J133.  Iron tsuba with gold nunome highlights.  6.1 x 6.5 x .4 cm.  The nakago hitsu-ana is .7 x 2.9 cm.  This tsuba is consigned to my site; its owner says about it, “Hizen tsuba. Ca. 1750-1800. The clue that this is a Hizen guard is the plump, oversized seppa-dai, which is seen on much Yagami work. This could be by a carver who studied in the Mitsuhiro atelier, or perhaps one of their students. The design is a decorative combination of Asian export designs: taotie masks, Indochinese water-dragons, lotus- flower and clouds. Excellent affordable starter-piece for a person interested in collecting Nanban tsuba.”

We get a demon of some sort and cloud forms on one side and on the other the demon reappears with 2 water dragons.  The carving is well done, little if any of the gold is missing, condition is excellent.  $200.