Three gilded ko-kinkino tsuba

[Marius]

Here is a mini collection of ko-kinko tsuba. While they vary in style - from waves, through kiku shape ("san Diego" type), through namako sukashi, they are all made of soft metal in the Muromachi period. A curated small group, that I am proud of.

 

I will provide all measurements later, but the namako sukashi is the smallest of them all.

 

Tsuba # 1

 

A shinchu (brass) tsuba with engraving of waves and ko-sukashi of a crest. Profuse remnants of guilding, very well preserved in the tagane.

Muromachi period, 16th century

 

$300 incl. shipping to US and Europe.

 

 

 

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Tsuba #2

 

A kiku (chrystanthemum) shaped tsuba with 16 petals, with a clove sukashi. Very well preserved gilding. Yamagane. "San Diego" type if you will, from tsuba found in the ship wreck (interesting story, this).

Muromachi period, 16th century

 

 

$350 incl. shipping to US and Europe.

 

 

 

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Tsuba #3

 

Modest, but very fine. Lovely yamagane colour with gilding remnants in the punchings. Namako (sea cucumber) sukashi. A little darling tsuba

 

$250 incl. shipping to US and Europe.

 

 

 

If you want to beef up your collection with all of those tsuba, you can have them all for $825 incl. shipping.

 

 

[Marius]

All three tsuba are now on HOLD.

 

 

[Peter D]

Super excited to get Tsuba #2!

 

These chrysanthemum tsuba have my special interest because they were widely adopted throughout SE Asia, inspired by Samurai who had settled there.

 

Indeed they were found on the San Diego, a Spanish ship sunk by the Dutch (sorry guys!) in 1599. It probably belonged to their Samurai mercenary crew. Such samurai mercenaries served most maritime powers at the time, including the Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and various pirate factions like the House of Zheng (Coxinga).

 

They were recruited either directly from Hirado, or came from the various Nihonmachi, villages of Japanese settlers in Southeast Asia who had fled Japan in the 16th to early 17th century. It's a little-known part of Samurai history, but one with many interesting stories that would make great Hollywood movies.

 

-Peter

 

 

 

 

[Marius]

Highly interesting angle on that tsuba, thanks, Peter 

[Marius]

All tsuba are SOLD, thank you