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Updated: 19 Mar 2024

SOLD

Antique Tsuba Set 06
for Samurai Sword

$972.47

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

INCLUDED: Wooden box, Cushion

We offer this set item at a special price compared to purchasing them separately. We recommend you own these Tsubas if you are thinking about collecting Tsubas or expanding your Tsuba collection. Each of them is a precious item, so please take this opportunity. We hope you like this set, and it will be a part of your great collection.      

Price Comparison

(T-86) original price: (JPY) 40,000-

(T-295) original price: (JPY) 75,000-

(T-318) original price: (JPY) 31,000-

(T-335) original price: (JPY) 25,000-

(T-337) original price: (JPY) 35,000-

Total: (JPY) 206,000-→→→Special Price (JPY) 145,000- (around 30% OFF)

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

SOLD

Get antique Tsubas at a special offer price!

Description

This item is a set of 5 antique Tsubas. Each Tsuba is stored in a wooden box.

T-86: Circle-shaped iron Tsuba that has Kozuka and Kougai holes. The openwork engraves big trees and four wild gooses. The wild goose is a migratory bird and is a symbolic bird of autumn. In Japanese, its pattern is called “Kari Mon” or “Karigane Mon” and has been sometimes used for family crests. This bird is engraved in Tsuba, not only realistic but also abstract design like this Tsuba.

T-295: Antique Tsuba is made from iron. Flowers and their leaves and vines are designed on both sides. These motifs are inlaid with gold and silver. Especially the silver color remains relatively well; it suggested its gorgeous look when this Tsuba was made. It keeps its elegant appearance even today. 

T-318: Circle-shaped Tsuba made from iron. Seeing this Tsuba, it is a bit challenging to judge what the exact motif is. We would speculate that it depicts the Torii (鳥居, a gateway at the entrance to a Shinto shrine), and plants are fluttering in the breeze at the bottom. According to a theory, initially, the tree that chickens perch on is the origin of Torii; these birds are offerings to gods. Tori (鳥) means bird, so the name Torii came from “Tori ga iru (鳥が居る, there is a bird)” in Japanese. There are several theories about its etymology. The Torii pattern was used by the Torii family and mainly several Shinto-shrine parishioners involved in the priesthood. 

 T-335: Yotsu-Mokkou-shaped Tsuba made from iron. The Mokkou (木瓜) shape, its origin is a figure of eggs that are rest in a nest. When a quince (it is written 木瓜 in Japanese) is cut into round slices, its cross-section looks similar to this shape; therefore, it was named Mokkougata Tsuba. Same as this Tsuba, Yotsu-Mokkougata (a combination of four Mokkou shapes) Tsuba is often seen as this Tsuba is categorized.

 If you focus on this Tsuba’s undulating surface, you will find some engraved marks that look like Japanese letters and crests. Instead of gold or silver inlay, it decorates this Tsuba. It is challenging to tell what is carved precisely; however, it seems letters such as “大” and “全” are engraved. Also, we would like to assume that a kind of Hanabishi Mon (花菱文) is designed. It is a classical pattern that petals are designed in a rhombus. This pattern became a Yusoku Monyou (有職文様, generic term for designs of court nobles’ clothing or furnishings, these designs have unique and elegant styles) during the Heian period (794-1185). Furthermore, people loved it as an auspicious pattern. We hope you will enjoy the texture of the iron material itself.

T-337: Yotsu-Mokkou-shaped Tsuba made from iron. This Tsuba has completely different designs on each side. On the surface of this Tsuba, three square-shaped masses are engraved. It seems these are spread rolls of cloths or scrolls. Although some parts had already been peeled off due to aging, there are still beautiful golden decorations with brass inlay. On the backside, we could enjoy a scene during the journey. A man is on the boat, and it seems he is traveling a big river. Mountains are engraved at the upper part of the Tsuba, and a bird is flying in the sky. This subject might have been quoted from any folklore or tradition.

 

 Since each of them has different designs, you could collect a variety of Tsuba at once. We hope that this affordable item will be a part of your great collection.

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

Signature Age Material Size Nakagoana Weight
T-86 NO SIGNED middle of Edo period (1681-1780) Iron 7.7cm × 7.4cm × 0.5cm 3.0cm × 1.1cm 98g
T-295 熊本住 重包
(Kumamoto-Ju, Shigekane)
Edo period Iron 8.0cm × 7.7cm × 0.3cm 2.8cm × 0.8cm 122g
T-318 NO SIGNED Edo period Iron 7.1cm × 6.9cm × 0.4cm 2.8cm × 1.0cm 81g
T-335 NO SIGNED Edo period Iron 9.4cm × 8.6cm × 0.4cm 3.1cm × 1.0cm 162g
T-337 NO SIGNED Edo period Iron 8.3cm × 7.7cm × 0.45cm 2.9cm × 0.9cm 169g

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. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, EUR 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. We will use DHL instead for those who ordered from Canada or Australia as EMS temporarily stops shipping to these countries due to COVID-19. We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can ship your order by either EMS or DHL (Australia, Canada only). 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. 

*Please keep in mind that due to the spread of COVID-19, there might be possible delays in delivery. If you like to make sure if EMS shipping is available to your country, please contact us.

【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】
 Although 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.

※These photos are the example of Tsuba stand and how to place the Tsuba.

-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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