| This relatively small tsuba is made of iron in a vertical round shape, with a continuous design of wild geese rendered in ji-sukashi. Rather than depicting the geese realistically, their forms with outstretched wings are stylized and linked together in a circular pattern around the tsuba. Despite the repetition of a simple motif, the composition conveys a sense of movement and variation. The stylized geese are skillfully rendered in openwork against the dark iron, giving the tsuba a refined and tasteful character. Judging from the quality of the iron and the style of workmanship, it is probably an Akasaka tsuba from around the late Edo period. |
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