Kyō-Shōami Tsuba

Kyō-Shōami tsuba (京正阿弥鐔) with motif of a chrysanthemum. The Hakogaki refers to the motif as Yaegiku-mon (八重菊文), meaning it is a 'layered' chrysanthemum design, reflecting the double rings of petals.  The inner ring has neatly formed rows of nanako within the petals. The outer is sukashi for visual dynamic.  Made of dark shakudō.

The Kyō- attribution refers to works produced in the Kyōto area. These products represented the aesthetics and refined tastes of the cultural capital, with overall composition and workmanship of finer quality.   This is certainly evident in this guard, with highly regular and symmetrical petals, quality nanako and high-gold content shakudo, giving it a deep lustrous finish.   The two hitsuana are original and typical of the period, are slightly different size.  The kogai-ana has been plugged. 

The tsuba is housed in an old box with original fitted otoshi. A hakogaki (attribution) is written by Kanzan Sato, and transcribed below.  Overall a very nicely executed, sophisticated motif on a compact tsuba likely intended to adorn a personal sword, or a katate-uchi (one-handed) katana which were very popular during the latest Momoyama to early Edo period. No doubt the tsuba would have belonged to a higher status samurai of the period.

Translation of the Kanzan Sato Hakogaki:

Lid:

京正阿弥 (Kyō-Shōami)

八重菊文鐔 (Yaegiku-mon tsuba)

Inside of Box:

菊花形 赤銅透 (Kikka-gata shakudō sukashi)

魚子地 両櫃孔 片櫃埋 (Nanako-ji  Ryō-hitsuana  Kata-hitsu ume)

無名鐔  京正阿弥 (Mumei Tsuba  Kyō-Shōami)

江戸初期 (Edo Shoki)

昭和 癸丑 夏 (Showa Mizunoto-Ushi Natsu -- Summer 1973)

寒山 誌 (Kanzan Shirusu with kao)

Measurements: 7.2cm x 6.8cm x 0.3cm rim

Earliest Edo Period (江戸初期時代), ca.1600

SOLD