Japan

Room 10

Sword fittings 刀装具

Case 2

From the 14th to the 17th century, tsuba were mostly made of iron, a resistant metal, well adapted to weapons used in battle. Their decoration was at first limited to pierced designs, but later further embellished with brass, and then gold, inlay. Despite the introduction of more malleable alloys from the 17th century on, iron would continue to be used in certain schools up to the modern period.

  1. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Unsigned 無銘

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-1

  2. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Balancing toy 豆蔵

    Unsigned 無銘

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-13

  3. Tsuba, pierced iron, mokkô shape 木瓜形鉄地透彫鐔

    Jewel-shaped design 玉図

    Signed « Saotome Iehisa » 銘  早乙女家久

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-11

  4. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Dragonflies 蜻蛉図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-17

  5. Tsuba, iron, mokkô shape 木瓜形鉄地鐔

    Water wheel and skulls 水車髑髏図

    Signed « Nobuie » 銘  信家　

    Hitsu plugs signed « Natsuo » 夏雄 (櫃)

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-28

  6. Tsuba 鐔

    Iron and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮象嵌

    Ducks and lotus 鴛鴦蓮華図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-34

  7. Tsuba, aoi-mokkô shape 葵木瓜形鐔

    Iron and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮平象嵌

    Paulownia leaves 桐葉図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-OS-1964-51

  8. Tsuba 鐔

    Iron and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮据紋象嵌

    Eagle on a pine branch 松上鷹図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)

    CB-OS-1931-125

  9. Tsuba, mokkô shape 木瓜形鐔

    Iron with silver and brass inlay 鉄地真鍮銀象嵌

    Carp 鯉魚図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)

    CB-OS-1935-126

  10. Tsuba 鐔

    Iron with brass inlay 鉄地真鍮象嵌

    Double chrysanthemum 菊花図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)

    CB-OS-1964-45

  11. Tsuba 鐔

    Iron with sawari inlay 鉄地砂張象嵌

    Sacred jewels 玉図

    Signed « Hazama » 銘  間

    Edo period, 17th -18th century 江戸初~中期

    CB-OS-1964-2100

  12. Tsuba 鐔

    Iron with sawari inlay 鉄地砂張象嵌

    Hand-drum 鼓図

    Signed « Hazama » 銘  間

    Edo period, 17th -18th century 江戸初~中期

    CB-OS-1964-2099

  13. Tsuba 鐔

    Iron with sawari inlay 鉄地砂張象嵌

    Characters forming a Buddhist invocation 本佛文字

    Signed « Hazama » 銘  間

    Edo period, 17th -18th century 江戸初~中期

    CB-OS-1964-2098

  14. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Characters for the twelve signs of the zodiac 十二支文字透図

    Unsigned 無銘

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)

    CB-OS-1964-21

  15. Tsuba 信玄鐔

    Iron with woven brass thread 鉄地真鍮線

    Unsigned 無銘

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期 (17世紀)

    CB-OS-1964-56

  16. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Lily 百合図

    Signed « Chôshû Hagi no jû Tomotsune saku » 銘  長洲萩住友恒作

    Edo period, 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀)

    CB-OS-1964-139

  17. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Gold inlay 金象嵌

    Tigers and bamboo 竹林猛虎図

    Signed « Sasshû Odashi Naoka saku » 銘  薩州小田氏直香作

    Edo period, late 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀末)

    CB-OS-1964-247

  18. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Folding screens 屏風図

    Signed « Bairyûken Kiyotatsu saku » 銘  梅龍軒清辰作

    Edo period, late 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀末)

    CB-OS-1964-93

  19. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Concentric circles 四金輪 紋

    Signed « Shôami Morisane » 銘  正阿弥盛積

    Edo period, late 18th century 江戸中期 (18世紀末)

    CB-OS-1964-99

  20. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    European ship, Namban style 南蛮式洋船

    Signed « Kôto Tanzendô Yoshikatsu nyûdô zôsha » 銘  皇都坦然堂善勝入道造寫

    Dated spring 1814  1814年 (文化旧戌春)

    CB-OS-1964-237

  21. Tsuba, pierced iron 鉄地透彫鐔

    Bamboo grove 竹林図

    Signed « Esshû no ju Myôchin Yoshihisa saku » 銘  越州住明珍吉久作

    Edo period, early 19th century 江戸末期

    CB-OS-1964-33