Antique iron Japanese sword guard TSUBA

Medium size iron tsuba, designed for wakizashi or tanto sword. Size: 62 mm x 58 mm; Size of Nakago-ana (blade opening): 29 mm x 8 mm; Kozuka-ana: 17 mm x 8 mm; Kogai-ana: 17 mm x 8 mm; Weight: 75.53 g; Condition: Very good, considering the age.

Used for the sword. Age: circa 1400-1700 AD. Authenticity: Genuine antique, NOT an imitation. Material: Iron, gold; Provenance: private collection in Japan. The Kozuka is a short knife attached to a Japanese sword. It is a short blade in and of itself, as well as often being attached to the scabbard of longer katana, such as the uchigatana. In general, the kozuka was used for purposes such as whittling wood, cutting fruit, or other small tasks in the daily life of a samurai, but in an emergency could also be used as a hand weapon or projectile.

As with other ornamented swords, the kozuka also came to be an object of fine craftsmanship, raising its artistic value much like with the kogai, which was also attached to a sword's scabbard. The Kogai is a decorative tool used for tying and pinning hair. It was an indispensable daily accessory for ladies as well as for samurai, allowing the scalp to be scratched without loosening or ruining a carefully-prepared hairdo.

As one of the three attachments for a sword (the mitokoromono: kozuka, kogai and menuki), the kogai was attached to the scabbard in the same way as the kozuka (a small knife inserted into the scabbard) and carried along with the sword. It held an important role as an everyday item for samurai.