Tsuba (sword guard) with Bamboo Design
Artist/Culture
Japanese
Datemid-1800s
Mediumcopper alloy with shakudo inlay
Dimensions6.5 × 6 cm (2 9/16 × 2 3/8 in.), 4.2 oz
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineBequest of Mildred Marcus Levin and Harold Lester Levin of Nutley, NJ
Object number1976.237
DescriptionCopper alloy with gold and shakudo inlay, with shakudo border.Label TextThis tsuba dates to Japan's peaceful Edo period, when samurai were expected to maintain their swords but never had occasion to use them in battle. The soft copper material and delicate inlay adorn a weapon that was meant to be gracious rather than deadly. The bamboo is inlaid with shakudo, a black-colored alloy of copper and gold. The design is executed to resemble the strokes of a painter's brush.ProvenanceHarold Levin, Nutley, NJ
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