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

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Tsuba depicting the Chinese sage Bukan Zenji with his tiger familiar

Glossary (3)

shakudō, shibuichi, tsuba

  • shakudō

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

  • shibuichi

    alloy of copper and silver, patinated to a dull grey-green 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)

    On the front, in very flat modelling and incrustation of gold, copper and shakudō, stands the Chinese sage Bukan-zenji with his tiger familiar, gazing at the waterfall, which is represented in bold katakiri engraving (as are also rocks at the back); ground of coarse ishime in two patterns. Signed on the field at the back: Issandō [Japanese text] Jōi with seal Nagaharu, the latter lightly engraved on an inlaid gold plaque with shakudō border. A copy or imitation.

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