Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Iron, copper
Dimensions
H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm); W. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm); thickness 1/4 in. (0.6 cm); Wt. 4.2 oz. (119.1 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
36.120.59
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Sword Guard (Tsuba)** from 18th-century Japan exemplifies the masterful fusion of function and artistry in samurai weaponry. Crafted from iron with copper accents, this nearly circular guard measures just 2⅞ inches (7.3 cm) in height and width, with a sturdy ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thickness and a weight of 4.2 ounces (119.1 g). Its design features intricate motifs of shells, likely rendered through piercing openwork (anagami) or delicate inlays (zougan), techniques that allowed artisans to transform a protective hand guard into a miniature sculptural masterpiece. During Japan's Edo ...