"Design is a temple bell, very large hanging several feet high.
Signed: 'ECHIZEN ju AKAO'. This is a very early signature of a classic design of the school, about ca.1600.
Dr. Torigoye illustrates this tsuba in the First Tsuba Kanshoki, page 249, top photo #479. This tsuba belonged to Robert Haynes about 1955 and he has not seen it for 50+ years. He just got it from a European auction a few months ago. Dr. Torigoye thought this piece to be the work of the 1st. generation Akao master. See Haynes Index H12225.0, 1st Akao Yoshitsugu. A piece is dated 1677 but not signed - (the 1st Kinai of Echizen was contemporary with the 1st Akao)." (Haynes)
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