murtha. GDM Publications, 2016; p. 27.]. The Ōnin origin is reinforced by scattered ten-zōgan elements here and there through the plate. It is possible that the tsuba was initially of round form and later trimmed to mokko shape. Mid Muromachi period; 15th century. Dimensions: Height: 87.2 mm; Width: 87.9 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.6 mm.
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of foliage and family crests. Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of round form decorated with floral motif in brass or copper inlay (suemon-zōgan) and family crests (mon) in small openwork (ko-sukashi). Occasional brass dots or nail heads in brass ten-zōgan. Sukashi elements outlined with inlaid brass wire. Seppa-dai outlined with rope-shaped brass wire (nawame-zōgan); kozuka-hitsu-ana outlined with scalloped brass wire. Ōnin school. Mid to late Muromachi period, 15th or 16th century. Height: 88.9 mm; Width: 88.5 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 2.9 mm. Family crests (mon) in openwork: cherry blossom (sakura) - kamon of Sakurai and Yoshino clans, four-section lozenge (waribishi) - kamon of Takeda clan, the seven stars of the big dipper (maru ni nanatsuboshi) - kamon of Chiba clan, two encircled stripes (futatsubiki) - kamon of Ashikaga clan. Brass inlays represent flowers, branches and leaves, as well as halved plum blossom, halved chrysanthemum blossom, cloud, and chrysanthemum-on-water symbol - the mon of Kusunoki Masashige. Abundance of family crests of so many powerful warrior clans symbolizes heritage. "The brass trim around the kozuka hitsu-ana andd the seppa-dai are characteristics of Onin work" [Japanese sword guards. Onin - Heianjo - Yoshiro. Gary D. Murtha. GDM Publications, 2016; p. 27.]
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of foliage and family crests. Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of round form decorated with chrysanthemums, pine cones and needles, pampas grass, vines, cherry blossoms, and wild geese in brass inlay (suemon-zōgan) and pierced with designs of water clover (denjiso) and half bellflower (or karahana) to the left and to the right of nakago-ana as well as double bars above and below nakago-ana (possibly with the meaning of number 2 or ordinal 2nd). Most probably the sukashi elements here are the family crests (mon). Unsigned. Ōnin school. Muromachi period; 15th or 16th century. Height: 82.1 mm; Width: 80.9 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 2.4 mm NBTHK # 2003827: Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu Kanteisho (特別保存刀装具鑑定書) - "Extraordinarily Worthy of Preservation".
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of plants and family crests. Mid Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of half round and half lobed (chrysanthemoid) form decorated with plants and family crests (mon) in cast brass inlay (suemon-zōgan), and scattered brass dots inlay (ten-zōgan); brass wire inlay outlining the rim, seppa-dai, and hitsu-ana (scalloped wire) on both sides. Surface treated with hummer punch marks. The chrysanthemoid half of the plate chiseled  with thin shallow grooves, outlining the petals. Copper sekigane. On the face the inlay represents: mandarin orange (tachibana), half karahana, encircled bellflower, and four encircled three-stipe family crest (mitsubiki-mon of Sakuma and Abe clans, and some others). On the reverse the design is similar but two of the mitsubiki-mon symbols replaced with two comb-shaped Genji-mon ideographs. Ōnin school. The end of mid-Muromachi period, beginning of the 16th century. Size: 74.3 x 72.7 x 2.4 mm.  
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  • Ōnin suemon-zōgan tsuba with design of rabbit, plants, and family crests. Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of round form with design of rabbit (usagi) in openwork (sukashi) and inlaid with designs of plants and family crests (mon) in suemon-zōgan. A branch with lonely leaf, half chrysanthemum, and flying wild geese on the face represent autumnal connotations. The same motif is complemented by a clove (choji) on the reverse.  The family crests (mon) include: interlocked rings (kanawa; wachigai), three encircled lines or stripes (hikiryo), bit or muzzle (kutsuwa - horse's harness element with possible christian symbolism), and encircled triangle (uroko, fish scale). Brass wire trim around the openwork elements and the seppa-dai, scalloped wire inlay around the hitsu-ana. Iron is dark, almost black. Brass or copper elements vary in shades of lighter and darker yellow with red-ish hue. Ōnin school. Late Muromachi period, 16th century. Height: 89.6 mm; Width: 89.3 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.0 mm. Weight: 129.7 g.
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  • Ōnin ten-zōgan tsuba with design of paper lanterns. Mid Muromachi period.

