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An unpublished catalogue of the A. H. Church collection of Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) by Albert James Koop.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: 37 objects

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Tsuba with butterflies and mon crest of the Hori of Iidafront

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Tsuba with butterflies and mon crest of the Hori of Iida

  • Literature notes

    Modelled in flat relief on both faces and the edge as an irregular mass of large repetitions of two badges, ageha no chō and daki-miōga, all the latter richly encrusted in gold, the former with wing-markings in gold inlay. Signed as the last [EAX.11179], with kakihan [Figure].

    Bing Collection. One of the finest guards in the Church Collection, and interesting as a Hirata piece without enamel. The first badge (a butterfly) is that of the Taira clan, also of the Seki, Ota and Tani daimiō; the other is that of the Hori of Iida.

  • Details

    show all
    Associated place
    Asia › Japan (place of creation)
    Date
    1800 - 1840
    Material and technique
    shakudō, inlaid with gold
    Dimensions
    8.1 x 7.8 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    processed material › metal › alloy › copper alloy › shakudō,
    processed material › metal › gold
    Technique index
    forged,
    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.11180

  • Further reading

    Koop, Albert James, The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba), 3 vols (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, 1929), no. 1180

Glossary (2)

shakudō, tsuba

  • shakudō

    alloy of copper and gold, patinated to a dark blue-black colour

  • 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)

    Modelled in flat relief on both faces and the edge as an irregular mass of large repetitions of two badges, ageha no chō and daki-miōga, all the latter richly encrusted in gold, the former with wing-markings in gold inlay. Signed as the last [EAX.11179], with kakihan [Figure].

    Bing Collection. One of the finest guards in the Church Collection, and interesting as a Hirata piece without enamel. The first badge (a butterfly) is that of the Taira clan, also of the Seki, Ota and Tani daimiō; the other is that of the Hori of Iida.
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