AKASAKA
or
1st BIZEN SURUGA MASTER

"Iron ground round cherry blossom design openwork tsuba, unsigned, Akasaka, double hitsu-ana, round rim, in paulownia box. Comes with a certificate of preservation sword fittings from the Japan Art Sword Preservation Association. On page 42 of the "Tokyo National Museum Illustration Catalog - Tsuba Edition", a tsuba made by Tadashige with a similar design is featured. Akasaka Tadashige is a pupil of the 5th Tadashige. He is a master craftsman who is praised as one of the best among Akasaka tsuba craftsmen from the mid-Edo period onwards. It is thought to be the work of Tadashige without a signature, or even an earlier work, but the details are unknown.

Further study shows the possibility of this work being that of the 1st Bizen Suruga Master, Takatsugu. The round iron plate with kaku mimi ko niku, ji sukashi of cherry blossoms, and the sekigane is suruga style." (Long)

7.93cm x 7.70cm x 0.50cm

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