Q784. Higo Kumagai tsuba. 7.7 x 8.4 x .3 cm. The nakago hitsu-ana is .8 x 3.1 cm. The Kumagai School of fittings makers were connected to main line Higo but they aren’t considered main line. I know an early Kumagai smith studied with Nishigaki and checking online I find references to Kumagai and the Jingo School. In Mr. Ito’s book: Works of Hirata & Shimizu, I found 2 tsuba by the fifth Jingo master that are quite similar.

On the front there are 2 bands of flat iron with elaborate tendrils and leaves in gold inlay. The rest of the plate on this side has been ornamented with only cross hatching and a light nunome zogan of silver. The dote mimi has raised relief cloud forms in silver nunome zogan, 4 of which carry onto the 2 bands. On the back side the bands are the areas to be  ornamented with cross hatching and light silver nunome zogan. The rest of the plate is flat and the cloud forms of the dote mimi on this side carry onto the plate, not the bands. The 2 large ryo hitsu are outlined in gold.

The Hozon paper is dated 2010: Mumei Kumagai. This is a very nice tsuba in exceptional condition; you will be pleased. $750.