"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)
Language: Japanese
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.
Hisayuki (久隨)
A Japanese maker of sword mounts, active in the Edo period.
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.
Fuchi kashira by Hisayuki
A beautiful signed Japanese ferrule and pommel plate.
Asian export sword guards
Sword guards that were made across Asia, specifically with export in mind.
Antique Chinese saber fittings
Description
An antique set of scabbard fittings for a Chinese saber, probably second half of the 18th centu
Chiseled iron khanda hilt
With blackened iron panels with decorative borders carved in relief.
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
Lobed guards
A set of two interesting guards of unusual form.
Two Canton tsuba
Of forms derived from Chinese prototypes.
Two pierced guards
Japanese designs derived off "canton tsuba".
Chinese openwork (loukong) saber guard
The archetypical Chinese sword guard of the 17th century.
Set of sword guards in relief
Products of Asian maritime trade in the 17th-18th centuries.
Asian Export sword guard
A large imported "Canton" sword guard with paired dragons chasing a jewel.
Unusual dragon tsuba
The import of foreign sword guards like those from China into Japan through maritime trade gave rise
Duke of yellow rock guard
This guard, at first sight, appears very Japanese in overall style, theme, and execution.
Nanban kogai & kozuka set (futakoromono)
The only set of its type known to me in both private and museum collections.
A nanban kozuka / kogatana
Description
Japanese sword fittings that exhibit foreign influence are today commonly classified as nan
Converted Chinese guard
A purely Chinese guard and not a very ornate one.
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.
Asian export sword guard
A robust Chinese or Vietnamese sword guard of rare form, probably imported into Japan by Dutch or Chinese merchants.
A nanban tsuba
A rather good example of a Japanese-made nanban tsuba.