From the 14th to the 17th century, tsuba were mostly made of iron, a resistant metal, well adapted to weapons used in battle. Their decoration was at first limited to pierced designs, but later further embellished with brass, and then gold, inlay. Despite the introduction of more malleable alloys from the 17th century on, iron would continue to be used in certain schools up to the modern period.
Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Unsigned 無銘
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-1Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Balancing toy 豆蔵
Unsigned 無銘
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-13Tsuba, pierced iron, mokkô shape 木瓜形鉄地透彫鐔
Jewel-shaped design 玉図
Signed « Saotome Iehisa » 銘 早乙女家久
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-11Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Dragonflies 蜻蛉図
Unsigned 無銘
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-17Tsuba, iron, mokkô shape 木瓜形鉄地鐔
Water wheel and skulls 水車髑髏図
Signed « Nobuie » 銘 信家
Hitsu plugs signed « Natsuo » 夏雄 (櫃)
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-28Tsuba 鐔
Iron and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮象嵌
Ducks and lotus 鴛鴦蓮華図
Unsigned 無銘
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-34Tsuba, aoi-mokkô shape 葵木瓜形鐔
Iron and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮平象嵌
Paulownia leaves 桐葉図
Unsigned 無銘
Momoyama period 桃山時代
CB-OS-1964-51Tsuba 鐔
Iron and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮据紋象嵌
Eagle on a pine branch 松上鷹図
Unsigned 無銘
Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)
CB-OS-1931-125Tsuba, mokkô shape 木瓜形鐔
Iron with silver and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮銀象嵌
Carp 鯉魚図
Unsigned 無銘
Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)
CB-OS-1935-126Tsuba 鐔
Iron with brass inlay 鉄地真鍮象嵌
Double chrysanthemum 菊花図
Unsigned 無銘
Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)
CB-OS-1964-45Tsuba 鐔
Iron with sawari inlay 鉄地砂張象嵌
Sacred jewels 玉図
Signed « Hazama » 銘 間
Edo period, 17th -18th century 江戸初~中期
CB-OS-1964-2100
Tsuba 鐔
Iron with sawari inlay 鉄地砂張象嵌
Hand-drum 鼓図
Signed « Hazama » 銘 間
Edo period, 17th -18th century 江戸初~中期
CB-OS-1964-2099Tsuba 鐔
Iron with sawari inlay 鉄地砂張象嵌
Characters forming a Buddhist invocation 本佛文字
Signed « Hazama » 銘 間
Edo period, 17th -18th century 江戸初~中期
CB-OS-1964-2098Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Characters for the twelve signs of the zodiac 十二支文字透図
Unsigned 無銘
Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)
CB-OS-1964-21Tsuba 信玄鐔
Iron with woven brass thread 鉄地真鍮線
Unsigned 無銘
Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)
CB-OS-1964-56Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Lily 百合図
Signed « Chôshû Hagi no jû Tomotsune saku » 銘 長洲萩住友恒作
Edo period, 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀)
CB-OS-1964-139Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Gold inlay 金象嵌
Tigers and bamboo 竹林猛虎図
Signed « Sasshû Odashi Naoka saku » 銘 薩州小田氏直香作
Edo period, late 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀末)
CB-OS-1964-247Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Folding screens 屏風図
Signed « Bairyûken Kiyotatsu saku » 銘 梅龍軒清辰作
Edo period, late 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀末)
CB-OS-1964-93Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Concentric circles 四金輪 紋
Signed « Shôami Morisane » 銘 正阿弥盛積
Edo period, late 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀末)
CB-OS-1964-99Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
European ship, Namban style 南蛮式洋船
Signed « Kôto Tanzendô Yoshikatsu nyûdô zôsha » 銘 皇都坦然堂善勝入道造寫
Dated spring 1814 1814年 (文化旧戌春)
CB-OS-1964-237Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔
Bamboo grove 竹林図
Signed « Esshû no ju Myôchin Yoshihisa saku » 銘 越州住明珍吉久作
Edo period, early 19th century 江戸末期
CB-OS-1964-33