Raishoken Morihira Daisho Tsuba
A large and stunning daisho tsuba of Raiden (the thunder deity) and Futen (the wind deity) on the front, and people and animals fleeing the storm on the back. Very much in the Mito style. Signed, Raishoken Morihira with a gold honzogan Kao, the dai signed on the front, the sho signed on the back. Dai: 8.89 cm x 8.26 cm x 6.5 mm. Sho: 8.19 cm x 7.59 cm x 6.4 mm. The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Robert Haynes, H 05664.0. Morihira was a member of the Yanagawa family. He was born in Tokyo in 1899, and died February 1971. At the age of fourteen he was a student of Yoshioka Mitsushige, H 05407.0, and later studied with Katsura Mitsunaga, H 05294.0, the older brother of the first generation Sekibun. I have been informed that a set by Morihira, of the same design, sold at the first Walter Ames Compton auction, and brought $60,000. Boxed with hakogaki
http://www.nihonto.us/MORIHIRA%20DAISHO%20TSUBA.htm