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Antique Japanese Shakudo/Nanako Tsuba - Shi-Shi Dogs & Flowers

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:275.00 USD
Antique Japanese Shakudo/Nanako Tsuba - Shi-Shi Dogs & Flowers
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Antique Japanese Shakudo/Nanako Tsuba - Shi-Shi Dogs & Flowers. Circa Edo period, late 18th to mid-19th Century. A beautiful mokko-shaped shakudo nanako tsuba with gold inlaid designs of flowers and vines, with shakudo and gold shi-shi lion dogs playing about. The stippled nanako background is of very fine high-quality workmanship and continues around the rim. The gold work on the flowers and vines is very intricate and well executed; the same design continues on the reverse. The shi-shi dogs are in higher relief with gold inlaid highlights. Tsuba measures 68mm wide x 75mm tall, so katana size. The kozuka and kogai hitsus on either side of the nakago ana are filled with shakudo plugs with decorative lines engraved on them. Unsigned. There are some small holes drilled into the shakudo hitsu plugs and one small hole in the seppa dai area of the center of the tsuba. This may indicate that the tsuba was mounted on something as a decoration, which was common in late 19th and early 20th Century when these collectibles were being exported to collectors in Europe or America. Condition is excellent, the surface having a wonderful dark brown/black patina, showing light age and soiling, very minor wear on the high edges, and light wear to the gold-covered flower details. There is a small circular ring around the hole drilled in the kozuka plug that extends to the tsuba body, and punch marks around the nakago ana showing the tsuba has been fitted to different swords over its lifetime. Some of these punch marks were done with a special flower type punch that may indicate a maker or school. In wooden storage box. Overall a beautiful piece that would look fantastic if mounted on a sword, or displayed. Est.: $500-$700.