H379.  Iron sukashi tsuba from the Holbrook collection.  Skip’s tag reads, “Owari Bamboo Momoyama Period”.  7.8 x 8.1 x .5 cm.  The nakago hitsu-ana is.9 x 2.7 cm.  Bamboo eh?  Tough to know what exactly this depicts.  I see something that could be a crown of bamboo leaves at top but what is that strange animal below?  Whatever it is, this is a magnificent tsuba made of 1st class iron with a few subtle tekkotsu on the plate.  The ryo-hitsu had, at one time, shakudo pillows mounted beside the seppa-dai.  $895.