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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;jamesicus, post: 2783816, member: 14873&quot;]Just FYI to illustrate sword guards (Tsuba)</p><p><br /></p><p>The guard (tsuba) was originally made of iron but later sometimes of (alloyed) softer metal which was frequently elaborately carved - sometimes with inlays - or pierced. The main center cut-out (nakago-ana) provides the means to secure the blade in the tsuka. One or more additional cut-outs (kozuka-ana and kogai-ana) are often incorporated to accommodate accessories:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0nihonto65.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Sometimes the tsuba was quite plain such as the one illustrated below which is made of polished shakudô (an alloy of copper and gold) and who&#039;s only decoration is a serrated gold rim.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0nihonto52x.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The following Tsuba was disassembled from an Edo period Wakizashi (short auxiliary sword)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0nihonto35.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> <img src="http://jp29.org/0nihonto34.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Made of iron and engraved with depictions of Wisteria (<b>sagari fuji</b>).</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0awaki48.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> <img src="http://jp29.org/0awaki47.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>This <b>Bushû school</b> pierced iron guard (tsuba) has finely carved Japanese cherry blossom (<b>sakura</b>) buds, leaves, stems and flowers with gilded highlights.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0awaki08.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Utility knife - kozuka (handle) kogatana (blade) - which was sometimes secured in the scabbard (saya) via the cut-out&nbsp; (kozuka-Ana) in the Tsuba.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0awaki09.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>This kozuka bears a depiction on both sides of a full Autumn Moon (<b>aki no tsuki</b>) with a deer (<b>Sika</b>) lying down in marsh grass -- a seasonal change in the mounting (koshirae).</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/0awaki01x.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The omote of the kogatana is finished by filing in the traditional way and is boldly inscribed (signed) <b>Tango No Kami Kanemichi</b> - a new sword period (shintô) Mishina province smith (kaji) active in the early to late 1600s.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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