Type: Tsuba Material: Iron with shakudo and gilt inlay Estimated Age: Mid to Late Edo period (18th–19th century) Mass: 101.1 g Signature: Unsigned
This rustic iron tsuba is decorated with a delicate design depicting small insects hovering among flowering plants. The gold inlay traces fine stems and leaves across the textured iron surface, with the insects rendered in subtle yet expressive form. This motif evokes a quiet moment in nature, celebrating the fleeting beauty of summer and the harmony between life and landscape—an enduring theme in Japanese art and poetry.
The guard’s iron plate has an intentionally coarse, hammered texture that provides a dramatic contrast to the refined brilliance of the gold inlay. This textural interplay is a hallmark of Edo-period decorative tsuba, where even a simple form could be elevated through contrast between raw iron and precious metal. The inlay remains remarkably intact despite surface aging and oxidation, suggesting careful workmanship. The piece shows an even patina and no significant structural damage. There is visible natural pitting and roughness, likely from long-term storage and exposure, consistent with age but not detrimental to stability or value.
The unsigned nature of the piece is typical of artisan-level work from this period—functional yet artistically sensitive, made for wear rather than display.
