Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Iron, lacquer, copper
Dimensions
H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); W. 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 5.4 oz. (153.1 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Accession Number
36.120.31
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant sword guard, or *tsuba*, hails from 18th-century Japan during the Edo period, a time of relative peace when samurai swords became symbols of status rather than just weapons. Crafted for the katana or wakizashi, the tsuba served a practical purpose—protecting the wielder's hand—while evolving into a canvas for artistic expression. Measuring just over 3 inches across and weighing a substantial 5.4 ounces, its robust iron form underscores the era's masterful metalworking traditions. The tsuba showcases sophisticated techniques, with iron as the foundation, enhanced by lacquer and co...