Tsuba with mounted samurai

Tsuba with mounted samurai is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Germany). Description supplied by the holding institution: The circular sword guard, a so-called »tsuba«, features a narrow, slightly rounded rim and belongs to the »maru gata« type. Stylistically, the work can be assigned to the so-called »Soten« or »Nara« school. The extremely fine decoration of the guard depicts two samurai warriors on horseback in high relief. They ride over high sea-spray waves. Individual details of the depiction are distinguished by fine engravings and inlays in gold. »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 intended for a utility knife (»kozuka«) and a sword hairpin (»kôgai«). Tsuba protected the hand from an opponent's sword and from the danger of slipping onto one's own blade when thrusting. In Japan, tsuba were status symbols. They embodied the aesthetic principles… The collection record gives measurements height: 8.2 cm, width: 8.2 cm, depth: 0.8 cm. Published through Europeana; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.