唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Inscribed by 鷲田光中作 Washida Mitsunaka Japanese

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The Washida School was founded by Mitsutoki (光時, 1743–1803), the son of a samurai from the northern part of Japan (Shōnai domain, present-day Yamagata Prefecture) who went to Edo (Tokyo) to become a sword-fitting maker. Mitsunaka (光中, 1830–1889), who made this sword guard (tsuba), was one of the school’s last great artists. He focused on the revival of classical sword-fitting designs, as is the case with the scrolling leaves in flush inlay here, decoration seen on many sixteenth-century sword guards.

唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), Inscribed by 鷲田光中作 Washida Mitsunaka (Japanese, 1830–1889), Iron, silver, copper, Japanese

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唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), Inscribed by 鷲田光中作 Washida Mitsunaka (Japanese, 1830–1889), Iron, silver, copper, Japanese
唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), Inscribed by 鷲田光中作 Washida Mitsunaka (Japanese, 1830–1889), Iron, silver, copper, Japanese

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