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An unpublished catalogue of the A. H. Church collection of Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) by Albert James Koop.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

  • Literature notes

    Two large namako ("sea-slug" or sausage-shaped) ryōhitsu; the remaining surface on both faces encrusted with slightly raised brass, including the narrow border with faint pointillé scrolls, and parts of two large lobed leaves, with tendrils and tasselled cords; three of these tassels are in copper and one has been partly restored, probably by Sir Arthur Church, by pressing a piece of gold into the vacant hollow.

    Riōhitsu like these are characteristic of certain Higo guards (Group XIII), but this guard probably did not originate in that province.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia Japan (place of creation)
    Date
    17th century (1601 - 1700)
    Material and technique
    iron, with taka-zōgan (high relief inlay) in brass and copper, and with pointillé decoration; modern gold inlay
    Dimensions
    8.4 x 8.3 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.10113
  • Further reading

    Koop, Albert James, The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba), 3 vols (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, 1929), no. 113

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)

    Two large namako ("sea-slug" or sausage-shaped) ryōhitsu; the remaining surface on both faces encrusted with slightly raised brass, including the narrow border with faint pointillé scrolls, and parts of two large lobed leaves, with tendrils and tasselled cords; three of these tassels are in copper and one has been partly restored, probably by Sir Arthur Church, by pressing a piece of gold into the vacant hollow.

    Riōhitsu like these are characteristic of certain Higo guards (Group XIII), but this guard probably did not originate in that province.
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