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A5308 Tsubas (124), and amulet, various materials, various makers, Japan, Edo period / Meiji era, 1720-c. 1925 / Korea, date unknown. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 1, A5308 Tsubas (124), and amulet, various materials, various makers, Japan, Edo period / Meiji era, 1720-c. 1925 / Korea, date unknown. Click to enlarge

Collection of Japanese tsubas

A tsuba (sword guard) is a flat metal disc that forms the guard on a sword and serves to balance the sword, as well as protect the hand from sliding up the blade of the sword during use. The blade fits through the central hole of the tsuba and the smaller holes are used to fix the kogai (a skewer-like implement) and the kozuka (a small knife). Tsubas originated in Japan in around the late 14th century during the Nambokucho period (1333-1391), a time when civil war raged throughout the country. …

Parts of this object

Summary

Object No.

A5308

Object Statement

Tsubas (124), and amulet, various materials, various makers, Japan, Edo period / Meiji era, 1720-c. 1925 / Korea, date unknown

Physical Description

A collection of tsubas, made from a variety of different metals, including bronze, brass and iron. The tsubas are generally circular, with some squarish and oval shapes with a central triangular shaped hole with either one or two holes on either side. The tsubas display a variety of techniques and designs.

Short URL

https://ma.as/182937

Source

Credit Line

Gift of Christian Rowe Thornett, 1966

Acquisition Date

26 January 1966

Cite this Object

Harvard

Collection of Japanese tsubas 2021, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 25 March 2023, <https://ma.as/182937>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/182937 |title=Collection of Japanese tsubas |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=25 March 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}

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