Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Swords and Related (116)

18th century Japanese sword iron tsuba with pierced decoration of a tiger frolicking by a thick stem of bamboo with leaves, 2 sides presenting back and front views. Delightful design, good work, wonderful face of the creature, gilded highlights, very pleasant feel of age. Height 2 15/16 inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century Japanese sword iron tsuba decorated on the front with 3 scholars and an attendant under a pine tree viewing the moon partially obscured by the clouds. There is yet another scholar on the back of the tsuba looking towards the moon as well. Excellent piece with gilding, multimetal (gold, silver and shakudo) inlays and precise detailing - see the incised textile patterns on the golden robe of the scholar on the back. Some wear, overall in excellent condition...

Late 18th to early 19th century iron Japanese sword tsuba with design a Japanese court hat with cords (appears to be a variation of kanmuri hat) next to multimetal inlays of a water lily and maple branches with leaves, and a riding crop with tassels on the back. Wonderful quality detailed work - see leaf veining and crop textures. Beautiful patina on the plate, very nice feel of age. Height 2 3/8 inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century iron Japanese sword tsuba with multimetal inlays depicting sennin Bukan Zenshi standing under a rock and waving for his faithful tiger to approach, which the beast seems to be very happy to do, the back showing mountains with pines and a waterfall. Bukan Zenshi (Pu Hsien in Chinese) was a 7th century priest and is usually shown with a tiger as his attendant...

19th century shakudo Japanese sword tsuba with inlaid decoration of autumn grasses on both sides, all on finely textured ground. Shakudo (an alloy typically consisting of 96% copper and 4% gold) body, superb design perfectly capturing the mood of autumnal melancholy. Crisp work, black shakudo stems and gold seedheads, in excellent condition. Height 2 3/4 inches.

19th century shakudo Japanese sword tsuba for tanto with raised and inlaid decoration of a dragon flying along its rim among wispy clouds, all on finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar. Shakudo (an alloy typically consisting of 96% copper and 4% gold) body, superb clever design, extraordinary crisp work, in excellent condition. Height 2 3/16 inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century iron Japanese sword tsuba depicting a scholar peacefully fishing by a stream under a rock with vines and pine growing on it, design continues on the back showing clumps of bamboo grass. Nicely designed quiet piece with perfectly captured mood, wonderful quality work with silver and gold inlays, in great condition. Height 3 5/16 inches.

18th century Japanese sword iron tsuba with raised and inlaid decoration of a seated tiger scratching its ear by a thick stem of bamboo with leaves. Delightful design, good work, wonderful depiction of the creature, gilded and silvered leaves, very pleasant feel of age. Height 2 15/16 inches.

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with raised and incised decoration of a morning glory plant with flowers and leaves. Elegant design, excellent crisp work, wonderful warm brown patina, beautiful gilding, in very good condition. Length 3 3/4 inches.

Early 19th century Japanese sword knife (kozuka) handle made of sentoku (alloy consisting of copper, zinc and tin) with inlaid scene of two birds on the riverbank by rocks, grasses and a woven rattan container with stones - such bundles were used for shoring riverbanks during floods. Excellent quality mixed metals inlays, wonderful crisp work. Some indents to the narrow sides from usage, otherwise in very good condition. Length 3 13/16 inches.

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with multimetal inlays depicting a kingfisher sitting on reeds as it watches a stream beneath it for fish. Kozuka body is made of sentoku (alloy consisting of copper, zinc and tin), bronze, copper and shakudo inlays, gilding and silvering. Wonderful elegant design in Japanese taste, excellent detailing. Overall in very good condition. Length 3 7/8 inches.

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with multimetal inlays depicting two silver fern fronds and a length of shimenawa - a rice straw rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion. Decoration most probably refers to a particular festival. Superb crisp work - see the fine textures of both leaves and rope, silver and bronze inlays, gilding, finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar, in great condition...

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 kozuka (sword knife) handle depicting a a centipede wrapped around an arrow. Unusual and elegant piece, extraordinary crisp work - see the head and body segments of the creature and fine feathers of the arrow. Gilding, finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar, in great condition. Length 3 3/4 inches.

19th century Edo period Japanese bronze kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with multimetal inlays depicting wispy clouds supporting a tiger, a shishi and a kirin, all on a punched ground texture called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar. Unusual combination of animals, wonderfully made piece with crisp metalwork and gilding, in great condition. Length 1 1/4 inches.

Early 19th century Japanese sword tsuba with combination of sunken and raised relief decoration of a seated man wearing eboshi (a specific hat worn by aristocrats to indicate rank) holding a bitter melon in his hands and looking at more melons and lotus leaves with flowers, design continuing on the back. Material appears to be shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) with characteristic black patination resembling lacquer...

Late 18th to early 19th century tanto iron Japanese sword tsuba with four cutouts surrounded by gold inlaid scrolls. Great design, nice feel of age, some rusting, overall in good condition. Height 2 1/2 inches.

18th century Japanese sword iron tsuba inlaid on the front with gilded copper bunch of flowers and grasses, the back inlaid with a sickle. Elegant piece in Japanese taste, superb quality inlay with finely defined petals, great feel of age. Height 3 1/4 inches.