Iron tsuba, igo 囲碁形 piece X-section

[Bugyotsuji]

Iron, with very faint traces of gold (?) zogan. Mumei. Not maru-gata, so... Aori-gata?  8.5 cm x 8.0 cm, any central thickness being lost towards the mimi. 

 

Picked this up hidden in a box of bits and pieces, with a length of dark indigo armour lacing tightly wound into the three central openings. The design seems to be... Kishobu yellow iris, 黄菖蒲 Kishobu, (水菖蒲 Mizu-Shobu?) or アヤメ Ayame? with 八つ橋 Yatsuhashi, in some kind of Takabori relief. 

 

Questions for our learned scholars.

Can anyone elucidate the relief carving process?

Do the symmetrical 擬宝珠 Giboshi-shaped Hitsu-ana indicate anything in particular, like ability to date?

 

Further constructive comments always welcome.  (And no, I do not think you can crush my enthusiasm!)

 

Photos to follow...

[MauroP]

Hi Piers,

nice tsuba, I think you are correct about yatsuhashi theme and aori-gata. The carving could have been obtained through kusarashi (腐らし). Symmetrical hitsu-ana could suggest Higo...

[Bugyotsuji]

Very interesting. Thank you, Mauro 様.