Tsuba
ca. 1600-1650 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The tsuba is a protective guard fitted between the hilt and the blade of a sword. Originally they were simple iron disks, sometimes decorated by piercing or hammering in low relief. Later sword guards were more often made of copper alloys, patinated to a wide range of colours and inlaid with other coloured metals. Sword guards became miniature art forms, and different schools of makers developed their own unique styles.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Iron with brass plugs and inlaid brass |
| Brief description | Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, iron with brass plugs pierced to depict various heraldic badges and inlaid brass depicting waterweed. Signed made by Hakamaya Saburodayu of Okayama in Bizen province, yoshiro-zogan type, ca.1600-1650. |
| Physical description | Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, iron with brass plugs pierced to depict various heraldic badges and inlaid brass depicting waterweed. Signed made by Hakamaya Saburodayu of Okayama in Bizen province. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | signed made by Hakamaya Saburodayu of Okayama in Bizen province |
| Gallery label |
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| Production | Yoshiro-zogan type |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The tsuba is a protective guard fitted between the hilt and the blade of a sword. Originally they were simple iron disks, sometimes decorated by piercing or hammering in low relief. Later sword guards were more often made of copper alloys, patinated to a wide range of colours and inlaid with other coloured metals. Sword guards became miniature art forms, and different schools of makers developed their own unique styles. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.203-1921 |
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| Record created | February 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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