Kozuka in sentoku inlaid with silver and gold butterflies. Length 95mm. Edo period.

Kozuka representing pumpkins and its leafs.Bronze inlaid with shakudo , silver, copper and gold. Some part gilded. No signature. About 100 x 15 mm Edo period. 19° or earlier?

A simple, small but stout iron tsuba. The Myochin line of metal workers were armor makers who also produced tsuba. The simple decoration upper-right here could be a flower head or a snowflake. Udenuki-ana appear lower left. Good condition. Height 2 3/4 inches (69 cm), Width 2 9/16 inches (65 cm), and 6/32 of an inche (5 mm) thick.

A kozuka with gilt and silvered bronze decoration of a general's baton and banner on dark patinated bronze nanako ('fish roe' textured ground.) The utility knife handle with shakudo (a pickled gold and copper alloy) back and sides. Surfaces showing wear and slight distress from use but in fairly good and serviceable condition. Could benefit from a light cleaning and oiling. Length, little more than 3 3/4 inches (9.53 cm)

A bag made of deer skin with indigo dye hemp rope. It was used for coins which were distributed among citizens in Edo period. Paper moneys were issued later, in Meiji period (1868~1912). The first half of the 19th century. 26cm x 62cm

A kozuka with sea shell and seaweed decoration with gold and silver overlaid on shakudo (a pickled gold and copper alloy) nanako ('fish roe' textured ground.) The utility knife handle with filed gilt bronze sides and back. Slight bend and the nanako somewhat dented in places. Would present nicely enough with a sword fitted to hold a kozuka in the saya (scabbard.) Kogatana (utility blade) not included. Length, 3 3/4 inches.

Two nicely matched Edo period mixed metal menuki. Each with decoration of a duck in water. Some difference in the detailing of the water and perhaps different duck species (though one could explain the lack of a crest and color on one because it was the female of a pair of mandarin wood ducks.) For the price, they would work quite well together on a tsuka (sword hilt.) Longer one, about 1 1/2 inches. Good condition.

Antique Japanese bronze Shakudo (mixture of Gold and Copper) menuki of a fu dog with signature engraved on its backside. Menuki are one of many components to a Japanese sword, mounted as an ornament on the tsuka (handle). They are believed by some to secure the swordsman's grip. Size: 1 1/4" Long x .5" wide

A late Edo iron tsuba with chisled decoration of a pine trunk and boughs on one side and flowering prunus blossom with bamboo on the other side. The three representations comprising the "Three Friends of Winter". The simplicity of the chiseled smooth surface successfully imitating sumi-e painting. Good condition - presenting more nicely than in the lighting used for our photography. Emits a clear tone when tapped. A pleasing piece that would add character to a prospective blade...

A good pair of dragon menuki in nicely detailed patinated shakudo alloy and with gilt features. Late Edo period. Good condition but with glue adhering mostly to the back. Each little more than 1 5/8 inches (4.13 cm) long.

An Edo Period Kozuka (utility knife handle.) Kinko (mixed soft metals) decoration on shakudo alloy with nanako (fish roe textured) background. Depicted in a farmer with horse in water plowing in prepartion to plant rice. A willow or other weeping tree, to one side, not yet with blooms. Nicely detailed with featured highlighted with gold and silver overlay. The water nicely textures with an itame (wood grain) effect. Serviceable, fair to good condition...

Antique Japanese tsuba (hand guard for a samurai sword), made all of iron and cast in the form of a daikon raddish. The leafy tops of the daikon are highly raised and the raddish root itself twists around becoming the circular rounded edge of the tsuba. Wonderful three dimensional quality. Edo Period. Size: 3" wide diameter

Japanese antique tsuba (hand guard for a samurai sword), cast all of iron. The motif appears to be a combination of two kamon (family crests); one being the inside part of a mokko crest and the other the swirling comma shaped arms of a tomoe or mitsudomoe (Shinto) mon. The resulting design is an open work of elegant lines. Edo Period. Size: 3 1/8" wide diameter