Massive Ko Kachushi Tsuba

Once in a very long while, we find such a unique and extremely rare tsuba.  This is a massive, early ko kachushi tsuba with sukashi of various flowers and/or mons.  The plate is characteristically thin, with excellent jigane.    The iron has a color and luster only attained through age and use.  It is pattered with tsuchime and stippling with a punch.  The seven sukashi motifs are aggressive, and remove a significant percentage of the plate - each represents a unique flower or mon.  Likely, the motif originally had the petals defined into the centers of each sukashi, but through time and use, the very thin iron walls have been lost.  The mimi has squared edges, and is relatively robust.  Some evidence of folding may be seen in the sukashi and nakago ana.  Traces of black lacquer appear on the plate. 

Two hitsuana have been added to the tsuba, likely at some point after its manufacture.  Ultimately they were filled with lead hitsudome, which are punched on each side with a different motif - a crude nanako on one side, and a clover motif on the other.  Note that this clover motif also appears as one of the sukashi.  Tsuba of this size are arguably not very functional, and it is thought they may have been made with these awesome proportions as votive offerings to shrines in advance of battles, to ensure recognition by the Kami, and ultimate victory.  Another possibility is that they were made to adorn massive Odachi or Nagamaki.  This tsuba may have originally served either of these purposes, but later in life it was indeed utilized on a sword - hence the hitsudome.

This is truly a rare and engaging tsuba.  It would surely be a focal point of any advanced tsuba collection.  We are honored to be able to offer this piece for sale on the website.

Nanbokucho to early Muromachi (ca. 1400)

11.7 x 11.7 x 0.3 cm at the seppadai and 0.6 cm at the mimi.

SALE $5500