Japanese tsuba

[Battara]

Could theses be koto?

[David R]

Originally Posted by Battara

Could theses be koto?

They "could be" but it's unlikely. Anything with the holes for Kogai or Kodzuka is likely to be later, though you do get some which have had the Ana pierced later in an earlier tsuba. Early Tsuba tend to be simpler than later ones.

The larger in my post is an example of an old iron tsuba with later alterations...

....and the smaller is copper with the early style of Kodzuka-Ana of a type known as "old copper".... These are probably late Koto early Shinto according to the Northern To-Ken..

But a proper appraisal in the hand is really the only way to go!