The seal on the reverse refers to the city of Kumamoto in Higo Province and is not an artist's name. This is a classic example of late Higo work that is usually called Edo Higo. During the late Edo period the Hosokawa family, daimyo of Higo, lived much of the year in Edo and kept many artists employed there. These tsuba makers are known as the Kumagai family school of Edo. The most famous artists of this school are Yoshitsugu, Yoshiyuki and Genshichi, and this guard could be the work of any one of them. Another very similar example is illustrated in N.B.T.H.K. (1964), no. 46, p. 471, which illustrates the reverse side with the seal.