Sword-guard, iron, Koike Naomasa, Japan, 17th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
17th century
KOIKE NAOMASA: AN IRON TSUBA WITH KIRI AND KARAKUSA By Koike Naomasa, signed Koike Naomasa Japan, 17th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Of kikugata form, with hitsu-ana for a kogai and a kozuka, some suaka (copper) sekigane to the nakago hitsu-ana, finely carved in kebori and inlaid in gold, silver, and copper hirazogan to depict paulownia (kiri) flowers and leaves among scrolling tendrils (karakusa) on both sides.
One side with the signature KOIKE NAOMASA and the other inscribed Izumi no kami, Yoshiro [Yoshiro, honorary governor of Izumi province]. With a padded wood tomobako. LENGTH 7.8 cm, some nicks and rubbing to the inlay. The artist is listed on Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, p. 1325 (H06677.0). Active ca. 1625-1650 in Kyoto and Kaga province. Haynes mentions a very similar tsuba published in the Oeder Catalog (p. 13, no. 83). Museum comparison: Compare a related iron kikugata tsuba, koike style, dated to the 17th century, 8.2 cm high, at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, accession number EAX.10152.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material (listing wording)
- iron, suaka (copper), gold, silver
- Dimensions or weight (listing wording)
- LENGTH 7.8 cm; HEIGHT 8.5 cm; WEIGHT 137.7 g; 1650 in; 8.2 cm
Identification
- Source note
- Auction-house description published on Invaluable; the text keeps only the listing's object facts (condition, price and sale wording removed). Attribution and measurements describe the photographed example; independent type authentication remains research required.
- Candidate id
- inv-201689377
- Auction house
- Galerie Zacke
- Listing object ID
- 201689377
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and dating against a specialist reference; this entry documents one recorded example.