Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1615–1868
Medium
Iron, copper
Dimensions
H. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm); W. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); thickness 1/4 in. (0.6 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
Gift of Bashford Dean, 1919
Accession Number
19.154.80
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 Tokugawa shogunate when samurai culture flourished alongside the decorative arts. As a key component of a katana's hilt assembly, the tsuba served a practical purpose—shielding the wielder's hand from an opponent's blade—while doubling as a canvas for artistic expression. Crafted anonymously, as was common for these functional yet refined objects, it exemplifies the fusion of utility and beauty in Japanese arms and armor. Forged from iron with copper accents, this tsuba meas...