Q263.  Higo tsuba.  6.3 x 6.9 x .4 cm on the rim.  The nakago hitsu-ana is .7 x 2.6 cm.   Waves carved with gold (or brass) ten zogan drops on the plate; the rim is raised and inlaid with brass in a herring bone pattern that continues over the rim.  I am certain that this is Higo work.  My last picture is from Mr. Ito’s book on Kanshiro Nishigaki: a tsuba by the 2nd master with similar carving in kinko.  This treatment of the rim was used by the artists of Jingo, if not by others.  Designs and ideas were shared across all the Higo groups so I can’t tell you which I think was responsible for this piece but I know it is Higo.

Condition is excellent.  There are a few gaps in the brass of the rim but this was often done on purpose when Higo tsuba were made; some of this, at least, is intentional.  Was $595, now $475.