Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Dragon in Waves (波に龍図鐔)

19th century

Not on view

The plate of this tsuba is interpreted in a highly uneven manner and shows a relief of a dragon in waves which is partially highlighted in gold nunome-zōgan. The spray of the waves appears to be shibuichi or silver. Shigehiro (重強), art name Gessensai (月泉斎), was an artist who was based in Ōmi province (present-day Shiga Prefecture). His name can also be read Shigeatsu.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Dragon in Waves (波に龍図鐔)
Date: 19th century
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Iron, gold, copper
Dimensions: H. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm); W. 3 1/16 in. (7.8 cm); thickness 1/4 in. (0.6 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: 91.1.761
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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Scabbard Cover

Japanese

early 19th century

Dagger (Kard) with Sheath, Steel, ivory, gold, wood, leather, iron, Persian, Qajar — Dagger (Kard) with Sheath
Persian, Qajar
ca. 1800

Sword Guard (Tsuba), Ishiguro Koreyoshi Japanese, Iron, gold, copper, silver, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), copper-gold alloy (shakudō), Japanese — Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Ishiguro Koreyoshi
1840–60

Sword Guard (Tsuba), Iron, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, copper, Japanese — Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Japanese
1858

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