Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Dragon and Paulownia Leaves With Tendrils (龍と桐唐草図鐔)

ca. 1615–1868

Not on view

The plate of this tsuba has a polished finish (migaki-ji) and is decorated on the obverse with a flush copper hira-zōgan inlay in the form of a dragon with partial gold highlights and golden clouds. The reverse shows a flush copper hira-zōgan inlay of paulownia leaves with tendrils and the rim is decorated in gold nunome-zōgan. A small opening has been added next to the opening for the tang (nakago-hitsu), probably for some kind of retention clip.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Dragon and Paulownia Leaves With Tendrils (龍と桐唐草図鐔)
Date: ca. 1615–1868
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Iron, copper, gold
Dimensions: H. 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm); W. 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm); thickness 1/8 in. (0.3 cm); Wt. 6.8 oz. (192.8 g)
Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.763
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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