Tsuba by Jiryūsai Tomohide. Cranes and waves. The cranes actually have red head tops, it’s hard to see in the pictures. What’s special here is the wave work. The right side waves are ever so slightly higher than the left side, and their period is smaller. This imparts a subtle tilt to the piece, like if you were walking along the beach. It’s truly spectacular in hand.
With the tsuba is a tremendous hakogaki by Shibata Mitsuo.
“Motif of pines and cranes
Polished shibuichi, round shape, sukidashi-takabori relief
Iroe color accents, two hitsu-ana – Masterwork
Signed: Jiryūsai Tomohide Keiho + monogram
January 1968, year of the monkey – Saizen (pen name of Shibata Mitsuo)