Iron kaku maru gata tsuba, Japan, late Edo period (1603-1868) Chiselled in katakiribori and inlaid in hirazogan shibuichi with a plum blossom branch and a poem. Unusually, a blue-green mother-of-pearl element, probably symbolizing a bird feather, is inlaid in takazogan. A signature is chiseled on the Ikkin seppadai 一琴 with kao. This is probably the kakihan of Funada Ikkin (1812-1863) shodai (1st generation). 8.6 x 8 cm Provenance : Former Nourhan Manoukian collection (1906-1993). By descent.