Japanese - Tsuka with Gold Crests - Walters 5111733 - Detail A

This tsuka is made in a single piece with the fuchi and kashira incorporated into the handle. The gold menuki are also affixed to the handle. They depict crests ("mon") associated with important military families of the early modern period. In the middle are three ginger crests. This crest was used by Horio Yoshiharu (1544-1611), who was a general under the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616). Ieyasu's hollyhock crest is on the left. To the right of Yoshiharu's crest is the oak leaf crest used by the Makino clan. The rightmost crest is a hollyhock crest used by the general Honda Tadakatsu (1548-1610). Another identical crest covers the pin that originally filled the hole on the handle. This is part of a mounted set.