Sword guard (Tsuba)

Fittings maker 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao Japanese

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 380

The maker of this smaller guard (tsuba) of a matching pair (see 36.120.115), Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao (黒川兼四郎茂直, 1822–1853), belonged to a family of sword-fitting makers who were purveyors to the Matsudaira, a daimyo family directly related to the Tokugawa shogun. Shigenao not only made sword fittings, but also became a renowned cloisonné-enamel artist, although he died young. In an accompanying letter, he confirms the completion of the work as desired by the client, a certain Kitamura Yoshiemon (北村與四右衛門), and cordially thanks him for arranging a viewing of a sword from the collection of the Matsudaira daimyo.

Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao (Japanese, 1822–1853), Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper, Japanese

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Obverse

Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao (Japanese, 1822–1853), Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper, Japanese
Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao (Japanese, 1822–1853), Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper, Japanese

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