John Pelts Offers Rare Japanese Tsuba At SamuraiTsuba.com

John Pelts is offering an exciting opportunity for any collector to own authentic and extremely rare Japanese tsuba.

The Japanese tsuba, or sword guards, protects the hand when holding a sword by shielding it against a blow from an opponent’s blade and secondly by preventing the hand from slipping onto the razor sharp edge of the weapon. The tsuba was an important component of the Japanese sword which represented the symbol and soul of the samurai. The Japanese swords tsuba reflects the complexities of samurai life from codes of honor to flamboyant leisure. A tsuba usually has patterns or designs on both sides. The front side is usually more decorative and can have a mei (signature) from the artist on the seppa dai (area around the nakago ana). The front side of the tsuba faces toward the hilt of the blade. There are many people who collect tsuba because of the intricate and gorgeous metal craftsmanship displayed in their construction.

Our two shibuichi (gray colored copper-silver alloy) tsuba each with gold inlay were made in the 19th century, during the late Edo period (1603-1868) in Japanese history. The Tokugawa clan ruled all of Japan from their capital in Edo, or present day Tokyo, for more than 250 years. This period was marked by a rigid class system and incredible craftsmanship of samurai sword fittings. The Edo period was a time when the swordsmiths flourished in their trade. In the post Edo period after 1868, the prestige of the samurai came to an end as swords could no longer be worn and the great swordsmiths of the Edo period lost their trade. The incredible workmanship of Japanese tsuba from the Edo period culminated into articles of fine art that have significant intrinsic value in today’s marketplace.

To this very day, original tsuba remains among the most sophisticated and accomplished metalwork ever created and are true pieces of fine art. The tsuba reveals wonders of self-expression, beauty, charm and personal styles far beyond its practical use. In ancient times the Japanese believed that anything offered to the gods had to possess three qualities: purity, rarity and value. I believe my authentic tsuba for sale on www.samuraitsuba.com have those very traits.

Thank you,

John Pelts