1. TSUBA WITH THE TEKKAI SENNIN
Iron and inlays with shakudo and gold. Japan, late 18th to 19th cent.
The robust tsuba has a round form with ryohitsu and a round edge. The depiction in relief is partly produced by the cast, partly inlaid in iroe-takazogan. On the primary side is a rock, bamboo and the Tekkai Sennin leaning on a rock. He is holding his crutch and gazing up in the air. Engraved there is an air-spiral, which indicates that the sennin has breathed out his soul. This was his way of betaking himself to the heavens, in order to visit the old philosopher Laozi. On the backside, only bamboo and rock.
HEIGHT 7,8 CM
2. TSUBA WITH BIRDS, ROCK AND CREEK
Iron with gold-nunome. Japan, 19th cent.
Round form with ryohitsu (enclosed with shakudo), the edge narrowly raised. All depictions are effectively raised from the iron ground through the gold nunome. Rocks, bamboo and grasses, a creek - a wild goose swimming in it and another observing three further wild geese, as they are plummeting down towards them. The portrayal is rendered identically on both sides.
HEIGHT 7,85 CM
3. TSUBA WITH FLOWERS
Iron with gilding. Japan, 19th cent.
Round form with ryohitsu, the edge concise. On both sides, an area-wide depiction with various blossoms, including chrysanthemums, and foliage effectively raised from the iron ground by the gold. The technique here is no gold-nunome, but instead a hira-zogan (flat inlays that have been driven in) with gilding. The iron ground with ishimeji.
HEIGHT 8 CM
4. TADAHIRO: TSUBA WITH CREEK AND CRYSANTHEMUMS
Iron with gold and gilding. Japan, 18th cent.
Ovoid form with ryohitsu, the concise edge embellished with gold-nunome. The décor is engraved and offers a creek, rocks and chrysanthemum flowers on the primary side. On the other side, a large chrysanthemum flower. Small accents with golden tenzogan on both sides. On the seppadai, the signature TADA-HIRO, possibly a follower of Tadahiro from Hizen, deceased in the late 17th century.
HEIGHT 6,8 CM
5. YOSHIHISA: TSUBA WITH DRAGON
Iron. Japan, late 18th to 19th cent.
Ovoid form with openwork, both hitsu as “natural†openings, concise edge. The depiction is dominated by a large scaly dragon with an expressive head with horns and barbels. Even though the dragon, who is wallowing between rocks, water and clouds, is rendered on both sides, his head is only visible on the primary side. There, also the signature YOSHI-HISA, NAGA-TO ju (who lives in N.).
HEIGHT 6,8 CM
From an Austrian private collection