Charming little ko-katchushi

[Marius]

This one is a small guard, 6.7 x 6.7 x 0.2 cm.  Again, I failed at photographing it, it looks much better in hand. 

Muromachi period, possibly worn on a short uchigatana (today called wakizashi) or sunnobi tanto.

 

One flaw: the hitsu ana wall (which I think was added later) has a hairline crack in the lower part, where it is thinnest and meets the seppa dai. The price should offset this, however.

 

Very nice iron, there are tiny little protruding spots of iron (the largest has the size of a pinhead) where the patina is off and bare iron shines through. I would leave it alone, just saying, so there are no surprises. These are visible in the last two pics. 

 

$250 (EUR230) incl. shipping to EU and US.

 

 

[Marius]

An interesting thing - I have just now realised that the sukashi motif is a stylised dragonfly. I must have been blind 

 

This offer runs until Sunday 24:00 GMT+1. After that this tsuba returns to my collection. Feel free to make me an offer in the meantime.

 

Thanks for looking

 

[Marius]

Two photos that reflect the iron quality well (I hope). 
 

This is really an old and nice tsuba. 
i will be equally happy selling or keeping it

 

 

[Alex A]

Great tsuba, great price, i may have it if it don't sell on this occasion.

 

Ana suggests it was once sat on a Yoroi-doshi, makes it even more interesting.

[Marius]

Thanks Alex 

 

I agree on the price, that is why the offer ends Sunday - I just like this tsuba

 

 

As to how it was mounted, I have some thoughts... Given the size of the sekigane, one can imagine that the nakago ana is pretty big. My take is that was first mounted on a wakizashi, and after that (with the sekigane) on a tanto. Was it a yoroi doshi? Perhaps, but it must have been long, as a tsuba of this size would look disproportionately large on a blade of 20-24cm.

Anyway, I guarantee that the buyer will be satisfied  

[GRC]

from wikipedia  :

The yoroi-dōshi is an extra thick tantō, a short sword, which appeared in the Sengoku period (late Muromachi) of the 14th and 15th centuries.^[4] The yoroi-dōshi was made for piercing armour^[5] and for stabbing while grappling in close quarters.

 

They have a thick triangular cross-section so they don't snap when thrust into armor.

Here's a habaki for one to show the profile:

[Jussi Ekholm]

It is a great deal, like Marius seems to have very often.

 

I think one possibility for mounting could also have been naginata / nagamaki koshirae.

[ROKUJURO]

This TSUBA reminds me strongly of Art Déco! Beautiful!

[Alex A]

Aye, its outstanding.

 

Mariusz, where do you keep finding these gems?, we need to know

 

Never seen so many good old tsuba at such reasonable prices, as what you been selling recently

[Alex A]

In fact, sod it, il have it

 

if still available

[Marius]

SOLD, thank you Alex 😊 

[GRC]

Nice, congrats Alex!

Actually, given its size, Jussi is probably right about it being fitted to a naginata.