This is a tsuba by Hazama, a group of artisans from Kunitomo Teppo Kaji in Omi Province, known for applying inlay techniques from gun barrels to tsuba decoration. This piece features a design of Kaji leaves and a broken Japanese fan, crafted during the mid-Edo period in Ise Province Kameyama. It showcases a unique combination of sukisage engraving with gold sahari inlay and vibrant kin-hirazogan, creating a beautiful contrast and natural scenery with its distinctive worm-eaten texture.
NihontoWatchmei · Edo
Hazama School
Edo
Ise
Signed
Tokuho (NBTHK)
Kinko · Ise
11 pieces on the market now
The Hazama school (Hazama-ha 間派), also known as the Kameyama tsuba makers, emerged in the castle town of Kameyama in Ise Province from around the Genroku era (1688-1704). The school's founders were members of the Kunitomo (国友) family, originally matchlock gunsmiths (teppou kaji) who had lived in Omi Province. "[[c:2]] Works bear either the single-character signature "間" (Ma) or personal names such as Kunitomo Sadaei and Masaei (正栄), linking the school's named artisans to a shared workshop tradition rooted in the military metalworking crafts of the Kunitomo lineage. The Hazama school's defining contribution is sahari-zougan (佐波理象嵌), an inlay technique employing sahari, a distinctive alloy of copper, tin, and lead.
"[[c:4]] Techniques attested across the corpus include suemon-zougan (applied inlay), takabori takanikubori (high-relief carving) in shakudou, hira-zougan (flat inlay), and the yakite kusarashi (fired and corroded) surface treatment. "[[c:5]] The Hazama school occupies a singular position within the broader kinko tradition as the only lineage to have applied sahari inlay to tsuba production. " The school's origin as firearms craftsmen who transferred their metalworking mastery to a peaceful art form, and their creation of a decorative vocabulary without parallel elsewhere in tsuba production, secure their place as one of the most distinctive regional schools of the mid-Edo period. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masahide正秀 | — | 3 |
| Masataka正孝 | — | 0 |
| Sadahide貞秀 | — | 1 |
| Sadahide/Teiei貞栄 | 1670 | 2 |
A Hozon-certified fitting of notably superior craftsmanship and condition, often with signature or workmanship of high reference 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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
This is a tsuba by Hazama, a group of artisans from Kunitomo Teppo Kaji in Omi Province, known for applying inlay techniques from gun barrels to tsuba decoration. This piece features a design of Kaji leaves and a broken Japanese fan, crafted during the mid-Edo period in Ise Province Kameyama. It showcases a unique combination of sukisage engraving with gold sahari inlay and vibrant kin-hirazogan, creating a beautiful contrast and natural scenery with its distinctive worm-eaten texture.
NihontoWatchmei · Edo
Hazama School
Edo
Ise
Signed
Tokuho (NBTHK)
Kinko · Ise
11 pieces on the market now
The Hazama school (Hazama-ha 間派), also known as the Kameyama tsuba makers, emerged in the castle town of Kameyama in Ise Province from around the Genroku era (1688-1704). The school's founders were members of the Kunitomo (国友) family, originally matchlock gunsmiths (teppou kaji) who had lived in Omi Province. "[[c:2]] Works bear either the single-character signature "間" (Ma) or personal names such as Kunitomo Sadaei and Masaei (正栄), linking the school's named artisans to a shared workshop tradition rooted in the military metalworking crafts of the Kunitomo lineage. The Hazama school's defining contribution is sahari-zougan (佐波理象嵌), an inlay technique employing sahari, a distinctive alloy of copper, tin, and lead.
"[[c:4]] Techniques attested across the corpus include suemon-zougan (applied inlay), takabori takanikubori (high-relief carving) in shakudou, hira-zougan (flat inlay), and the yakite kusarashi (fired and corroded) surface treatment. "[[c:5]] The Hazama school occupies a singular position within the broader kinko tradition as the only lineage to have applied sahari inlay to tsuba production. " The school's origin as firearms craftsmen who transferred their metalworking mastery to a peaceful art form, and their creation of a decorative vocabulary without parallel elsewhere in tsuba production, secure their place as one of the most distinctive regional schools of the mid-Edo period. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masahide正秀 | — | 3 |
| Masataka正孝 | — | 0 |
| Sadahide貞秀 | — | 1 |
| Sadahide/Teiei貞栄 | 1670 | 2 |
A Hozon-certified fitting of notably superior craftsmanship and condition, often with signature or workmanship of high reference 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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
