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An unpublished catalogue of the A. H. Church collection of Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) by Albert James Koop.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

Publications online: 1264 objects

Aori-shaped tsuba depicting Shōki in a rain stormfront

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Aori-shaped tsuba depicting Shōki in a rain storm

  • Literature notes

    Thin aori, with bold "wire" edge; in katakiri engraving with iroye inlay is Shōki walking over a plank bridge in a rain-storm; at the back a tiny demon hides by clinging to one of the bridge-piers. Signed on the field at the back: Mitsuhiro (same as the last) with kakihan [Figure] and chiribamu ([Japanese text], "engraved").

    Ernest Hart Collection.

  • Details

    show all
    Associated place
    Asia › Japan (place of creation)
    Date
    1795 - 1841
    Material and technique
    copper, with katakiri engraving (oblique chisel-cuts), and iro-e zōgan (multi-metal inlay) decoration
    Dimensions
    6.1 x 5.1 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    processed material › metal › copper
    Technique index
    forged,
    printed › intaglio print › engraving,
    covered › inlaid
    Object type index
    arms/armour › koshirae › kodogu › tsuba
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Bequeathed by Sir Arthur H. Church, 1915.
    Accession no.
    EAX.11054

  • Further reading

    Koop, Albert James, The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba), 3 vols (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, 1929), no. 1054

Glossary (2)

Shōki, tsuba

  • Shōki

    Zhong Kui, or Shōki in Japanese, is a figure from Chinese folklore who appeared to the ailing 8th century Chinese Emperor Xuanzong in a dream and dispatched the demons that were haunting him. Shōki promised the Emperor that he would rid the world of demon

  • tsuba

    Japanese sword guard.

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

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)

    Thin aori, with bold "wire" edge; in katakiri engraving with iroye inlay is Shōki walking over a plank bridge in a rain-storm; at the back a tiny demon hides by clinging to one of the bridge-piers. Signed on the field at the back: Mitsuhiro (same as the last) with kakihan [Figure] and chiribamu ([Japanese text], "engraved").

    Ernest Hart Collection.
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© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum