Iron Tsuba with Daimyō Procession and Fuji Japan Edo Period (18th century) Iron w/ Gold & Silver Nunome-Zōgan Inlay Guard Sword Katana

Iron Tsuba with Daimyō Procession and Fuji
Japan, Edo period (18th century)
Iron with gold and silver nunome-zōgan inlay

Antique Japanese Iron Tsuba with Daimyō Procession and Fuji Scene
Japan, Edo period (18th century)

This Edo-period iron tsuba combines martial symbolism and landscape imagery in a refined decorative composition. The round plate is worked in openwork (sukashi) and finished with nunome-zōgan in gold and silver.

The obverse shows a mounted samurai lord in armor, rendered with gilt highlights, riding toward the iconic peak of Mt. Fuji beneath drifting clouds. Walking alongside, a retainer balances his master’s sword across his shoulders, a detail characteristic of a sankin-kōtai procession — the mandatory journeys made by daimyō from their home domains to Edo under Tokugawa rule.

On the reverse, a boat is shown among reeds, extending the travel theme and balancing the composition with references to passage and impermanence. The contrast between martial procession and natural setting captures the Edo taste for narrative ornamentation in sword fittings.

Crafted with textured iron ground and overlay inlay, this tsuba likely comes from the Bushū or Edo Itō school, known for detailed figural scenes and narrative motifs. The copper sekigane inserts in the tang opening show that the guard was mounted on a sword in its lifetime.

Condition: The tsuba retains much of its gilt detailing, with expected wear and surface patina consistent with age. Evidence of mounting confirms its functional use as well as its ornamental value.

For collectors, this piece illustrates both the practical and symbolic functions of sword guards in the Edo period: a protective fitting, a canvas for art, and a record of samurai culture under the Tokugawa system.

Details

• Origin: Japan

• Period: Edo, 18th century

• Material: Iron with gold and silver nunome-zōgan inlay

• Design: Mounted daimyō, retainer with sword, Mt. Fuji; reverse with boat and reeds

• Condition: Honest Edo wear; gilt inlay preserved; mounted in its lifetime

• Provenance: Collection of Len Sorese

• Dimensions: L 4in, W 3in, D 1in

LS200