Owari tsuba with arrowheads, Muromachi period, 16th century, NBTHK Hozon Tōsogu

Diameter: 8 cm

Thickness: 0.5 cm

NBTHK Hozon Tōsogu

Specifications: Marugata tetsu-ji, ji-sukashi, kakumimi koniku

Elegant iron tsuba with positive openwork design of six arrowheads pointing outwards. The hitsuana obtained from double lozenges.

Arrows are symbolic of the samurai, especially during the Muromachi period, when bows where used much more often than swords during battles. A subject of arrows on a tsuba may have been a vow to improve martial skills or a prayer to the god of war for protection.

For centuries, many characteristics of the Owari school have been appreciated and held in high esteem by the Samurai, expressing their aesthetic standards. Many of Owari designs have a  symmetric design not only from right to left, but also from top to bottom, showing profound strength and dignity. As in this case, the iron plate graduates from the rim towards the thinner seppa-dai, which is usually squared. Tekkotsu appear on the rim, strengthening the elegant dignity of the tsuba.

The great authority on Japanese swords and fittings, Akiyama Kyusaku (1844-1936), once stated that from the standpoint of a swordsman no other school can match the standards of the Owari school. Many scholars and collectors believe they are the ultimate ji-sukashi tsuba. 

This tsuba show some typical features of the Owari design: both vertical and horizontal symmetry, inner circle close to the rim, lozenges openwork design, squared rim and thinner seppadai.

The tsuba comes with a Hozon Tōsogu certificate (fitting worth of preservation) issued by Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai.

Price band: within 5,000€