Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1615–1868
Medium
Iron, copper
Dimensions
Diam. 3 1/16 in. (7.8 cm); thickness 1/8 in. (0.3 cm); Wt. 2.6 oz. (73.7 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Bashford Dean, 1919
Accession Number
19.154.47
Art Historical Context
This elegant sword guard, or *tsuba*, hails from Japan's Edo period (ca.1615–1868), a time of relative peace under the Tokug shogunate when samurai culture flourished. Positioned between the blade and handle of a katana or wakizashi, the tsuba served a practical purpose: protecting the wielder's hand from an opponent's blade while allowing fluid movement. Crafted from iron with copper accents, it measures just 3 1/16 inches in diameter and weighs a mere 2.6 ounces, exemplifying the Japanese mastery of balancing strength and delicacy in metalwork. Tsuba were far more than functional; they were...