Three sentoku (brass alloy) tsuba (sword guards)

Edo period (1615-1868), 19th century

Edo period (1615-1868), 19th century
The first irregular oval, chased and inlaid in relief with Sojobo the Tengu King and an acolyte hiding out in the mountains, signed Taryusai Yoshiyuki (Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Germany, Nihon Art Publishers, 2001, H12344.0); the second oval with an applied fukurin chased and inlaid in relief with Minamoto no Yoritomo hiding in a tree protected by his cousin Kajiwara Kagetoki, a startled dove flying away, signed in seal style Tsuneshige; the third rounded square, chased and inlaid in relief with the Oil Thief approaching the Aridoshi Shrine, signed Tsuneshige, with a wood tomobako storage box inscribed on the reverse of the lid with an attestation by Sato Kanzan dated January 1968; the other two each with a wood storage box. The smallest: 6.4cm (2½in); the largest: 7.1cm (2 13/16in). (6).