Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Shishi Lion and Elephant (獅子象図鐔)

19th century

Not on view

This tsuba shows on its obverse two medallion-style elements in relief, one shishi lion and one elephant, which are partly highlighted in gold and copper. The reverse shows towards the bottom left the relief of a partially gilded seal that bears the two characters of the artist’s name, Munechika. Both sides are further decorated with engravings of a disconnected hexagonal kikkō pattern that features some gold highlights. Munechika was a student of the Tsuchiya (土屋) School. There exists a dated work from Bunkyū three (文久, 1863).

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Shishi Lion and Elephant (獅子象図鐔)
Date: 19th century
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Iron, gold, copper
Dimensions: H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); W. 3 in. (7.6 cm); thickness 1/4 in. (0.6 cm); Wt. 5.6 oz. (158.8 g)
Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.774
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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Scabbard Cover

Japanese

early 19th century

Dagger (Kard) with Sheath, Steel, ivory, gold, wood, leather, iron, Persian, Qajar — Dagger (Kard) with Sheath
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Sword Guard (Tsuba), Ishiguro Koreyoshi Japanese, Iron, gold, copper, silver, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), copper-gold alloy (shakudō), Japanese — Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Ishiguro Koreyoshi
1840–60

Sword Guard (Tsuba), Iron, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, copper, Japanese — Sword Guard (Tsuba)
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1858

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