Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

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The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba)

An unpublished catalogue of the A. H. Church collection of Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) by Albert James Koop.

The A.H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba) by Albert James Koop

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Tsuba with leaves

  • Literature notes

    Nearly square, with inturned angles; narrow border with inward bevel; the front engraved with a symmetrical palmette of large leaves with tree-like stem in base; on the back the same design is inlaid in stout silver wire; the edge originally completely silvered in nunome.

    There are signs that the design on the front was originally inlaid (or perhaps merely intended to be inlaid) like that on the back.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia Japan (Matsuyama) (place of creation)
    Date
    possibly late 17th century
    Artist/maker
    Shōami Moritsugu (active 1625 - after 1695) (armourer)
    Shōami School (active 1601 - 1909) (armourer)
    Iyo-Shōami (possibly active 1601 - 1909) (armourer)
    Material and technique
    obverse: iron, with engraved decoration reverse: iron, inlaid with silver wire
    Dimensions
    8.8 x 8.4 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Bequeathed by Sir Arthur H. Church, 1915.
    Accession no.
    EAX.10250
  • Further reading

    Koop, Albert James, The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba), 3 vols (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, 1929), no. 250

Glossary

tsuba

  • tsuba

    Japanese sword guard.

Location

    • currently in research collection

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Publications online

  • The A.H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba) by Albert James Koop

    The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba)

    Nearly square, with inturned angles; narrow border with inward bevel; the front engraved with a symmetrical palmette of large leaves with tree-like stem in base; on the back the same design is inlaid in stout silver wire; the edge originally completely silvered in nunome.

    There are signs that the design on the front was originally inlaid (or perhaps merely intended to be inlaid) like that on the back.
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