NihontoWatchNihontoWatchQ741. Iron tsuba with sukashi of a bat. 8 x 8.3 x .5 cm on the rim (slightly thinner on the plate). The nakago hitsu-ana is 1 x 3 cm. There is a hozon paper from the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated 1986, giving the tsuba to Tempo (a school of makers, not a smith). This is slightly unusual for the uneven sizes of the ryo-hitsu and unusual for Tempo in that the hot stamping is kept to a minimum. Both hitsu are plugged with patterned brass; condition is quite fine: a soft and velvety patina.
NihontoWatchOffered by Japanese Sword Books and Tsuba
This piece has sold
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 site3-day return window from receipt.