Pair of Tsuba Sword Guards |
for Daisho Pair of Long and Short Swords With design of fighting warriors Signed “Soten of Hikone in Omi Province” By Kitagawa Soten Edo period, 18th century Gift of Ii Family |
The tsuba sword guard is decorated with raised designs of figures and waves embellished with gold inlay. Soten was a highly acclaimed goldsmith from Hikone, who excelled in the kind of techniques employed in this example. Other surviving works also display similar exuberance.