Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting (Chinese Windmill) Palm Branches (棕櫚透鐔)
This tsuba shows two Chinese windmill palm (Japanese: shuro, 棕櫚) branches in openwork (ji-sukashi). The two openings for scabbard accessories (hitsu-ana) have been plugged with shakudō and the rim is decorated with an alternating Greek key motif of gold and silver (nunome-zōgan), although the silver parts have almost entirely come off.
Artwork Details
- Title: Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting (Chinese Windmill) Palm Branches (棕櫚透鐔)
- Date: ca. 1615–1868
- Culture: Japanese
- Medium: Iron, gold, silver, copper-gold alloy (shakudō)
- Dimensions: Diam. 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 4.6 oz. (130.4 g)
- Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
- Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
- Object Number: 91.1.752
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
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