Tsuba Gallery
Listed below are several examples of iron tsuba from the mid Muromachi period through to the late Edo period. The images are thumbnails to links with larger images and some written detail.

The tsuba are displayed in an order starting with older pieces, and then specific schools and styles.

Muromachi to early Edo tsuba
Kô Katchushi sukashi. Muromachi Jidai. 75mm x 71.5mm. Thickness at the center is 2.5mm and at the mimi is 4.5mm
Kô Shoami. Late Muromachi Jidai. Mokko gata. A theme of Vajra and stars in gold.
Kô Shoami. Late Muromachi Jidai. Thunder clouds and lightning. Small granular tekkotsu.
Tosho Tsuba. This is a nice old iron tusba, maybe from the Muromachi or Momoyama period. The theme is Moonshine.
Owari Ji Sukashi tsuba Mid Muromachi to Momoyama period. Tsuchime Ji. Musashino theme with dew drops, Myoga and Matsukawabishi used as the Hitsu ana.
Heianjô-Zogan. Momoyama or very early Edo period. Excellent Iron tsuba with 99.9% intact Zogan.
Shoami sukashi with Tsuchime Ji. Momoyama to early Edo period. The theme is a Chikirimon or a cotton spool or spindle. NBTHK Kanteisho
Kyo Sukashi. Early Edo period. Theme featuring a spiders web
Owari tsuba, Sadahiro. Shu-mei attribution with Kao to Sadahiro. Early to mid Edo period. NTHK Kanteisho


Akasaka Tsuba
Kô Akasaka. Daki-Myoga Karigane sukashi-zu Tsuba. Length; 83.6mm, Width; 82.5mm, Thickness at seppadai; 5.6mm, Thickness at mimi; 5.0mm. NBTHK Kanteisho.
Kô Akasaka Ji Sukashi iron tsuba. Middle Edo period. Musashino design of birds and grass represented by overlaid circles.

Edo Period Tosho Tsuba
Tosho tsuba, signed Yasutsugu Rokudai Me Saku meaning 'made by the 6th Yasutsugu'. Theme of a crane and waves.
Tosho tsuba signed Naoaki (Kao). Naoaki was a student of Naokatsu. The theme is of a water wheel and mon that is presented in negative sukashi and also scattered across the hiraji.
Tosho tsuba. Yamashiro ju Gonsei Kanemichi. Mokkogata testu tsuba with flowers in silver nunomezogan, the Omote Ji is also partially silvered in a wash.

Other Edo iron tsuba
Shimizu Jingo. 7.8 cm H x 7.3 cm W x 0.3 cm Iron with Ishime-ji. Made by either the 4th or 5th Shimizu Jingo master. There is hakogaki by Dr Torigoye and this tsuba is published in Dr Torigoyes book Tsuba Kanshoki. The design is Peachesin brass with a Shakudo branch.
Kyo Sukashi. 8 cm H x 8 cm W x 0.5 cm T Iron, maru gata, kaku mimi with slight niku. The design is Winter, consisting of an umbrella, snow flakes and karigane (wild geese), NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho kanteisho.
Echizen Kinai tsuba. 7.8 cm H x 7.7 cm W x 0.4 cm T Iron, maru gata, kaku mimi with slight niku. The design is of thunder clouds, lighting bolts and 3 birds. NTHK Kanteisho.
Kinko Sukashi. Vines with gold fronds. Late Edo Period. Signed Ichiryu Tomoyoshi.
Tosa Myôchin Ji-Sukashi tsuba. 1780 -1800 Toshû jû Kuniyoshi saku. Well forged iron and nice patina. Fine Kebori on the hira of a Torii and Pine tree.

Copyright 2006. Richard Turner