I found this interesting because it's so disturbing that I had to have it. I think it's a cheap alloy though. It's soft metal, looks like zinc fill maybe? If so, then it's likely post 1950's. It looks to be mid to late 20th century. Very neat though. Creepy but neat! Here are both sides close up. It looks old but not very old. I bought it thinking to use it on a sword I was making, but it's soft so, I went with a seller in Korea who does laser-cut nitride coated steel tsuba, made to order with a cnc cutting machine. (Hardly traditional, but nice) So I set this one aside for a display piece. I've never seen another guard like this.
