Sword Guard (Tsuba)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This iron tsuba shows seven Chinese bellflowers (kikyo) in openwork, with four of them interpreted in a circular enclosure designed to represent the Chinese bellflower family crest which was used, inter alia, by the Ōta (太田) family. Masayoshi (正吉), real name Sunagawa Daisuke (砂川大助) and art name Shōhakudō (松柏堂), was the third and most skillful master of the Edo-based Sunagawa (砂川) School.

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