T443. Copper or yamagane tsuba with a brass fukurin. 8.2 x 8.3 x .5 cm on the fukurin (.4 cm on the plate). The nakago hitsu-ana is .8 x 2.8 cm. My understanding of the technique used to create the design is thus: a resist (lacquer?) is applied to the plate for the design and the plate is then given an acid bath to remove metal around the resist. Given the detail and precision, whoever did this was quite talented. Similar work was done by an artist coming out of the Kanshiro Nishigaki group of Higo: Yoshikatsu Tsuge (see my listing T437 for an example). I can’t say for certain that he was responsible for this tsuba but it wouldn’t surprise me. Condition is excellent. This comes with a high end fitted box and pillow. $675.