Old Tsuba

[jct3602]

Hi All:

Some questions about a poor condition but interesting tsuba.  

     !.  What is the creature in the cutouts?  Is it a tortoise?

     2.  Appears to have the incisions for nunome zogan.  Was that to help shakudo to adhere, or was there something else that is now completely vanished?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Yours,

john twineham

 

[kyushukairu]

It's a kind of turtle known as 'Minogame' (蓑亀) in Japanese. The tail is supposedly composed of seaweed which has formed over many centuries. They are usually depicted in reference to the myth of Urashimataro.
In my opinion, the tsuba would have had a pattern covering the surface in nunome zogan which is unfortunately now gone

[Surfson]

I agree on both accounts.  The cross hatching is usually an indicator that there was once an overlay of gold or another metal.