Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1615–1868
Medium
Iron, copper
Dimensions
H. 2 11/16 in. (6.8 cm); W. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 3.1 oz. (87.9 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Bashford Dean, 1919
Accession Number
19.154.41
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate iron sword guard, or *tsuba*, hails from Japan's Edo period (ca.1615–1868), a time when samurai culture its artistic zenith. Measuring a compact 2 11/16 by 2 1/2 inches, it was designed to shield the wielder's hand from an opponent's blade while adorning the hilt of a katana or wakizashi. Crafted primarily from iron for durability, with copper inlays or accents, these fittings blended functionality with exquisite craftsmanship, often produced by specialized metalworkers in schools like those of Nara or Edo. The artwork's motif of geese—evident from its thematic tags—captures a p...