Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Crickets (鈴虫図鐔)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The plate of this tsuba is finished on both sides with shallow engravings that radiate around the opening for the tang. The obverse depicts two, and the reverse one shibuichi cricket(s). The antenna are of brass and the surface shows a few dew drops of brass and shibuichi. The rim is folded over and one leg of the cricket towards the bottom right is extending into the rim.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art