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Description

Oval metal sword guard. Guard is smooth and has a patina; polished shakudo seppa dai; open kodzuka and kogai. Front: man in sunken relief sitting right centre under a tree. He has face of inlaid copper, hat, sleeve, and knee of overlaid gold. He is reaching toward head of a writhing fish-dragon gazing up at him. The fish dragon's body is coiled and reappears at the top of the guard. Back: incised cloud forms with touches of gold overlay.

Narrative

Marion Stephan Collection. 'Iron' strictly speaking is a pure metal never encountered in antiquity: its alloys, whether natural or deliberate are really forms of steel. There is a long tradition in the literature, however, of referring to the material of a major number of tsuba as iron, which is adhered to in the present catalogue.

History Of Use

Tsuba are placed between the hilt and blade of a sword, forming an essential guard for the hand. Known to exist in Japan at least since the 8th century, they were plain unsigned metal until about the 16th century, when they became enriched artistic expressions usually made to the order of the individual warrior. The central opening, nakago ana, holds the tang of the blade and often has chisel marks or soft metal inserts as adjustments. It is surrounded by a plain surface, the seppa dai, on which the artist's signature may be found. On either side are the kodzuka and kogai openings, for a knife and a skewer respectively; when both are open the guard is intended for a wakazashi blade (less than two feet) and when one or both are plugged or absent the guard is probably intended for the longer katana blade.

Iconographic Meaning

Dragons have connotations of benevolence and power.