Sword Guard (Tsuba) With the Motif of Dragonfly in Grapevine (葡萄に勝虫図鐔)

Japanese

Not on view

The obverse of this tsuba shows towards the top a dragonfly (kachimushi) that is enirely highlighted in gold. The surface is finished with hammerblows and shows grapevine, with the veins of one leaf of the obverse being inlaid in gold. At the other leaves, the veins are carved in kebori, but all grapes, on the obverse as on the reverse, are gilded. The outline of the washer seat (seppa-dai) has an uncommon gear wheel shape.

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Dragonfly in Grapevine (葡萄に勝虫図鐔), Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), Japanese

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Obverse

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Dragonfly in Grapevine (葡萄に勝虫図鐔), Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Dragonfly in Grapevine (葡萄に勝虫図鐔), Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Dragonfly in Grapevine (葡萄に勝虫図鐔), Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Dragonfly in Grapevine (葡萄に勝虫図鐔), Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), Japanese

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