Lot 117: f - A FINE IRON TSUBA, BY KANO NATSUO (1828-1898)

of shallow mokko form with slightly raised rim, bearing a lightly hammered ground and carved in delicate takabori with a dragon rising amid swirling clouds above a breaking wave, a wave trough on the reverse, the dragon's whisker and several spray drops are inlaid with gold, signed Myochin Muneharu kitae kore (forged or hammered by Myochin Muneharu), Natsuo saku

8.2cm., 3 1/4 in.

NBTHK, November 2000-January 2001

Accompanied by a Juyo kodogu paper, dated Heisei 12 (2000)

The tsuba is believed to have been in the New England states of America for over 100 years and was purchased by the present owner in 1998.

Myochin Muneharu (1829-1880) is known to have hammered a number of plates for Okawa Teikan and Kano Natsuo (see Wakayama, vol. II, p. 343). The eight volume work on Natsuo, Kano Natsuo saku hin ten, illustrates two tsuba with similar inscriptions by Muneharu, this being only the third recorded example.