KO KATCHUSHI TSUBA

The surface texture of the iron is soft with a nice, even brown patina devoid of damage.  Folding is evidenced in this tsuba in the form of fold lines on the surface.  This tsuba has aged very well. The sukashi cutouts around the rim make the tsuba look like it represents a snowflake form when looked at as a whole. However, I believe that it is just a function of the multiple point cutout pattern common in mid-Muromachi tosho and katchu shi tsuba.  The smaller sukashi elements of two side-by-side circles, could represent gourds.  Its tough to say with any certainty what this motif was intended to represent.   What we can conclude is that this tsuba is austere, and reflects the style of tsuba produced during the 15th c.  The nakago ana of this tsuba is rather wide indicating a rather thick blade, but has a smaller than average diameter which reminds me of a short katana from the Oei era circa early 1400s. The square hitsu ana was likely a later addition and its square shape is indicative of the later half of the 1400s.

This tsuba comes with a very nice form fitted recessed display box with a pillow.

Early to Mid Muromachi period

Dimensions: 7.2 cm x 7.2 cm  x 0.25 cm

 

SOLD