Lacquer Tsuba - how did they do this?

[Rodenbacher]

I bought this Tsuba in an antique shop in Japan, it's made of black Lacquer with a wooden core. What puzzles me are the Mon, which are done in an incredible fine way. I don't know anything about lacquering techniques, does anybody know how this can be done? 

 

It's really difficult to take pictures of it because of the shining surface, that's the best I could do... 

 

[Toryu2020]

A very nice example Peter - very early tachi tsuba were often lacquered leather - once you get into the Edo period all kinds of materials were used. I have a set with metal cores...

 

-tch

[Matsunoki]

I wonder if they were done using a press ie the wood blank was heavily impressed/compressed (the kamon could be in either high  relief or sunken) and then lacquered over. A similar technique was used by the Chinese on horn to make a variety of things that at first glance look wonderfully hand carved. 

[Rodenbacher]

Matsunoki: that's a good idea, indeed. 

 

I found a description of an much older iron  Nobuie Tsuba here, which has a similar form and motif: 

https://varshavskyco...ction/tsu-0432-2023/