This is a very old iron tsuba (sword guard). It has a wonderful iron ground with a rich, lustrous sheen, a plant-like design and inlay, and what appears to be a signature, but I'm not sure, which reads "Kaneshige" (金重) carved into it. The iron has a good texture, and it's a tsuba with the flavor of having passed through the ages. I believe it is an item from a very old era. 6.9 cm × 6.4 cm × 4.0 mm