Sword Guard (Tsuba) with Letter by Maker

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 larger guard (tsuba) of a matching pair (see 36.120.116), 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>) with Letter by Maker, 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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Front

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with Letter by Maker, 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>) with Letter by Maker, 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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