This is an unsigned Ko-Kinko tsuba from the late Muromachi period, featuring a design of scattered military crests (Bukan Chirashi Sukashi Zu). It is made of yamagane with a beautiful hair-carved spiral pattern and five family crests in nikubori sukashi. The tsuba is in excellent condition, making it a rare and attractive piece.
NihontoWatch
Ko-kinko School
Muromachi
Unsigned
Tokuho
Kinko
The term Ko-kinkō (古金工) denotes a collective category of metalworkers whose lineages extend from archaic times and continue through the Momoyama period, representing traditions that predate the formalized schools of the Edo period. Rather than constituting a single unified workshop, this attribution encompasses multiple regional traditions that shared certain technical and aesthetic principles while maintaining distinct local characteristics. Learn more →
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 siteFor one-of-a-kind items such as swords, sword fittings, and antiques, please contact us about a return within 3 days of the item's arrival and ship it back within 8 days. Refunds are issued the same day the returned item arrives.
This is an unsigned Ko-Kinko tsuba from the late Muromachi period, featuring a design of scattered military crests (Bukan Chirashi Sukashi Zu). It is made of yamagane with a beautiful hair-carved spiral pattern and five family crests in nikubori sukashi. The tsuba is in excellent condition, making it a rare and attractive piece.
NihontoWatchKo-kinko School
Muromachi
Unsigned
Tokuho
Kinko
The term Ko-kinkō (古金工) denotes a collective category of metalworkers whose lineages extend from archaic times and continue through the Momoyama period, representing traditions that predate the formalized schools of the Edo period. Rather than constituting a single unified workshop, this attribution encompasses multiple regional traditions that shared certain technical and aesthetic principles while maintaining distinct local characteristics. Learn more →
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 siteFor one-of-a-kind items such as swords, sword fittings, and antiques, please contact us about a return within 3 days of the item's arrival and ship it back within 8 days. Refunds are issued the same day the returned item arrives.
