This is a tsuba (sword guard) featuring a design of a folding fan and a dragon. It is attributed to the Shoami school and is unsigned (mumei). The tsuba comes with a Hozon (Preservation) certificate from the NBTHK.
Certificate reading — 無銘（正阿弥）
NihontoWatchBETAmumei · Shoami · late Muromachi (c. 1500)
Shoami School
late Muromachi (c. 1500)
Unsigned
Hozon (NBTHK)
Iron-tsuba · Kyoto
189 pieces on the market now
The Shoami (正阿弥) school arose in Kyoto as one of the principal lineages among the specialist tsuba makers who came to the fore from the middle through the late Muromachi period. Its roots lie in the capital's communities of ami-shū, who served as dōbōshū (attendant artisans) and within whose circles Shōami lineages existed; the prevailing view today is that these artisans originally worked as makers of tōsōgu in general and later became specialized tsuba craftsmen. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Denbei傳兵衛 | — | 13 |
| Shoami Katsuyoshi正阿弥勝義 | — | 7 |
| Matashichi又七 | — | 0 |
| Yoshikazu吉一 | — | 0 |
| Jihachiro治八郎 | — | 0 |
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 siteContact within 3 days of receipt; returns not accepted for modified items or when trade-in goods are involved.
This is a tsuba (sword guard) featuring a design of a folding fan and a dragon. It is attributed to the Shoami school and is unsigned (mumei). The tsuba comes with a Hozon (Preservation) certificate from the NBTHK.
Certificate reading — 無銘（正阿弥）
NihontoWatchBETAmumei · Shoami · late Muromachi (c. 1500)
Shoami School
late Muromachi (c. 1500)
Unsigned
Hozon (NBTHK)
Iron-tsuba · Kyoto
189 pieces on the market now
The Shoami (正阿弥) school arose in Kyoto as one of the principal lineages among the specialist tsuba makers who came to the fore from the middle through the late Muromachi period. Its roots lie in the capital's communities of ami-shū, who served as dōbōshū (attendant artisans) and within whose circles Shōami lineages existed; the prevailing view today is that these artisans originally worked as makers of tōsōgu in general and later became specialized tsuba craftsmen. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Denbei傳兵衛 | — | 13 |
| Shoami Katsuyoshi正阿弥勝義 | — | 7 |
| Matashichi又七 | — | 0 |
| Yoshikazu吉一 | — | 0 |
| Jihachiro治八郎 | — | 0 |
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 siteContact within 3 days of receipt; returns not accepted for modified items or when trade-in goods are involved.
