Tsuba in the shape of a spiny lobster

Tsuba in the shape of a spiny lobster is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Germany). Description supplied by the holding institution: The oval sword guard, a so-called "tsuba", belongs to the "nagamaru gata" type. Stylistically, the piece probably belongs to the "Umetada Tsuba". The tsuba is a work of exceptionally high quality. It is designed in the shape of a curved, partially engraved spiny lobster. Individual details are accentuated by inlays in bronze. "Tsuba" are Japanese sword guards made of iron, copper, or copper alloys that sit between the hilt and the blade of a sword. In the center of the guard is an opening for the tang of the sword. Two further openings are provided for a small utility knife ("kozuka") and a hairpin ("kôgai"). Tsuba protected the hand from the opponent's sword and from the danger of slipping onto one's own blade during a thrust. In Japan, tsuba were status symbols. They embodied the aesthetic principles and social standing of the owner. Literature: Robert E. Haynes, The Index of… The collection record gives measurements height: 7.4 cm, width: 7.0 cm, depth: 0.7 cm. Published through Europeana; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.