Tachi Kanagushi Tsuba

A great little yamagane tsuba with lots of characteristics representative of production in the latest Muromachi to Momoyama period.  Oval shape is  a slight departure from the more standard round and mokko (quatrofoil) shapes.  The rim is in the form of two leaves wrapping around from bottom to top - these could be ivy or wisteria.  The plate inside the leaf design is covered in very fine vertically arranged nakako -- characteristic in Muromachi guards.  The single hitsu-ana seems to have been added later, but this may not be the case, as small tsuba from the period were altered upon production to the tastes of the patron.  Thus the original form may have been without a hitsu-ana, and it was added upon production.  We will never know.  A considerable amount of lacquer remains preserved on the plate.

Late Muromachi  (16th c.)

6.0 x 5.6 x 0.35 cm