Tsuba - Shōnai School - Butterfly, Shakudo Rim

Shōnai School, Late Edo Period (19th Century)
Iron plate with shakudō rim (shakudō-fukurin); gold nunome-zōgan inlay
Japan

This refined tsuba exemplifies the tasteful restraint and regional character associated with the Shōnai School of Dewa Province. It is crafted from a slightly oval iron plate whose surface displays a fine, dense hammer-texture, producing a soft granular sheen that is both tactile and visually subtle. Encircling the plate is a smoothly polished shakudō rim, its deep blue-black tone providing a distinguished contrast to the warmer brown of the iron body. This use of a shakudō-fukurin is a hallmark of Shōnai workmanship and underscores the attention given to structural harmony as well as surface finish.

Decoration is applied sparingly yet with great precision using gold nunome-zōgan, a technique in which fine grid-cut textile patterns are worked into the metal before receiving thin layers of gold. In the upper right portion of the guard, a delicate butterfly hovers in graceful stillness, its wings defined with subtle, shimmering lines. Opposite, in the lower left, a small grouping of leaves and tendrils anchors the composition, creating an elegant asymmetry that is central to the aesthetic sensibility of the school. The modest scale of the motifs, along with their natural subject matter, contributes to a sense of quiet refinement and lyricism.

The central nakago-ana, designed to receive the tang of the sword, is flanked by an additional opening for auxiliary implements—an arrangement typical for functional guards of the Edo period. The clean execution of these apertures reinforces the impression of careful, purposeful craftsmanship.

Together, the understated design, careful use of contrasting metals, and expert control of surface texture illustrate the Shōnai School’s distinctive blend of regional taste and Edo-period kinko artistry. This tsuba stands as both a functional component of a samurai’s mounting and a subtle artistic statement, demonstrating the sophistication and sensitivity that characterize Japanese metalwork of the period.

Motive: Butterfly in gold inlay, backside nice landscape in different surface carving techniques. The Rim is made of Shakudo.

Comes in a box.

Dimension 66,6 mm x 72,0 mm x 4,5 mm (4,4 mm), 126,6 g