| Chrysanthemums symbolize longevity and prosperity and have long been regarded as auspicious motifs in Japan. They were used as emblems by the aristocracy and the Imperial Family and were also widely employed on sword fittings as decorative motifs reflecting the aesthetic sensibilities of the samurai. This tsuba depicts a profusion of various chrysanthemum blossoms carved in sukidashi-bori, densely covering the entire surface. The side of the rim is divided into sections, each decorated in gold nunome-zogan with a different geometric pattern, including asanoha (hemp-leaf), diamond, sayagata, and star-shaped designs. According to a metalworkers’ signature dictionary, Goto Tsunesada is recorded as a metalworker of the late Edo period, with known works including a kozuka depicting magnolias and a fuchi-kashira with a design of flowers and grasses. Passed Hozon Tosogu Shinsa in 2014. |
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