An old Kiku tsuba

[Alex A]

An old late Muromachi Kiku tsuba came up for sale recently and im sat there thinking why has nobody jumped on it?, it was an absolute DEAL!. 

 

Anyways, i keeps saying my tsuba collecting days are done but obviously not. 

 

Mariusz as usual always great to deal with. The tsuba turns up and its very impressive. It was once sat on a katana (judging by the ana size and it was common to see smaller tsuba on katana at that time)

 

It has a crack above the hitsu-ana. Judging by the two slightly bent spokes i was thinking the crack may be the result of a bash to the outer rim. 

 

Its a funny thing, years ago i would have been put off by a crack but now it don't bother me. Not on a tsuba thats heading towards 500 years old!.

 

Seems a shame that old Ko-Kinko tsuba don't seem to get the same attention in the sales section, seems they just get rotationally owned by the same bunch of enthusiasts 

 

Anyways, a pic. Next to a small tanto tsuba, that was another great deal from Mariusz.

 

Another to show the wonderful patina.