Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper
Dimensions
H. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm); W. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 3.6 oz. (102.1 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. George A. Crocker (Elizabeth Masten), 1937
Accession Number
38.25.41
Art Historical Context
This exquisite sword guard, or *tsuba*, hails from 18th-century Japan during the Edo period, a when samurai culture flourished amid relative peace. As a key component of the katana or wakizashi sword mountings, the tsuba served a practical purpose: protecting the hand from an opponent's blade while allowing fluid blade movement. Yet, these fittings transcended utility, becoming miniature canvases for master metalworkers who elevated them to high art. Crafted primarily from iron, this tsuba is enriched with inlays of gold, shakudō (a copper-gold alloy prized for its deep, velvety black patina)...