Lot Essay
This smith was a member of the Bungo Takata school of sword makers and appears to have lived during the Genroku era (1688-1704). The soft metal decoration was added circa 1750, possibly by a Mito artist.
Details
A SWORDSMITH'S TSUBA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1750), SIGNED KARATSU JU TO SAKU AND KAWACHI [NO] KAMI FUJIWARA MOTOYUKI
The round iron plate is carved with a shallow wood grain (mokume) ground and is decorated with inlaid gold, silver, and soft metals with a heron and grass on one side and a pheasant below a large blooming cherry tree on the other--height 7.8cm., width 7.7cm., thickness 5mm.
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1750), SIGNED KARATSU JU TO SAKU AND KAWACHI [NO] KAMI FUJIWARA MOTOYUKI
The round iron plate is carved with a shallow wood grain (mokume) ground and is decorated with inlaid gold, silver, and soft metals with a heron and grass on one side and a pheasant below a large blooming cherry tree on the other--height 7.8cm., width 7.7cm., thickness 5mm.