An iron tsuba
By Ito Masahiro, Goto Ichijo School, Edo period (1615-1868), mid-19th century
The tsuba of rounded rectangular form with raised rim, carved in low relief with a large shishi, the reverse with gold peonies growing around rocks by a winding stream in a mountainous landscape, signed Ito Masahiro; with a fitted wood storage box.
8.5cm (3 3/8in). (3).
Footnotes

Published:
Fukushi Shigeo, Tosogu machibori meihin shusei (A Collection of Masterpieces of Sword Fittings in the Urban-Carving Tradition), Tokyo, Inose Insatsu, 2005, p.198, no.257.

Accompanied by a NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu certificate, dated Heisei 13 (2001), attributing the work to Ito Masahiro.

The son of Ito Masanori, Ito Masahiro became the ninth master of the Ito family lineage and was a student of Goto Ichijo (see Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Nihon Art Publishers, 2001, no.H.04004). Masahiro’s surviving works are exceedingly rare. The reverse of the present tsuba is based on an original by his illustrious teacher Goto Ichijo. Based on the Noh drama Shakkyo which concludes with a magnificent shishi and peony dance, it shows the mountain paradise of the Pure Land but eliminates the expected bridge that one must cross in order to reach it: This is an instance of rusu moyo, a design element that is suggested but not explicitly depicted. For the original version by Goto Ichijo, see Sato Kan’ichi and Honma Junji, Nihonto taikan (The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Survey), Tsuba, kodogu hen (Tsuba and Sword Fittings), Tokyo, Otsuka Kogeisha, 1972, no.577.