Sword Guard (Tsuba) With the Motif of Autumnal Vegetation (秋草透鐔)

Fittings maker Mitsunobu Japanese

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 199

This tsuba shows a three-dimensional openwork (nikubori ji-sukashi) of autumnal vegetation (akikusa), with the two hitsu-ana (openings for scabbard accessories) being organically formed by the motif. Please note that the first part of the signature, "Nōshū-jū" (濃州住, "resident of Mino province"), is chiseled whereas the second part, "Mitsunobu + monogram" (光伸「花押」) is inlaid in gold and executed in seal script.

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Autumnal Vegetation (秋草透鐔), Mitsunobu (Japanese, Mino province, active 17th century), Iron, gold, copper, silver-copper alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), Japanese

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Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Autumnal Vegetation (秋草透鐔), Mitsunobu (Japanese, Mino province, active 17th century), Iron, gold, copper, silver-copper alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Autumnal Vegetation (秋草透鐔), Mitsunobu (Japanese, Mino province, active 17th century), Iron, gold, copper, silver-copper alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Autumnal Vegetation (秋草透鐔), Mitsunobu (Japanese, Mino province, active 17th century), Iron, gold, copper, silver-copper alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Autumnal Vegetation (秋草透鐔), Mitsunobu (Japanese, Mino province, active 17th century), Iron, gold, copper, silver-copper alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), Japanese

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