Sword Guard

Item number Ed5.3149 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Circular, metal sword guard with triangular hole at centre, ovoid hole to one side, and three-lobed hole to other side. Low relief openwork design depicting a man holding a pike, with copper face inlaid and robe patterned with gold overlaid in zigzags, waves, pinetrees, mountain forms overlaid with gold lines, and a pagoda which is similarly overlaid. The reverse displays back views of all of the motifs seen on the front, and characters are incised on the back of the seppa dai. Nakago ana adjusted with metal inserts. Open kodzuka and kogai. Characters incised on seppa dai.

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.

Narrative

'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 the present catalogue. This tsuba is a product of the Soten School of armourers. The artist used the retired Buddhist lay name (nyudo) of Soheishi.