Tsuba thumbnail 1
Tsuba thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Tsuba

ca. 1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This hand guard for a sword, tsuba, is made of copper and entirely covered with thick gold foil modelled in low relief as curling waves. On this are images of three carp modelled in the copper-gold alloy shakudo.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
copper covered in gold foil relief with copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudo</i>) detailing
Brief description
Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, copper covered in gold foil in low relief depicting waves, with copper-gold alloy (shakudo) depicting carp, signed Sasaki Shobei, Kyoto, ca. 1700.
Physical description
Hand-guard (tsuba) for a sword, copper covered in gold foil in low relief depicting waves, with copper-gold alloy (shakudo) depicting carp, signed Sasaki Shobei.
Dimensions
  • Approx. height: 8.18cm
  • Approx. width: 8.05cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • signed Sasaki Shobei
  • Transliteration
Subjects depicted
Summary
This hand guard for a sword, tsuba, is made of copper and entirely covered with thick gold foil modelled in low relief as curling waves. On this are images of three carp modelled in the copper-gold alloy shakudo.
Collection
Accession number
M.58-1919

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Record createdFebruary 25, 2009
Record URL
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