TOSHITERU: A FINE SHAKUDO TSUBA WITH DEERBy Takeshi Toshiteru, signed Toshiteru with kakihanJapan, Tanaka school, c. 1850, Edo period (1615-1868)The shakudo marugata tsuba of tanto size, beautifully worked with an ishimeji ground, decorated in iro-.e takazogan of gold, copper, shibuichi and silver, depicting two deer standing on a craggy outpost with clouds and pine below, the verso with a silver full moon partly obscured by clouds and further pines on a hilly landscape below. Signed to the front TOSHITERU with kakihan (artist’s cursive monogram) and with a lengthy inscription to the back: 於東府城南、芝海里作之 Tofu jonan nite, Shiba kairi tsukuru kore [This is made at the Shiba bay area, the south of Edo Castle, Tokyo (Eastern capital)].HEIGHT 6.1 cm, LENGTH 5.6 cmWEIGHT 82 gCondition: Very good condition, minor expected wear, few minuscule nicks.The artist is listed in the Haynes Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists on page 2075 (H 010593.0) and was a pupil of the Tanaka school.