A Japanese Edo Period Iron Samurai Gunsen ( è ??à ) / Tessen (?????à ) (War Fan) 19th century of typical folding form. Used both as a weapon and as a signalling device by Japans warriors and generals. The very heavy iron guards are engraved with silver dragons, the sticks are of lacquered wood. The stiff double paper leaf is decorated in gold pigment on a silver ground with a sun to one side. The other side similar but with a gold ground and a silver sun, length 33cm