Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Horned Owl in Plum Tree (梅樹に木菟図鐔)

19th century

Not on view

The obverse of this tsuba shows a plum tree with a horned owl (Japanese: mimizuku, 木菟) with one of the branches stretching onto the reverse. Most parts of the plate have been left undecorated and towards the top we see some clouds with gold accents.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Horned Owl in Plum Tree (梅樹に木菟図鐔)
Date: 19th century
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Brass, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, silver, copper
Dimensions: H. 3 in. (7.6 cm); W. 2 15/16 in. (7.5 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 4.3 oz. (121.9 g)
Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.778
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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Scabbard Cover

Japanese

early 19th century

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 (<i>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Head on Stick Toy (首人形図鐔), Iron, brass, gold, copper, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), Japanese — Sword guard (*Tsuba*) Depicting Head on Stick Toy (首人形図鐔)
Japanese
1860 (Ansei 7, 1st month)

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