Tsuba (sword guard) with chrysanthemum and butterfly design / Artist Unknown, Japan

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Record Details

Accession Number
1978/2.11
Title
Tsuba (sword guard) with chrysanthemum and butterfly design
Artist Nationality
Japanese
Medium and Support
iron with gold inlays
Object Creation Date
18th century
Object Creation Place
Asia (continent)
Japan (nation)
Creation Place 1
Asia (continent)
Creation Place 2
Japan (nation)
Dimensions
9 cm x 7.6 cm (3 9/16 in. x 3 in.)
Century
18th century
Primary Object Classification
Arms and Armor
Primary Object Type
sword guard
Secondary Object Classification
Metalwork
Secondary Object Type
sword guard
Physical Description
The flat iron plate with quatrefoil design. It has three holes: one for blade (middle) flanked by oval-shape hole (for kougai) and oval with bump shape (for kozuka). Chrysanthemums, autumn grass and a rock are carved on lower-right side; a butterfly is descending toward the flowers. Gold inlays are applied to the flowers, grass, part of the rock, and butterfly. The surface is finely granulated by etching (“ishime-ji”).
Subject Matter
Tsuba (sword guard) is inserted between a sword handle and blade to protect hands from sharp blades. The center hole is where the sword is placed. A smaller hole on the left is to place an ornamental stick, kozuka. Another hole on the right is to insert kougai, spatula-like sticks which are said to be used for itching hair underneath hats or helmets. Butterflies, chrysanthemums, autumn grass, and rock are popular motifs in Japanese decorative arts; the combination of chrysanthemums and grass suggests that this is an autumn scene.
Primary Keywords
butterfly
chrysanthemums
hilt
Rights
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Technical Details

Image Size
2854 x 2448
File Size
952 KB
Record
1978/2.11
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1978-sl-2.11/1978_2_11_view1.jpg

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https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1978-SL-2.11:1978_2_11_VIEW1.JPG

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"Tsuba (sword guard) with chrysanthemum and butterfly design; Artist Unknown, Japan." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1978-sl-2.11/1978_2_11_view1.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 29, 2024.
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