Ko-Tosho (swordsmith) Tsuba. Iron, marugata, slightly convex (goishi-gata), with image of cherry-blossom, snowflake, and hat in sukashi openwork. It is ubu without hitsu ana dating back to Muromachi period. The image depicted is one representing the Noh play “Hachi-no-ki”, which tells of the sacrifice of an innkeeper who cut down his treasured potted trees so that he could put them in the fire to provide warmth for a traveling monk. The monk was actually a lord in disguise, who eventually repaid the innkeeper’s kindness by granting him some lands. A very tasteful tsuba, exemplifying the wabi-sabi aesthetic of restrained elegance.

NOTE:
As I wish to make deals as honest and faithful as possible, I would like to add to above that Ko-Tosho / Tosho tsuba are not the area where I am most experienced and you should judge carefully from pictures and video and decide for yourself whether this tsuba being Ko-Tosho, Tosho or even a edo piece made in (Ko-) Tosho style.

I felt convinced about this one being Ko-Tosho when I compared to this one (among others): https://tsuba.info/product/ko-tosho-ume-2/

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Ko-Tosho
(swordsmith tsuba)

Period/age:
Muromachi period

Measures:
7.65 cm x 7.25 cm x 0.3,5 cm (x 0.25 cm at mimi)

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, marugata, image of cherry blossoms on floating rafts (hana ikada). Bushū Itō school. The image is one which evokes the harvesting of wood from the forests around Kyoto, bundling the logs into rafts, and floating them down the Kamo River to be sold in Osaka. In the springtime, the cherry blossoms would fall onto the logs, and the site of the logs floating on the river, decorated with Kyoto’s cherry blossoms would delight people along the riverbank. Highlights in gold inlay. Two hitsu-ana (one plugged with shakudō). Mid Edo era.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Bushu-Ito

Period/age:
Edo

Measures:
7.30 cm x 6.80 cm x 0.45 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, mokkō-gata, with surface done in chirimen-amidayasuri style. Saotome school. A rather austere tsuba, with the radiating lines giving the appearance of light radiating from Amida Buddha, from which the rippling effect derives its name. Possibly Momoyama or earlier. One hitsu ana.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Saotome

Period/age:
Possibly Momoyama or earlier

Measures:
6.65 cm x 6.25 cm x 0.50 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, marugata, mokume (wood-grain) pattern on the base, with symmetrical sukashi designs of Tachibana. The mokume iron base is distinctive, and hints at the Myōchin school, or perhaps one of the metalworkers from Sado Island (Sashū). The design looks to be a tachibana (citrus) flower, often used in family crests. Two hitsu ana formed by the openwork of the flowers. Mid Edo.

Note: Although its school is hard to pinpoint. I think Myochin is the right attribution. I can see that wood-grain with sukashi is also a hallmark of the smiths working on Sado Island (who themselves were probably influenced by Myochin).

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Myochin
(or possibly Sado Island)

Period/age:
Edo

Measures:
6.80 cm x 6.55 cm x 0.50 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, tate-marugata tsuba with central image of spindle for thread, surrounded by geese. This is a typical Kyō-sukashi design. The squarish, spindle shape is said to evoke the image of a long thread, and therefore symbolic of long life, and recalls a Japanese saying “to spin good luck”. This greatly simplified image is a common theme on tsuba from many schools. The pairing with geese is seen on other Kyō-sukashi works, and shows off their technical prowess with sukashi work. Probably an Edo era piece, although it could be earlier.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Kyō-sukashi

Period/age:
Edo or earlier

Measures:
6.80 cm x 6.60 cm x 0.55 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, kawarigata tsuba with three lobes of tomoe-shaped pairs. A highly unusual design representing something about which we can only speculate. Are the shapes representing something from the plant or insect world, or are they symbolic of something from Japanese iconography (tomoe or magatama), or are they merely an abstract design? They seem to be purposeful, but the meaning is unknown for now. Interesting how the two lobes on the left and right emanate from the two hitsu-ana. Probably a work from the Owari group. Or possibly even the Myōchin group

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Owari (or possibly Myōchin)

Period/age:
Edo

Measures:
7.50 cm x 8.10 cm x 0.45 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, marugata, image of snowdrifts in positive and negative sukashi. Possibly from the Kyō-shōami school who uses this theme in this style, often incorporating an umbrella or hat into the design. The design evokes an image of Kyōto on a winter day with the ground covered in snow. This tsuba is a lovely antique from the Edo era. Two hitsu-ana.

Higo school can be another possibility for this tsuba.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Kyō-shōami (possibly Higo)

Period/age:
Edo

Measures:
7.95 cm x 7.90 cm x 0.50 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, tatemarugata, theme of Yatsuhashi bridge with irises. The theme itself is an old design, recalling Heian times in Japan, and it has been interpreted in many ways on tsuba from different schools from Muromachi to late Edo. This tsuba may be a Chōshū interpretation of the theme. Two hitsu-ana. Edo period.

I think Chōshū or Bushū. I notice a lot of Hayashi school tsuba with this theme, so I’m guessing this may be from the same location (Kyushu, aka Higo or Chōshū). The most famous ones are from Kyo-sukashi and Akasaka.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Chōshū or Bushū

Period/age:
Edo

Measures:
7.50 cm x 6.95 cm x 0.5 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, kikkagata tsuba in the shape of a 32 petalled-chrysanthemum, with two sukashi on the right side, and a hitsu-ana on the left. This tsuba is most likely Saotome school, even that Myochin is a possibility, but I believe Saotome is correct. This tsuba is very old and probably from Muromachi era. Its a quite big tsuba and very nice condition for its age.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Saotome

Period/age:
Muromachi

Measures:
8.30 cm x 7.80 cm x 0.30 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Iron, nadekakugata tsuba with images of turnip and bamboo leaves with snow drift, done in sukashi. Inome (heart-shaped) perforations on the left and right sides of this otherwise asymmetric tsuba. The design elements are an unusual combination, and indeed turnips are rarely seen on tsuba. The school is possibly Owari, or perhaps Nishigaki.

This is an interesting tsuba that is full of character and indeed very, very nice.

Mei/signature:
Mumei

School/province:
Owari or perhaps Nishigaki

Period/age:
Edo

Measures:
6.85 cm x 6.70 cm x 0.55 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included