Tsuba

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Not currently on display at the V&A

Artist/Maker	Yoshinaga (maker)
Place of origin	Japan (made)

Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, brass inlaid with copper and gold, depicting fisherman trapped by an octopus. Signed Yoshinaga and dated eighth month of 1863. This hand-guard was made for export and not intended to be fitted to a sword.

Object details

Category	Arms & Armour
Object type	Tsuba
Materials and techniques	Brass inlaid with copper and gold Brass Copper Gold Inlay
Brief description	Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, brass inlaid with copper and gold, depicting fisherman trapped by an octopus. Signed Yoshinaga and dated eighth month of 1863. Made for export and not intended to be fitted to a sword.
Physical description	Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, brass inlaid with copper and gold, depicting a fisherman trapped by an octopus. Signed Yoshinaga and dated eighth month of 1863.
Dimensions	Approx. width: 9.5cm Approx. length: 8.9cm
Marks and inscriptions	Signed Yoshinaga and dated eighth month of 1863
Object history	Purchased from Mr. H. Virtue Tebbs (St. John's Gardens, Notting Hill), accessioned in 1888. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. This sword guard was made for export and was not intended to be fitted to a sword.
Subjects depicted	Fisherman Octopus
Summary	Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, brass inlaid with copper and gold, depicting fisherman trapped by an octopus. Signed Yoshinaga and dated eighth month of 1863. This hand-guard was made for export and not intended to be fitted to a sword.
Collection	East Asia Collection
Accession number	1474-1888

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Record created	February 9, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O186846/tsuba-yoshinaga/

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