Sword guard (Tsuba)

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

19th century

Not on view

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.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Sword guard (Tsuba)
Fittings maker: 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao (Japanese, 1822–1853)
Date: 19th century
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper
Dimensions: H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); W. 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 3.4 oz. (96.4 g)
Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Object Number: 36.120.116
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

By 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao

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Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with Letter by Maker, 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper, Japanese — Sword Guard (*Tsuba*) with Letter by Maker
黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao
19th century

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