This is a very old iron tsuba (sword guard). It has a beautiful, lustrous iron surface and a well-balanced, aesthetically pleasing design. It is quite heavy and has a signature indicating its maker and/or age. This is a large, ruggedly-made tsuba, likely intended for practical use and fitted to the mounting of a katana (long sword). I believe this is an item from a very old era. 8.1 cm × 8.1 cm × 5.5 mm