Nobuie Tsuba

Iron sukashi tsuba, with a wheel or Kuruma motif (車図). It is signed Nobuie (信家).   This tsuba is constructed of quality iron, and is quite robust for its size, demonstrating good niku (肉), or literally 'meatiness'.  The surface has been lightly hammered in a technique called tsuchime-ji (槌目地) to create a slightly irregular suface resembling stone.  The tsuba is slightly concave on both sides, with the center being lower and rim higher.  This style of visible change in plate thickness from center to the rim is sometimes referred to nikudori (肉取) or 3-dimentionality.  This is a common feature of the Nobuie school. Two small irregular holes are pierced in the plate. These are referred to as udenuki-ana (腕抜孔), and were intended for a retention cord to prevent the sword slipping from the scabbard, or alternatively, for a wrist cord.

Measurements: 7.2cm x 6.9cm x 0.7cm rim

Edo Period (江戸時代), 18th century.

$500