An interesting Edo period tachikaneguchi tsuba decorated with worm holes. It is made of red copper with a shakudo mimi. The tsuba measures 8.3 cm x 8.3 cm x 5 mm (at the mimi) and comes with an NBTHK Hozon kanteisho.
Certificate reading — 無銘（鏡師）
NihontoWatch
Kinko
The tsuba traditionally attributed to kagamishi (mirror makers) form a distinctive category within the Muromachi-period tosogu canon. "[[c:2]] The attribution thus reflects a longstanding connoisseurial convention rather than documented workshop provenance, linking these pieces to the mirror-making craft through perceived affinities in casting technique and formal vocabulary. " The kagamishi-attributed tsuba share a coherent technical and aesthetic profile. All are maru-gata (round) in form, executed on yamagane or brass (shinchu) grounds. Their primary technique is cast relief -- sukidashi-takabori (modeled raised relief) and uchidashi (repousse) -- sometimes finished with supplementary chisel work (tagane) or kebori line engraving over the casting. Rims frequently employ the dote-mimi (raised bank rim), which itself may carry cast floral-pattern motifs in relief.
The decorative repertoire draws on heraldic and geometric vocabulary: chrysanthemum crests (kikuka), paulownia crests (kiri-mon) in unconventional arrangements, lattice patterns (koshi) enclosing peony blossoms, and scattered tortoise-shell and whirlpool motifs (kikko-uzumaki mon chirashi). Construction ranges from single-plate (ichimai) to two-plate (nimai-awase) assembly. " The NBTHK assessments accord these pieces a measured but genuine esteem. The workmanship is judged "excellent," and the chrysanthemum-crest tsuba is singled out as possessing "a particular elegance"[[c:3]] and being "well made"[[c:4]] among works of similar taste. " Though the question of actual kagamishi authorship remains open, the designation itself attests to the recognition that these cast-relief tsuba occupy a place apart from the mainstream tosho and katchushi traditions -- works of considerable age whose bold, large-format compositions and distinctive casting idiom constitute an important chapter in the study of early tosogu production. Learn more →
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft value.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteThree day, no penalty, inspection on every item. Returns must be in the same condition as shipped. Actual costs will be charged on returned items. No restocking fee. If you did not like the item is a good enough reason for return.
Price on request
An interesting Edo period tachikaneguchi tsuba decorated with worm holes. It is made of red copper with a shakudo mimi. The tsuba measures 8.3 cm x 8.3 cm x 5 mm (at the mimi) and comes with an NBTHK Hozon kanteisho.
Certificate reading — 無銘（鏡師）
NihontoWatchKinko
The tsuba traditionally attributed to kagamishi (mirror makers) form a distinctive category within the Muromachi-period tosogu canon. "[[c:2]] The attribution thus reflects a longstanding connoisseurial convention rather than documented workshop provenance, linking these pieces to the mirror-making craft through perceived affinities in casting technique and formal vocabulary. " The kagamishi-attributed tsuba share a coherent technical and aesthetic profile. All are maru-gata (round) in form, executed on yamagane or brass (shinchu) grounds. Their primary technique is cast relief -- sukidashi-takabori (modeled raised relief) and uchidashi (repousse) -- sometimes finished with supplementary chisel work (tagane) or kebori line engraving over the casting. Rims frequently employ the dote-mimi (raised bank rim), which itself may carry cast floral-pattern motifs in relief.
The decorative repertoire draws on heraldic and geometric vocabulary: chrysanthemum crests (kikuka), paulownia crests (kiri-mon) in unconventional arrangements, lattice patterns (koshi) enclosing peony blossoms, and scattered tortoise-shell and whirlpool motifs (kikko-uzumaki mon chirashi). Construction ranges from single-plate (ichimai) to two-plate (nimai-awase) assembly. " The NBTHK assessments accord these pieces a measured but genuine esteem. The workmanship is judged "excellent," and the chrysanthemum-crest tsuba is singled out as possessing "a particular elegance"[[c:3]] and being "well made"[[c:4]] among works of similar taste. " Though the question of actual kagamishi authorship remains open, the designation itself attests to the recognition that these cast-relief tsuba occupy a place apart from the mainstream tosho and katchushi traditions -- works of considerable age whose bold, large-format compositions and distinctive casting idiom constitute an important chapter in the study of early tosogu production. Learn more →
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft value.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteThree day, no penalty, inspection on every item. Returns must be in the same condition as shipped. Actual costs will be charged on returned items. No restocking fee. If you did not like the item is a good enough reason for return.
Price on request
