Tsuba
c.1860 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Sword guard (tsuba) depicting the Buddhist deity Benzaiten riding on a dragon through clouds and carrying a koto (stringed zither-like instrument) in a brocade bag.
The tsuba is a practical device placed between the hilt and the blade giving protection to the hand as well as providing a medium for the Japanese metalworker to demonstrate his skills. Early tsuba were simple iron disks but these were sometimes pierced or hammered with low relief decoration. Various copper alloys were later used and these could be patinated to a wide range of colours and finishes and then inlaid with other coloured metal alloys. Tsuba became miniature art forms in their own right and many schools developed their own unique styles.
Following the abolition of the samurai class in 1876, many Japanese artisans lost their traditional patrons and had to find new markets for their skills. Some makers of sword fittings produced extremely high-quality works using traditional techniques but now in new and exciting ways and these were avidly acquired by western collectors.
The tsuba is a practical device placed between the hilt and the blade giving protection to the hand as well as providing a medium for the Japanese metalworker to demonstrate his skills. Early tsuba were simple iron disks but these were sometimes pierced or hammered with low relief decoration. Various copper alloys were later used and these could be patinated to a wide range of colours and finishes and then inlaid with other coloured metal alloys. Tsuba became miniature art forms in their own right and many schools developed their own unique styles.
Following the abolition of the samurai class in 1876, many Japanese artisans lost their traditional patrons and had to find new markets for their skills. Some makers of sword fittings produced extremely high-quality works using traditional techniques but now in new and exciting ways and these were avidly acquired by western collectors.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Copper/silver alloy (<i>shibuichi)</i> decorated with gold, silver, copper and copper/gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i><i>)</i> |
| Brief description | Met, Japan, SF, IWAMA The Buddhist deity Benzaiten, goddess of knowledge and music, riding a dragon through the clouds holding a zither (koto) in a brocade cover. |
| Physical description | Sword guard, tsuba, of copper-silver alloy shibuichi. Modelled and decorated in low relief with gold, silver, copper and copper-gold alloy shakudō, edge hammered-up and hole plugged with silver. Depicts the Buddhist deity Benzaiten, goddess of knowledge and music, riding a dragon through the clouds while holding a zither (koto) in its brocade case. Signed 'Hata Nobuyoshi' with artist's seal. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Purchased from Yamanaka & Co. (127 New Bond Street, W.), accessioned in 1911. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Sword guard (tsuba) depicting the Buddhist deity Benzaiten riding on a dragon through clouds and carrying a koto (stringed zither-like instrument) in a brocade bag. The tsuba is a practical device placed between the hilt and the blade giving protection to the hand as well as providing a medium for the Japanese metalworker to demonstrate his skills. Early tsuba were simple iron disks but these were sometimes pierced or hammered with low relief decoration. Various copper alloys were later used and these could be patinated to a wide range of colours and finishes and then inlaid with other coloured metal alloys. Tsuba became miniature art forms in their own right and many schools developed their own unique styles. Following the abolition of the samurai class in 1876, many Japanese artisans lost their traditional patrons and had to find new markets for their skills. Some makers of sword fittings produced extremely high-quality works using traditional techniques but now in new and exciting ways and these were avidly acquired by western collectors. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.257-1911 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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