FIVE TSUBA (SWORD GUARDS) Edo period (1615-1868), 17th to 19th century (5)FIVE TSUBA (SWORD GUARDS)Edo period (1615-1868), 17th to 19th centuryThe first circular, iron, gold, and copper, pierced, chiselled, and inlaid with a mounted samurai by a river, signed Choshu Suigotei Inoue Masataka saku; the second mokkogata, katchushi style, pierced and chiselled with gourds and tendrils; the third shakudo, gold, copper, and silver, with chrysanthemums and butterflies in Mino-Goto style; the fourth circular, an early sukashi tsuba, the central section formed as an itomaki (silk-winder) with large ryohitsu piercings, inlaid in brass with floating pine needles; the last rounded rectangular with an applied rim modelled with bamboo-like nodes, chiselled and inlaid with saddle, bow, stirrups and arrow. The smallest: 7.5cm (2 15/16in) high; the largest: 9cm (3 9/16in) high. (5).None