Sword guard
Record status
Individual type · partial
This object is a Chinese sword guard fashioned from white jade. It is structured as an elongated, rectangular sleeve or fitting with an opening running through the center to accommodate a sword mounting. The stone itself exhibits a pale, semi-translucent off-white tone, highlighted by subtle variations in opacity and minor naturally occurring brownish veining or inclusions.
The outer face of the guard is decorated with a regular pattern of raised dots. These small, rounded relief studs are meticulously carved across the surface, framed by smooth, softly curved margins at the edges. The piece was formed and finished through traditional jade carving techniques, leaving a smooth surface across both the raised details and the perimeter of the fitting. In the museum collection, this object is registered under accession number A.50-1938 and indexed within the categories of hardstone and sculpture. The documentation records its place of origin as China, though no specific historical period, dimensions, or individual maker are provided.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Carved jade
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Sword guard
- Museum object number
- A.50-1938
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.