The artwork on the one side of this tsuba is a depiction of the meeting between a priest and the ghost of Kasame. The opposite side is an extension of the scene as the dog is barking at the Kasame’s ghost. The figure of the ghost is presented in shakudo in high relief, as is much of the priest, although he is finished with copper skin, and gold undergarments and sandals. The reverse side contains a silver dog, also in high relief, barking at the ghost, while standing in front of a decorative tree beside a path. The Iwama style was founded by Iwama Masayoshi Katsuryuken, who was trained by Hamano Nobuyuki a master from the Hamano School, which was originally an outgrowth of the Nara school. The members of the Iwama style are known for their “bold, high reliefs which were very realistic” (Gunsaulus 1923:90-97). Shakudo (literally “red copper”) is a metal alloy that was invented and used exclusively by the Japanese. There are fifteen grades of Shakudo, all are primarily copper with an inclusion of at least four percent gold, and oftentimes small amounts of other metals. When cast, Shakudo is a dark copper color but it is most often treated with a boiling or “pickle” solution which results in a rich, velvety black color with a violet sheen (Gunsaulus 1923:35-36, Rucker 1924:xxiii-xxiv). (Commentary by Rob Nalewajk) Back