Shakudo Ko-Kinko tsuba with Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu. This is an old tsuba and there are really a lot of details to appreciate and study here. Therefore in this description I will try to showcase some of them.
It is a Ko-Kinko tsuba made of high quality shakudo, which is rare. It has a dark black colour and is surprisingly heavy for its size. This shakudo is very reflective and it is not because of lacquer or oils. Seppa dai has been hammered and it seems that it created somewhat of a polished surface effect. Seppa dai might have not been originally fully defined, however it is difficult to be sure due to all the damage.
Gold has been applied with an uttori iroe, this technique is rarely seen on tsuba. Iroe was made with gold foil applied on the surface. It is well visible because places where gold was lost are clean and evenly shaped. According to NBTHK there is also zogan iroe here, however I am not sure where.
It looks like kozuka-ana was added later or reshaped and is not part of the original design. It is worth noting that kozuka ana is poorly made. Both in shape and execution.
There are some damages to this tsuba including worn out scales of the dragon on the lower part of the front. It is something we sometimes see on old kinko kozuka. This tsuba must have been used a lot to have a damage like that.
Design is also not common. Dragon is very long and circles the tsuba, waves are starting from seppa dai and going towards the rim.
It is really an interesting tsuba for a long study.
It has a general Ko-Kinko attribution but based on all the details I think it is made in the late Muromachi period.
Size: 61 mm x 54 mm x 3 mm
