Tsuba
1800-1850 (made)
| 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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Met, Japan, SF, YASUCHIKA |
| Physical description | Japanese sword guard (tsuba) of russet iron in the form of a crouching tiger with details inlaid in gold. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Yasuchika' (Signed with maker's name.) |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Exhibited at the Japan Society's Loan Exhibition, June 1905, Case S.89, plate 20 in the catalogue. Ex-Hawkshaw Collection 1603 (Wilson Crewdson Collection) Purchased from Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 34 New Bond St, Wilson Crewdson Sale, Lot 74. |
| Historical context | Compare a similar guard in the Hawkshaw Collection (611, pl.xx) signed 'Ikkin' after Iwama Masayoshi. |
| 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.81-1919 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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