Sword guard (Tsuba) Depicting Crests and Arabesques (家紋散唐草文鐔)
This iron tsuba is decorated with openwork family crests that are highlighted with brass inlay in a style that reached the height of its popularity at the end of the 16th century. When mounted between the sword’s blade and grip to protect the user’s hand, these crests would encircle the blade of the sword. This tsuba is part of a group of guards inscribed with the same name and honorary title, for which they are known as Yoshirō-tsuba (与四郎鐔). Differences in quality, signature style, and production time suggest that Koike Yoshirō Naomasa was the head of a Kyōto-based workshop which continued to make tsuba for a few decades into the 17th century.
Artwork Details
- Title: Sword guard (Tsuba) Depicting Crests and Arabesques (家紋散唐草文鐔)
- Fittings maker: Koike Izumi no Kami Naomasa (Japanese, active late 16th–early 17th century)
- Date: late 16th–early 17th century
- Culture: Japanese
- Medium: Iron, brass, copper
- Dimensions: Diam. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 5.4 oz. (153.1 g)
- Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
- Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
- Object Number: 36.120.92
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Koike Izumi no Kami Naomasa
late 16th–early 17th century
Japanese
late 14th century
Omori Hidenaga
18th century
Hirata School
ca. 1615–1868
Japanese
5th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.