Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
A tsuba is a sword guard and part of a sword mounting. It is mounted between the sword’s blade and grip to protect the user’s hands.
Credit: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Possibly 18th century
Iron, gold, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), copper, silver
7.1 in
36.120.156
Image and text © Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019
Where you'll find this
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Permanent collection
