Kanō Natsuo, the last great maker of sword fittings, decorated the front; his co-worker Toshiyoshi decorated the reverse. The commissioner of the tsuba is identified as Shirase. It features a design of a kingfisher on a branch.

Title: Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Fittings maker: Inscribed by Kanō Natsuo (Japanese, 1828–1898)

Decorator: Inscribed by 紫原壽良画 Murasakibara Toshiyoshi (Japanese, recorded 1865–84)

Date: mid-19th century

Culture: Japanese

Medium: Copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, silver, copper

Dimensions: H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); W. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 4.3 oz. (121.9 g)

Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba

Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936

Accession Number: 36.120.101

Inscription: Inscribed on the obverse: 夏雄「金印：古意」 Natsuo [with seal]; 應白勢君需 Shirase kun no motome ni ozu (Made to the order of Mr. Shirase); on the reverse: 叟壽良生 Sō Toshiyoshi sei (Made by Sō Toshiyoshi).

bird branch Kano Natsuo leaf oval Toshiyoshi wind