Antique Tsuba Set For Daisho - Mito-shoami School – A Model Of Elegance And Simplicity.

Antique Tsuba Setfor Daisho - Mito-Shoami School – Elegance, Simplicity.

Sold, excluding shipping costs

Presented in its double paulownia storage box (Kiribako), custom-madeto hold the pair side by side. This complete set for Daisho (Katana and Wakizashi) embodies the very essenceof the Samurai aesthetic under the Tokugawa Shogunate: refinementthrough simplicity (Iki). An exceptional set in its coherence.

Bamboo, a symbol of integrity, strength, and flexibility among the samurai, frames the dark surface of the tray with absolute discretion. This is not an ostentatious piece, butan object for connoisseurs that reveals its full richness upon close inspection.

In very fine antique condition. Remarkable original patina, gilding preserved in the recesses, slight tracesof natural oxidation, and the SHO (Wakizashi) tsuba is slightly warped, enhancingthe set’s historical and authentic character.

History and Style:

• Period: Edo period, 18th century (1780).
  School / Attribution: Mito style / Shoami. A refined style renowned for the ornamentation along the edges of the Tsuba and the contrast between materials.
  Shape: Naga-Maru Gata (traditional elongated oval).
  

Characteristics:

The Surface (Ji) – Simplicity and Purity (Muji-Ji): Crafted from a copper alloy (Yamagane) featuring a superb original dark brown patina that is warm and satiny. The surface is perfectly smooth (Muji), offering a captivating, minimalist aesthetic that allows the material to breathe.

Edge Banding (Take-Fukurin) – A masterpiece of engraving: The edges (mimi) are encircled by a gilded copper band carved with a bamboo stalk motif (Take). The artisan has engraved the knots (Kansetsu) and bamboo fibers. The original gilding has developed asuperb natural patina over time, revealing in places delicatetraces of oxidation (verdigris) that attest to its period authenticity.

Plugs (Hitsu-ume): The side openings for accessories (Hitsu-ana) are filled with matching gilded copper stoppers, crafted with a hammered/grained finish in theIshime-ji style and small Haito motifs, creating a perfect visual harmonywith the gilding on the border.

Dimensions and Specifications

TSUBA DAI (for Katana): Dimensions: 7.6 cm × 7.0 cm Thickness: ~ 4.58 mm Weight: 116 g

TSUBA SHO (for Wakizashi): Dimensions: 7.7 cm × 6.4 cm Thickness: ~ 5.22 mm Weight: 88 g