Large iron tsuba….ideas re design??

[Matsunoki]

This large iron tsuba (8.5cm) has found its way here recently because I found the design very appealing. I don’t know much about iron tsuba but for some reason I thought it might be quite old.

What is the design? I wondered stylised flower-cart wheel? (Maybe not!)

Age ?

All opinions welcome.

Thank you for looking.

[Bugyotsuji]

Generally this kind of arabesque vine pattern is loosely described as:

Karakusa moyo

唐草模様

 

Definitely unusual though and a goodly size.

[Bugyotsuji]

As to the wheel aspect I can see what you are saying.
It gives me flashes of another one about the same size that came this way recently.

[Spartancrest]

Colin, I have seen similar designs in the past that look like the thicker rim has been removed - looking like this altered image of your guard.  

I will need to search to find a better example.

[Bugyotsuji]

Following on from Dale above, Colin, have a look at this karakusa-wa 唐草輪 or karakusa-guruma kamon. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=唐草車　家紋&client=safari&hs=w58p&sca_esv=04a6da60a81ec2d8&hl=en-gb&udm=2&biw=390&bih=699&ei=Mvk9avzMOOah1e8Pq4TsiAo&oq=唐草車　家紋&gs_lp=EhJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWciEuWUkOiNiei7iuOAgOWutue0izIIEAAYogQYiQUyCBAAGIAEGKIESPCmAlDWDFjvoQJwEHgAkAEEmAGZAaAB0yKqAQUyOC4xOLgBA8gBAPgBAZgCNKACwR6oAgDCAgUQABiABMICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgUQLhiABMICCxAuGIAEGNEDGMcBwgILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwHCAhQQLhiABBjHARiYBRiZBRieBRivAcICDhAuGIAEGMcBGJgFGK8BwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYBMICBxAAGIAEGATCAgYQABgDGATCAgoQABiABBixAxgEwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAgoQABiABBixAxgXwgIHEAAYgAQYF5gDAYgGAZIHBTM1LjE3oAfubLIHBTIyLjE3uAecHsIHCTMuMjguMTcuNMgHjwGACAA&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img

 

[GRC]

1 hour ago, Bugyotsuji said:

唐草輪 or karakusa-guruma kamon

That's likely the most accurate description.

It's definitely a hybrid combination of karakusa vines arranged in a stylized wheel/guruma pattern 

You've also got pairs of curling warabite (young bracken fern shoots) along the inner edge of the rim, with what looks like abstracted hanabishi flowers along the outer edge of the rim.

Kind of like these ones on a Higo tsuba (yours is not Higo though... just using this as an example).

I think your tsuba is likely a Hizen or Shoami tsuba, but it's definitely giving me more of a "nanban" influence so I'm leaning more towards the Hizen attribution.

They also made some large tsuba like yours.

 

[Spartancrest]

      

[FlorianB]

Maybe symbolizing a hanaguruma (flower cart)?

 

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/fine-Japanese-art-2/kano-eikei-1662-1702-edo-period-late-17th-century

[Bugyotsuji]

The thick wheel rim is quite distinctive.

[Matsunoki]

Thanks to all for the comments and education!

Greatly appreciated