Eight iron tsuba (sword guards)

Edo period (1615-1868), 18th/19th century

Edo period (1615-1868), 18th/19th century
The first circular, pierce carved and modelled as a chrysanthemum plant (gilt details), the ryohitsu plugged with shakudo (one partially missing), signed Inshu no ju Masayoshi (Masayoshi of Inaba Province); the second circular, pierce carved and modelled as maple leaves and dew drops (gilt details), the ryohitsu plugged with shakudo, signed Bushu no ju Masakata (Masakata of Musashi [Edo]); the third mokko, chased and inlaid in gold, silver, and copper with a shishi, bamboo, and mountain torrent, signed Yanagawa Naomasa; the fourth rounded rectangular, chased and inlaid with swallows and waves, signed Akimasa with a kao on the reverse; the fifth circular, pierce carved with birds and waves (gilt details); the sixth oval, chased and inlaid with Mount Fuji, sunrise, and New Year pine sapling (gold and silver details), obscurely signed; the seventh oval, chased in relief with a mountain landscape and seascape, signed Chohanjo Hara Tomosaka kore o tsukuru (Hara Tomosaka made this at Hagi Castle in Nagato Province; see Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Germany, Nihon Art Publishers, 2001, H10065.0); the eighth circular, the rim formed by a band of cloud surrounding a pierce carved and chased dragon, the kozuka-ana plugged with gilt metal stamped with a floral star pattern, signed Echizen no ju Kinai saku (Made by Kinai of Echizen), with a wood tomobako storage box inscribed on the reverse of the lid mentioning a similar published example; the other seven each with a wood storage box. The smallest: 6.4cm (2½in); the largest: 8.5cm (3 3/8in). (16).

Provenance:
The seventh: purchased in these rooms, 16 May 2013, lot 249 (part lot).