Yagami school nanban tsuba
The Yagami school were excellent carvers of iron, known for their 1000 monkey designs.
Enamelled Hirado Kunishige tsuba
Fine work and one of the very few enamelled tsuba by this maker.
Hirado Kunishige (平戸市國重)
A group of Japanese sword fitting makers working on the island of Hirado.
Yidao guard
Exceptionally large pierced iron guard for a Chinese yidao; "virtuous saber".
Three wise monkeys tsuba
Japanese sword guard depicting three wise monkeys conveying the message see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Winged dragon tsuba
A fine and unusually large tsuba. Attributed to Hizen by the NBTHK.
Fine Kinai dragon tsuba
Made by the Kinai group of Echizen, who originated as horimono carvers.
Signed nanban style ship tsuba
Signed by an artist named Kanesada from Higo.
Seiryūken Eiju dragon tsuba
Tetsugendo school. Round plate with discoid cross-section, chiseled with dragons.
Peony karakusa tsuba
Executed in "nanban style" openwork with chiseled and gold-encrusted peonies.
Sawasa style iron guard
Unusual piece with depiction of a foreign figure.
Iron chrysanthemum tsuba
Large example with gold and silver overlay.
Unusual dragon gate guard
Asian sword guard of unknown origin, modified in Japan.
Japanese tsuba in Canton style
Also known as Kwanto-gata, with two facing dragon chasing a pearl.
Daruma tsuba
A peculiar tsuba with a depiction of Bodhidharma and two dragon chasing a pearl.
Wan-gata tsuba by Kunihiro
Its outer surface is decorated with interlocking swastikas and family crests.
Cast iron compass rose guard
A peculiar cast iron sword guard, probably from the South China Seas area.
Tsuba (鍔 / 鐔)
Japanese name for a sword guard.
Chinese lòukōng sword guard
The archetypical Chinese sword guard that gave rise to the Japanese genre of "nanban tsuba".
Qing openwork saber guard
A very rare Chinese saber guard dating from the height of the Qing dynasty.
Chinese hùshǒu with lantsa script
A Chinese sword guard from the 18th century with a Buddhist mantra in lantsa script.
Chinese sword guards in Japan
The Chinese saber guard is called dāo hūshǒu (刀護手), or hùshǒu pán (護手盤) in Chinese. This literally translates to "saber handguard" or "disc handguard". At some point, the Japanese got quite a taste for them. Over the years a number of them have turned up from Japanese sources that exhibit alterations that indicate they were used by Japanese on their swords.
"South China Sea Guard"
Most likely used by the multi-cultural crews of pirate fleets that roamed the South China seas.
Tachi-mokkō-gata (太刀木瓜形)
Japanese term for a cross-shaped tsuba often used on tachi swords.
Aoi-gata (葵形)
Japanese word for a sword guard shape. Literelly "hollyhock shape".
Kiyou-Toujin Tsuba
A Japanese style sword guard made in 17th century Nagasaki Chinatown.
Tachi tsuba of nanban tetsu
A rare 17th-century sword guard made of foreign steel.
House of Aviz tsuba
A Japanese sword guard with the cross of the House of Aviz.
A Korean sword guard
Adjusted for use on a Japanese sword.
Kiyou Toujin tsuba (崎陽唐人鐔)
Japanese style sword guards made by Chinese craftsmen in Nagasaki.
Asian export sword guard
An interesting pierced iron Asian export sword guard that is part of a small group of guards that were made with a mu
Dāo hūshǒu (刀護手)
Qing Chinese for "saber guard".
Iron ship sword guard
A chiseled iron sword guard depicting a Dutch ship with a figure on its stern.
Sinhalese export sword guard
A large circular Asian export sword guard with elaborate decor carved in relief on both sides.
Asian export sword guards
Sword guards that were made across Asia, specifically with export in mind.
Classic Choshu ship tsuba
The work nice and crisp, the execution has a naturalistic charm to it.
Ono school ship tsuba
Description
A classic Japanese ship tsuba with a motif called “kazeho” (風帆) or “b
Fine Canton-style export sword guard
Introduction
Many Asian export sword guards, and later Japanese guards inspired by them, were modeled after
"Love of Lotus" Korean guard
Description
Korean ceremonial sabers of the Joseon dynasty are pretty small and often exhi
Asian export disc guard
The design, overlaid in silver, gold, and copper, over a crosshatched background shows dragon amongst clouds.
Ezo style tsuba
Introduction
What are today known as "Ezo fittings" are a style of Japanese sword mounts that are character
A Japanese nanban style tsuba
Description
An interesting little sword guard, of fairly simple form with designs carved i
Chinese openwork (loukong) saber guard
The archetypical Chinese sword guard of the 17th century.
Asian Export sword guard
Private collection. Not for sale.
Converted Chinese guard
A purely Chinese guard and not a very ornate one, converted for Japanese use.
Nanban tsuba & Asian export sword guards
For long, "nanban tsuba" literally "Southern barbarian sword-guards" have been a catch-all classification for sword guards for Japanese swords (tsuba), that show foreign influence.
Chinese export sword guard
An iron openwork guard two dragons chasing a flaming pearl.
A nanban tsuba with Christian orb
A near round tsuba with beaded rim depicting two dragons in vegetal scrollwork.
A nanban tsuba
A rather good example of a Japanese-made nanban tsuba.