This is a brass tsuba by Hirado-ju Kunishige, featuring a design of three dragons (Sanhiki-Ryu-zu) with sukisage-bori carving and gold iroe accents. It dates to the middle Edo period, around 1716, and comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu certificate. The tsuba measures 7.39cm in length, 6.96cm in width, and 0.58cm in thickness, weighing 156g.
NihontoWatchHirado-Ju · Edo
Kinko · around 1670
3 pieces on the market now
Where Kunishige stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Kinko · Hizen
4 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kunishige国重 | 1670 | 1 |
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 siteNo cooling-off period or returns; refund only if the purchased sword is proven fake, capped at purchase price (excludes commission sales, accessories, auction items).
This is a brass tsuba by Hirado-ju Kunishige, featuring a design of three dragons (Sanhiki-Ryu-zu) with sukisage-bori carving and gold iroe accents. It dates to the middle Edo period, around 1716, and comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu certificate. The tsuba measures 7.39cm in length, 6.96cm in width, and 0.58cm in thickness, weighing 156g.
NihontoWatchHirado-Ju · Edo
Kinko · around 1670
3 pieces on the market now
Where Kunishige stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Kinko · Hizen
4 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kunishige国重 | 1670 | 1 |
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 siteNo cooling-off period or returns; refund only if the purchased sword is proven fake, capped at purchase price (excludes commission sales, accessories, auction items).
