Katana - Copper - C6-347 cloud Sukashi Tsuba - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)

Katana featuring a copper tsuba with a cloud Sukashi design from the Edo period (1600-1868) illustrates the sophistication of Japanese sword fittings. The Sukashi style involves intricate openwork patterns, in this case depicting cloud motifs, which symbolize impermanence and transcendence in Japanese culture. Copper was commonly used for tsuba due to its workability and aesthetic appeal, allowing artisans to craft detailed and durable guards. The Edo period’s peace fostered artistic embellishment on swords, turning functional arms into expressions of the samurai’s status and taste. Such katana are appreciated today for their historical value, craftsmanship, and symbolic artistry.