Edo Period Iron Tsuba, Stylized Wave Motif, Possibly Depicting a Mon
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Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Swords and Related: Pre 1837 VR: Item # 1342841
Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Swords and Related: Pre 1837 VR: Item # 1342841
An Edo period iron tsuba with stylized wave motif. Carved and chiseled details on the waves enhancing the inference to water. The symmetric depiction likely a ka-mon (heraldic device). A nearly identical tsuba can be found in the Boston Museum of Fine Art, accession number 11.11500, with the minor exceptions of a more rounded seppa-dai in the present tsuba with gilt, kinko band probably intended to fit the tsuba with a particular koshirae. This tsuba must be the same school if not the same workshop as the BMA tsuba. Nami (wave) Mon was used by several families. A symmetrical variant not very unlike that used in this tsuba (repeated four times to form a mokko shape) was used by the Maeno (surname of an Oda Nobunaga retainer), the Soga, the Shimazaki and a few variants by the Oguri. 17th-18th century. Very good condition. About 2 3/4 inches (6.99 cm) high, 2 9/16 inches (6.51 cm) wide, 3/16 inches (.48 cm) thick.
