- Tsuba – Large Ko-Shoami Iron Sukashi Tsuba – Symmetrical Bar-and-Roundel Design

This impressive large iron sukashi tsuba attributed to Ko-Shoami is defined by a bold, highly symmetrical composition built from a small vocabulary of forms—roundels, straight spans, and gently notched bars—arranged with confident architectural clarity. The design is organized around the central seppa-dai, from which paired oval openings extend left and right, while vertically aligned, elongated cutouts and stepped elements rise and descend toward the rim. The result is a dynamic yet perfectly balanced structure that reads almost like a stylized crest or abstracted framework.

The plate is relatively thin for its diameter, giving the guard an elegant lightness despite its size. Its rounded maru-mimi is notably thicker than the seppa-dai, creating a strong framing ring that stabilizes the openwork and reinforces the silhouette. The iron surface carries a calm, dark patina with subtle texture, and the sukashi edges are cleanly cut, showing an assured hand that favors crisp definition over decorative surface treatment. Small copper sekigane at the nakago-ana indicate practical mounting and careful adjustment over time.

Overall, the tsuba embodies the early Shoami preference for graphic symmetry and heraldic abstraction, bridging functional strength with refined design economy—qualities that make Ko-Shoami work particularly appealing as a foundation for later sukashi traditions.

Dimension

85,9 mm x 85,1 mm x 4,8 mm (Seppa) - 5,6 mm (Mimi), 83,8 g