Nine iron sukashi (openwork) tsuba (sword guards)

Edo period (1615-1868), 17th to 19th century

Edo period (1615-1868), 17th to 19th century
Unsigned and circular except as noted, the designs as follows: the first, butterflies and moths, with touches of nunome-zogan gold overlay; the second, cracked ice; the third, broken fans, signed Inshu no ju Suruga saku (Made by Suruga of Inaba Province), with a wood tomobako storage box inscribed Inshu no ju Suruga saku Yabure-ogi (Tattered fans, made by Suruga of Inaba Province), the reverse of the lid with a handwritten attestation dated 25 October 1992 dating the tsuba to the late Edo period; the fourth, a flowering branch of prunus and the crescent moon; the fifth, kumade (garden rakes); the sixth, circular with five lobes, each pierce-carved with a hanabishi motif; the seventh, a kogai and other hair ornaments; the eighth with rim formed as three confronted pairs of warabite (young fern heads); the ninth, overlapping uchiwa fans; with eight wood storage boxes. The smallest: 6.8cm (2 11/16in); the largest: 8.2cm (3¼in). (18).