T136.  Shakudo nanako tsuba with horses.  Signed, “Yanagawa Naokatsu” with a Kao.  6.7 x 7.3 x .35 cm.  This is a very impressive work of art.  The nanako background is quite fine and perfectly done.  The detail on the horses is incredible; they are worked in shakudo and gold, and the shakudo horses have shibuichi (I think) dots on their bodies.  The kogai hitsu-ana is plugged with gold.

Robert Haynes, in his Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, lists Naokatsu as a student of Yanagawa Naomasa and gives birth and death dates of 1719 and 1761.  That said, I suspect this signature is false: gimei.  Still a very nice tsuba and priced very reasonably (and if I’m wrong about the signature the new owner will have hit a home run).

The tsuba comes with a box and it is in excellent, near perfect condition.  $650.