    Iron tsuba of round form with design of two paper lanterns in openwork (small cut-outs, ko-sukashi ) outlined with brass wire. The plate is decorated with four concentric rows of brass dot inlay (ten-zōgan), with a brass circular wire inside the innermost row of dots (missing on the back). Hitsu-ana of rectangular form is not outlined with brass wire, which let us suppose that it was cut out at a later date. Copper sekigane. Mid Muromachi period (1454-1513). Diameter: 74.0 mm, thickness: 2.6 mm. Tsuba is illustrated at: 新版 日本刀講座 小道具鑑定編 本間 薫山 佐藤 寒山 : Shinhan Nihonto Koza, Volume VI, Kodogu Part 1. Under supervision of Honma Kunzan and Sato Kanzan. 鍔 無名 応仁 鉄地) 丸形 小透 槌目 真鍮据文 点象嵌 丸耳 : Tsuba with no signature, Ōnin style. Base metal iron (jigane), round shape, small perforations (ko-sukashi), hammering finish (tsuchime). Pre-cast brass inlay (shinchu suemon-zōgan); dot inlay (ten-zōgan); round edge (maru-mimi). English translation of the book indicated above Nihon Tō Kōza, Volume VI, Part 1 by Harry Afu Watson, AFU Research Enterprises, Inc., 1993. Tsuba in question illustrated on page 14 and described as follows: " Tsuba mumei Ōnin. Tetsu ji maru gata ko-sukashi tsuchime shitate shinchū suemon ten zogan maru mimi. Brass suemon". My question remains: why such a text is called 'translation' while it looks more like transliteration of romanization?
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  • Ōnin tsuba with zōgan design of flowers and wild geese. Late Muromachi period (1514-1573).

    Iron tsuba of round form adorned with the design of stars, wild geese, floating blossoms, leaves and tendrils realized in brass inlay. The inlay technique includes suemon-zōgan and ten-zōgan. Two smaller openings (hitsu-ana) surrounded by a scalloped brass border. The seppa-dai border inlay is missing, as well as a few other fragments of inlay on both sides. Sword cut at 12 o'clock on the reverse. A tsuba with a strong autumnal connotation, which once belonged to a great battle weapon. One of only three known jūyō Ōnin tsuba. Translation of the paper, issued by the Japanese sword fittings (tosogu) examination board: Designated as jūyō-tosogu at the 34th jūyō-shinsa held on April 14th 1988 Kaki-karimon zōgan-tsuba (花卉雁文象嵌鐔) — Tsuba with zōgan design of flowers and wild geese. Mumei: Onin (応仁) Tokyo. Nakasono Tokumi (中園とくみ) Measurements: height 9.5 cm, width 9.4 cm, thickness at rim 0.35 cm Interpretation: marugata, iron, brass zōgan, two hitsu-ana Time: end of Muromachi Explanation: Ōnin-tsuba are thin iron ita-tsuba which show a brass zōgan ornamentation. All of them are mumei and there is the theory that they were made in the Onin era (1467-1469) although today more and more the theory is accepted that they are in general late Muromachi period works. There are two kinds of brass zōgan interpretations: One depicts irregularly arranged tachibana branches, wild geese, chrysanthemums, flowers, or karakusa for example, and the other one shows punctual zōgan elements, which are referred to as hoshi-zōgan or ro-zōgan, and concentrical zōgan elements between the nakago-ana and the rim. The latter interpretations might also be accompanied by simple ko-sukashi in the form of butterflies, clouds, hats, or stylized mountains. This tsuba is a typical work from the former category. It is large and feels massive and the powerful and impressive zōgan and the excellent iron make it a highly tasteful piece. Back side: Issued to: Nakasono Tokumi Address: Tokyo-to, Suginami-ku, Kamitakaido 2-17-26 Date of issue: May 30th 1989
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  • Owari tsuba with double crossbar and family crests motif. Early Edo period, 17th century.

    Iron tsuba of round form with design of double crossbar and two family crests (hikiryo-ni-kamon) in openwork (sukashi). Squared rim. Copper sekigane. Owari school. Early Edo period: Late 17th century (Kanbun / Enppo era). Height: 80.9 mm. Width: 80.8 mm. Rim thickness: 5.0 mm. Center thickness: 4.6 mm. Provenance: Sasano Masayuki Collection, № 172: "A paulownia and a clover are diagonally opposite two crossbars. This expressive design suggests a Higo origin, but the iron and the finish are certainly of the Owari school. Work of this nature may have been influenced by Hayashi Matashichi (1613-1699)."
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  • Tantō tsuba with paulownia and karakusa design. Early Edo period, 17th century.

    Small iron tsuba (tantō size) of aoi form with the design of paulownia leaves and blossoms in copper and brass flat inlay (hira-zōgan). Brass sekigane. Open kozuka hitsu-ana.

    Early Edo period, 17th century.

    Size: 53.4 x 40.7 x 4.4 mm; weight: 47.4 g

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