| The metalworker Tsunehisa is not recorded in the major reference works on Japanese sword fittings, signature compendia, or museum collections currently available, and neither his background nor his school has yet been identified. Nevertheless, this tsuba displays excellent forged iron, naturally carved pine trees, and a well-balanced openwork composition. These qualities suggest the work of a highly skilled provincial metalworker who inherited the refined aesthetic of the Kyō-sukashi tradition. Although his identity remains unknown, Tsunehisa deserves recognition as an accomplished yet undocumented master whose work awaits further clarification through future research. It has passed the NBTHK Hozon Tōsōgu shinsa in 2010. |
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