Sword Guard (Tsuba)
19th century
Medium
Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), silver, gold, copper
Dimensions
H. 2 11/16 in. (6.8 cm); W. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 4 oz. (113.4 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Herman A. E. and Paul C. Jaehne, 1943
Accession Number
43.120.728
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite sword guard, or *tsuba*, crafted by the master metalworker Gotō Ichij in 19th-century Japan, exemplifies the pinnacle of Edo-period sword furniture artistry. Measuring just 2⅝ by 2½ inches, this functional yet ornamental piece served as a hand guard on a samurai katana or wakizashi, blending protection with aesthetic refinement. Gotō Ichijō, from the illustrious Gotō school—metalworkers who served Japan's shoguns for generations—created it during a time when martial traditions were giving way to modernization, yet the demand for such luxurious fittings persisted among collectors...