Important Dragon Tsuba
DM136
SOLD
A very interesting treatment on this tsuba, the front and back are entirely different, and there is a good deal of carving in the round. This three dimensional affect may have been accomplished by inserting a separate plate on good portion of the middle right hand side of the seppadai and the three dimensional features. There seems to be a seam on the inside of the seppadai (see last two pictures). 7.27 cm x 7.04 cm x 5.3 mm. $450
Additional information from James McElhinney: Onitsuka is a very rare Hizen maker. From Hizen no Katana to Tsuba:
Onitsuka Kyurobei
Sword guard by a Hizen maker who signed "Nagasaki noju Onitsuka Kyurobei". 7.7cm x 7.3cm x 0.6cm, heavy very dimensional Nanban-Eikyo (influence). The crisp, linear carving of the waves is drawn in a style reminiscent of Onitake Toshiyoshi. This may be the very tsuba listed in the Haynes Index as H03749.0, given dates of 1750-1800. A similar specimen is illustrated in HIZEN NO KATANA TO TSUBA by Terada and Fukunaga, vol 2, page 304.
