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Updated: 12 Oct 2024

SOLD

Antique Tsuba for Samurai Sword (T-698)

$357.67

Delivery Time: 5 – 14 DAYS
*Delivery may take longer, depending on countries or holiday seasons.

INCLUDED: Wooden box, Cushion

Title: Sado-gu

Signature: NO SIGNED
Age: Edo period
Material: Iron

Size Thickness Nakagoana Weight
7.6cm×7.0cm 0.5cm 2.6cm×0.9cm 116g

You can enlarge all the photos to see the detail of the item.

SOLD

Title: Sado-gu

Description
 This Tsuba is made from iron. Also, this Tsuba’s shape is categorized as Aori (障泥)-shaped Tsuba. It is a transformation of an oval-shaped Tsuba and has a trapezoid shape with rounded corners. Aori is a leather gadget that covers a horse’s flank to prevent mud. Mimi (耳, edge of Tsuba) is thick so that it has a sturdy construction.

 Some tea ceremony utensils are depicted, and the Kin Nunome Zougan (金布目象嵌, gold inlay) is applied to these motifs. The Nunome Zougan (布目象嵌) is a technique in which vertical and horizontal stripes are attached to the surface that seems to be a texture of a fabric, and gold or silver foil is pasted on the surface to make it bite in and prevent it from peeling off. Although the golden color is partly faded, this inlay makes this Tsuba look decorative.

 Tea ceremony (茶道, Sado) is a traditional Japanese cultural art in which guests are entertained with matcha green tea, tea sweets, and kaiseki cuisine. Tea ceremony utensils are called Sado-gu (茶道具) in Japanese. On this Tsuba, tools called Hanebouki or Habouki (羽箒), Cha Tsubo (茶壷), Kan (鐶), and Chasen (茶筅) are depicted. 

 Hane Bouki is a broom made of bird feathers. It is mainly used to clean up spilled ash during the charcoal-laying procedure called the Sumitemae (炭手前), which is held before tea is served. This is because birds and their feathers are considered clean and pure. Sweeping with feathers also has the meaning of purifying. The feather brooms are made primarily from the wing feathers of a variety of large birds, including cranes, swans, owls, storks, and so on.

 Chatsubo is a tea jar in which tea leaves are stored before being made into matcha. During the Edo period (1603-1867), the procession of people carrying Uji tea (宇治茶) in tea jars to be presented to the Tokugawa Shogunate family was called Chatsubo-Dochu (茶壷道中) or Uji-Chatsubo-Dochu (宇治茶壺道中). The procession was recognized highly prestigious, and villages along the route were ordered to sweep the road when the tea jars passed through.

 Kan is a tool used to place the kettle on and off the furnace during the Sumitemae (charcoal-laying procedure). It is a pair of meral rings which are pass through holes, called Kantsuki (鐶付), at both ends of the kettle. 

 Finally, Chasen, depicted on the back side, is a bamboo whisk, which is used to to stir matcha green tea after the hot water is added to matcha in a matcha bowl. 

 We hope you will appreciate this work.

 

 *As this item is an antique, please check each photo and ensure its condition.

What is Tsuba?
 Tsuba is the hand-guard of the Japanese sword. High-class Samurai wore his Katana sword with its beautiful sword mountings such as Tsuba. Tsuba’s front design tends to be more decorative as this part was often seen by other Samurais when he was walking on the streets.

Why is it that the sword mounting was important for Samurai?
 The sword mountings of the Japanese sword have many kinds of decorations such as handguards (Tsuba), sword hilt (Menuki), pommel (Fuchi Kashira). The Japanese sword worked as a weapon and as an object to show who he was. For example, it shows their personalities and beliefs. You could say that it is like decorations for smartphones today. We recommend you zoom in on the pictures of the sword fittings. When you do so, you can see the skill of Japanese metal engraving techniques. They are mainly made of iron and copper with inlays of gold, silver, and bronze. When it comes to handguard (Tsuba), each one has a different outline and weight. These sword fittings that have lived with Japanese swords of the same age might be worth as much as the Japanese swords. They are inconspicuous parts of the Japanese sword. Nevertheless, if you are knowledgeable or particular about it, you will become a connoisseur of the Samurai.




【About us】
 Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on.

【Payment method】
 We accept payment through Stripe (Credit card), PayPal, Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. Also, you don’t need to make an account on Stripe for the checkout. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, CHF or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate. 

【Shipping duration】
 We normally ship via EMS (Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. It usually takes at least 5-14 days to deliver the package after you place an order. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons.

 We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can ship your order by EMS. If you prefer other shipping carriers, please contact us.
 We will inform you of the order’s tracking number via email. Please make sure you fill out your valid email address correctly.

【How to make sure the condition】
 Please keep in mind that what you are going to purchase is an antique item. We uploaded high resolution photos for you to check its condition thoroughly. If you like to see more photos with different angles, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to send them to you so that you can make informed decision. 

 It is essential for us to know that you are happy with your choice of Tsuba and we are prepared to use the best of our ability to serve you.

【How to appreciate Tsuba】
 While Tsuba is a small component of Japanese sword mountings, we would say it is one of the most conspicuous parts. Also, unlike the blade itself, Tsuba has a low risk of handling. Furthermore, it does not require a large space for storage. Thus, Tsuba is relatively easy to collect. Here we would like to propose a few ways to enrich your Tsuba experience after purchasing your favorite Tsuba.

-Inspection
 Inspect and feel the artistry of Tsuba. You will be amazed by the maker’s work quality to make it look a great work.

-Find the right place to display
 Tsuba would look great when displayed in the best way. Find the best place in your house, your office, or anywhere you like, so that Tsuba would be appreciated as much as you like.

-Learn the details
 Tsuba reflects quite a lot of detailed features of its maker. Sometimes you can find the maker’s signature on Tsuba. Tsuba makers tried adding elaborate artistry to Tsuba. Many techniques were invented to achieve this goal, such as openworks, engravings, and gold/silver inlays. There were many schools that trained Tsuba creators, and each of them has different characteristics. You would enjoy knowing these differences and find your beloved style.

-Arrange in modern style
 We want to propose to you the way that you could enjoy the Tsuba as jewelry. By stringing a cord into the center hole of the Tsuba, it could be worn as a necklace. This modern way would show you a new charm of Tsuba. Here are the examples of neckless. 

【Give the Tsuba as a special gift】
 Are you looking for a special gift for a person who is interested in Japanese culture? We recommend you to give an antique Tsuba as a present for your significant other. Tsuba is an integral part of the Samurai sword, which was once a primary weapon for Samurai. Each Tsuba is a unique item and has a different design. We hope it would be a memorable gift. Now it is time for you to share the beauty of a piece of Samurai history with your family members or friends, for instance. Also, gift wrapping is available for Tsuba; it is for free. Here is an example of wrapping. For more information, please feel free to contact us. It is always our pleasure to serve you.

 Would you like see some more Tsuba for sale? Please check the link below. We hope you can find your favorite Tsuba.
https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product-category/decorations/tsuba/

SOLD

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