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.

Nirayama-kasa which was worn by samurai when they practiced artillery. It is made of washi (Japanese handmade paper) yarn and black urushi painted outside and kakishibu inside. It has hand-painted wave and bamboo design with gold but faded much. Nirayama-kasa was made in Ansei (1854~1860), very late Edo period. It was used in Kanto area, not in Kansai area, according to the "Kinsei Fuzokushi" written by Morisada Manko around mid 19th century. Generally in good condition but has some wear...

19th century Edo period Goto school Japanese kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with multimetal relief inlays depicting ra bird on a flowering branch. Superb quality crisp work, multiple inlays of copper, silver, shakudo and gold, is excellent condition. Finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar. Extraordinary piece of Japanese metalwork. Length 1.4 inches.

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?

Antique Japanese bajo jingasa, lacquered military hat for a high-ranking horseman. Carved of wood with an upturned front rim and rounded dome. Decorated all over with intricate shell inlay in black lacquer. The underside is lacquered red with four hooks for chords. On custom metal stand...

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle depicting Ebisu - one the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, that of fishing - happily hanging out in a humble boat by reeds in a stream. Wonderful crisp work - see his happy smiling face, texture of his hat and finely done reed leaves, in excellent condition. Signed SHOGETSUSAI HARUYUKI on the back - the artist is a listed 19th century Japanese metalsmith...

An antique Japanese iron tsuba decorated with motifs of autumn grasses, such as chrysanthemums and a bellflower and suzumushi crickets. The base is done similar to a tsuchime-ji base. Size: Diameter 3.25" height 0.2" Age: 19th century

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.

A very unusual and rare mid Edo period iron Duo. Full wrap around breast and back plate with hinged shoulders plates. Detail of an incredibly fierce and deleted dragon wrapped around and suspended around swirling clouds.
In japan, the dragon represent wisdom, strength, force for good, wind, water and of coarse wealth. Dragons are destructive forces, but they are also considered guardians.
The collar of the undergarment is hand sewn silk embroidered with gold threads...

A rare example of a Japanese bamen, samurai horse mask. Hand carved of wood to resemble the face of a dragon, this bamen was worn to express the power and prestige of the horse's owner. Custom fabricated antiqued bronze finish, ready to be enjoyed.

Age: Mid to late Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 11 1/2" high (14" high on metal stand) x 6" wide x 7" deep

19th century Edo period Japanese kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with relief depiction of a crane in flight over pine saplings, all on a finely punched ground texture called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar. Wonderful crisp metalwork, some worn gilding, in great condition. Length 1 1/4 inches.

A sublime antique Japanese tsuba centered on the theme of the ocean. The tsuba contains motifs of abalone shell, basket weave pattern, and waves peeking through the patterned holes near the area where the blade would have been fitted. Tsuba is done in iron with mixed metal accents to highlight the abalone shell and rope. Age: 19th century, Edo period. Size: Diameter: 3.25"

An excellent shakudo tsuba inlaid with a "thousand flowers" decoration in gold, silver and sentoku. The technique is particular, the tsuba is first cast in shakudo with all the flowers in relief, then chiseled. Then each flower is covered with a thick sheet of metal, gold, silver or sentoku, this sheet is hammered on the sides of the flowers as one would border a bed sheet. Excellent work , exceedingly difficult more than inlaid...

A signed, matched, pair of Abumi with a geometric design of interwoven maple leafs. The design has been hand chiselled and inlaid with silver and bronze. The stirrups measure 11" long x 5 1/4" wide x 10 1/4" high, and date to the late Edo period. The maker has inlaid his Name and City on both stirrups and this translate as follows: "Made by Yamada Nagamoto living in Kanazawa". Nagamoto is the seventh generation Yamada chiseller to work at Kanazawa, and he was born in 1810...

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with multimetal inlays depicting a Shinto ritual ladle containing various flowers, its bamboo handle decorated with a tied ribbon. Superb crisp work - see the fine textures of different flowers and nodules of the handle, silver and bronze inlays, gilding, finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar, in great condition. Length 3 9/16 inches.

19th century Japanese sword set of fuchi (bordering piece between the sword guard and the handle) and kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with gold inlaid design of birds in flight over a gnarled flowering cherry tree. Made out of shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) with characteristic black patination resembling lacquer. Excellent quality work, in great condition. Kashira length 1 5/16 inches, fuchi length 1 7/16 inches.

Antique Japanese mixed metal kabuto (samurai helmet) and iron mempo (samurai face guard) mounted on metal stands.
The kabuto is also listed separately as item #1464528. A rare example Japanese zunari kabuto (samurai helmet) made all of iron with a mixed metal (gold & silver) design of a dragon in swirling clouds. The eyes and whiskers of the dragon are inlaid gold and it's body coils all the way around the hachi (dome)...

Rare Japanese circular jingasa with a gradual domed top, made of iron and decorated with a dragon flying in raised, billowing clouds. The dragon's eyes are of inlaid gold, the rim of the jingasa is bronze and the dome's top has a copper ring tama buchi. The underside is lacquered red. 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...