Thirty three Iron Tsuba, 17th to 19th century

comprising an early Kyoto tsuba in brass takazogan with a ho-o bird centered above the seppa, continuing on the reverse with two kiku mon; an Akasaka school tsuba with design of the Musashi Plains (sasa grass and wild geese); a Shoami and a Kyo-Shoami tsuba, the first in yo-sukashi with three aoi leaves, details in gold nunome, the second pierced with two namako in negative silhouette, the hira with rinzu in the Heianjo zogan style; a tsuba of irregular shape with ushikaeshi mimi, pierced with a stylised snow flake; two Tosho type tsuba, the First kagesukashi with sakura mon and two udenuki ana; the other with ume ni sakura and shakudo fukurin; four Ito sukashi tsuba, the First with various mon, the Second with fishnet and birds, the Third with three nasubi, the stems in takabori, signed Kofu ju Namitoshi, the Fourth, a smaller example in the form of a stylised fan; two Bushu school tsuba, the First pierced and carved with peonies and leaves with traces of gold nunome, signed Bushu ju Masakata saku, the Second with a crane flying above breaking waves, signed Bushu ju Masahide; an Oda Satsuma school tsuba carved in marubori with natamame design; two Umetada school tsuba the First pierced and carved with fan and plum design, the Second carved in high relief with a camelia blossom and a shishi, signed Yamashiro Kuni Nishijin ju; a large Saotome tsuba of kiku form; a Hoan style tsuba pierced with a wheel design; a tsuba with a thick hammered hira pierced with two nishi in positive and negative silhouette and brass fukurin; a Soten tsuba; two tsuba pierced and carved with fan and waves; two tanto guards; and nine Mito school examples, carved in relief with iroe takazogan, with a stone lantern in a garden; Soso on a boat, signed Kaneshige; a gilt hare running among shakudo bamboo shoots; a rounded hachigata with a bamboo and a tiger in brass; a tanto tsuba with gourd and trailing vines; Shoki with bamboo shoots of shakudo; Jo and Uba; a blossoming plum branch; a minogame and a crane respectively, the last three of mokko form 

Compare a 16th century example of the design of the first guard in Joly & Tomita British Red Cross, exhib.catalog, 1915, plate CX no.126