Artwork Page for Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Details / Information for Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

c. 1615–1868

Japan, possibly Edo period

(1615-1868)
Medium
iron with brass inlay
Measurements
Diameter: 8 cm (3 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of D. Z. Norton 1919.537
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
A tsuba, a circular iron sword guard, features a pitted, dark-brown surface. A narrow vertical opening centers the disc, while a smaller oval hole sits to its left. Muted gold brass inlays depict butterflies, stalks of grain, and a six-pointed star within a circle. Thin, scrolling lines and curved branches wind across the textured metal, connecting these decorative elements.

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

c. 1615–1868

Japan, possibly Edo period (1615-1868)

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