AN IRON TSUBA WITH PIGEONS, TENKODO HIDEKUNI

A SUPERB IRON TSUBA WITH PIGEONS, ATTRIBUTED TO TENKODO HIDEKUNI, WITH NBTHK HOZON CERTIFICATE
Attributed to Kawarabayashui (Tenkodo) Hidekuni (1825-1891), unsigned
Japan, Kyoto, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

The large iron tsuba of mokkogata shape, one of the hitsu plugged with gold, one side showing a pigeon worked in high relief curiously looking at some loose grains, the other side showing an inlaid shibuichi pigeon picking at grains. The details highlighted with silver and gold. With a fitted wood storage box.

With a NBTHK Hozon paper (sword fitting worthy of preservation).

SIZE 9 x 8.2 cm
WEIGHT 160 g

Condition: Excellent condition with hardly any wear.
Provenance: European private collection.

Kawarabayashi Hidekuni was a metalworker, renowned for his sword fittings, who lived in Kyoto and was a student and adopted son of Kawarabayashi Hideoki. The artist is listed in the Haynes Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists on page 242 (H 01054.0).