Tsuba
date: label: Date
content: 17th century
notes: label: Catalogue Status
content: Research in Progress
label: Description
content: This iron tsuba is shinmaru gata (a true circle) in shape, and is crafted with sukashi (openwork) with a positive design showing Omodaka plants and a bird. At the center is a nakago-ana, an opening through which the sword passes. Surrounding this is the seppadai, a flat oval area that has a migaki ji (smooth) surface finish. On either side are ryo-hitsu, openings for the kozuka (utility knife) and the kogai (skewer tool). At right is sashi ura, the side which faces the blade, whose opening takes the negative form of a moon. Opposite is the sashi omote side, which faces the sword hilt. Its tri-lobed opening is of the suhama type, and symbolically represents the coastline of Horai, the holy island of the Immortals. The rim of the tsuba is round, or maru-mimi.
place: label: Place
content: Japan
setName: label: See more items in
content: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
label: See more items in
content: Product Design and Decorative Arts Department
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Edmund J. Stone
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 1917-24-3
objectType: label: Type
content: metalwork
label: Type
content: Decorative Arts
label: Type
content: Tsuba
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Iron