Kabuto, the Momonari-type samurai helmet, so called because of its characteristic shape that recalls a peach, made of natural iron. The visor (mabizashi) is enriched by raised eyebrows, while the front decoration (maedate), features an elegant gold-lacquered crescent moon. The side fins (fukigaeshi) are decorated with the golden mon of the Takenaka clan...

Antique Japanese Edo samurai jingasa (war hat)...

Antique Japanese bronze tsuba with seven baby crows in silver and gold learning to fly over crested waters. Signed By Female Artist: Katsurano Fumiko /...

Antique Japanese iron Tsuba with inlay of a three gold clawed dragon amongst the swirling clouds. cast in iron using sand cast technique. Unsigned

Age: early 1900's

Dimensions: 2 3/4" wide 2 7/8" high

Antique Japanese iron tsuba (sword fitting). Depicting three water buffalo resting in the shade of the weeping willow tree. Details of sprouted wild grasses and flowers in gold. Finely detailed, each water buffalo is raised and has gold inlaid eye. Very and well made, smaller size than most tsuba.

Age: Late Edo Period Circa 1800's

2 1/2" wide x 2 3/4" high

Antique Japanese solid bronze tsuba (sword guard). Depicting a small gold fishing boat with cormorant traditional fishing. Long ling leading to a ring place around the trained cormorants neck. Natural bamboo springs up on both sides of gold and silver. Well made with careful attention to details.

Age: Late Edo Period Circa early 1800's

Dimensions2 3/4" wide x 3" high

Antique Japanese iron tsuba depicting a newt, with eyes of gold on natural wood. Silver spider web falling maple leafs.
Signed Tsuchiya Morichika who was active in the Edo period. Morichika worked in Okayama in Bizen province, and later in Osaka. He is the son of Noriyuki (H 05810), and a student of the sixth Tsuchiya Yasuchika (H 11109)...

Jingasa made of animal skin and painted with black urushi. Jingasa is a kind of cone-shaped helmet worn by ashigaru (足軽） or zohyo (雑兵）who are low-ranking soldiers, and they are mostly farmers too. It has a mark in front to identify enemies and allies. It has cotton stuffed packings inside. The last image is from "Tale of Zohyo"（雑兵物語）from the collection of Tokyo National Museum. In good condition. Edo period. Diameter:34cm, Height:21cm

Antique Japanese jingasa, samurai helmet made of hammered copper. Bulbous form with rounded rim. Zinc lining and copper hooks with a hemp cord. A single character mon in black lacquer on the front. On a custom metal stand.
The samurai class in feudal Japan, as well as their retainers and footsoldiers (ashigaru), used several types of jingasa made from iron, copper, wood, paper, bamboo, or leather...

Antique Japanese 18th century, Edo period, Soten school iron tsuba for Japanese samurai sword. The tsuba of marugata shape is made of nade-maru-gata iron, featuring a yo-sukashi design. It is intricately carved on both sides in relief with motifs of chrysanthemums and leaves, which are beautifully highlighted with gold...

Daisho Bushu school iron tsuba. Sukashi decoration of basket weave panels and parcel gilt prunus blossoms. Each signed Bushu Ju Masanaga. A nice pair of tsuba having started life together. Edo period. Good condition. Larger, 2 7/8 by 2 3/4 inches. Smaller, 2 3/4 by 2 5/8 inches.

A fabulous pair of daisho iron tsuba. Haruta school, with the character “Haru” still legible in the seppa-dai of the larger. Realistic depiction of weathered wood with a few gin-zogan (inlaid silver) woodworms in the decoration of the larger. I’ve seen similar work attributed to Hirata school, but that must have been misheard from Haruta. Excellent condition, and the two having started life together. Later Edo period, early 19th century. Larger 3 1/8 by 2 15/16 inches...

A pair of daisho iron tsuba of yatsu-mokko-gata (eight lobed) form. Sukashi motif of fans and gingko leaves (an interesting combination of similar shapes). Some chiseled texturing of the surfaces of the gingko leaves. Edo period, circa 1700. Good, serviceable condition with a few interrupted fan ribs on the larger. It is about 3 1/8 inches diameter. The smaller is about 2 7/8 inches diameter.

A fine pair of Chosho school maurugata form iron daisho tsuba. Sukashi work depicting blossoms on budding prunus branches. Strongly and well carved decoration. Edo period, 18th century. Good condition, with the nakago-ana filed larger at some point. Larger, 3 1/8 diameter. Smaller, 2 7/8 by 2 13/16 inches.

A fine daisho pair of Akasaka school iron sukashi tsuba. The concentric rings motif reminds of kamon designs but also could be symbolic of the rings on a Buddhist monks prayer staff. Very good spatial design consistent with earlier, sophisticated yet austere samurai taste. These started life together for use on the long and short sword pair. Circa 1700. Excellent condition and consistent as a pair in all respects. Larger, 2 15/16 by 2 7/8 inches. Smaller, 2 13/16 by 2 3/4 inches.

A matched pair of iron tsuba. Wasp and antler motif. Relates to a Japanese saying (we’ll research and get back with an account). Not a true daisho pair, the workmanship and subject are more than just close enough to appropriately use well on daisho swords. Edo period Shoami work, circa 1800. I’ve also seen this motif attributed to Kanayama (the surface texture would be consistent). There could be overlap as Shoami was more a movement than a region-bound school. Good condition...

Daisho ko-Shoami marugata form (round) tsuba. Gunbai-uchiwa motif (gunbai referring to a war signal fan and uchiwa referring to the form of the fan). A pair being understood as a daisho (though one tsuba being for the longer of two swords, and the other for the shorter sword, they are more often than not graduated in size). These started life together...

Antique Japanese set of iron and lacquer samurai armor in the Saiga school style. Tetsu Kuro urushi nuri 2mai dou Saiga gusoku. The kabuto has special iron-cut gilt eyebrows. Unique shikoro, Oie's mempo, large tare, hollow nose. Very thick torso, armpit ribs, Bishyamonten style kote.

Age: Early Edo Period (1603-1868)