Lobed tsuba in the form of a rice bale with two rats

Title

Lobed tsuba in the form of a rice bale with two rats
Associated place

Japan (place of creation)
Date

possibly 17th century (1601 - 1700)
Material and technique

iron, with ito-sukashi decoration (‘thread-piercing’ openwork), and iro-e zōgan (multi-metal inlay) decoration, in iron wire, brass, and silver
Material index

iron;

brass;

silver
Technique index

forged;

openwork;

cut;

inlaid
Object type

tsuba
Dimensions

6.9 x 6.7 cm (height x width)
No. of items

1
Credit line

Bequeathed by Dame Jemima Church, in accordance with the wishes of her Husband, Sir Arthur H. Church, 1929.
Museum location

not on display
Museum department

Eastern Art
Accession no.

EAX.10920

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Catalogue text

20-lobed, modelled as the circular end of a rice-bale, of woven straw, with two marauding rats in brass and silver; there are two sawcuts and in two places loose straws and a knotted tying-cord are rendered by iron wire. Signed: Bushū no jū ("resident of Musashi province", i.e. of Yedo) Nara Masayoshi [Japanese text]. (Not the Nara Masayoshi quoted by Hara, he having worked only at fuchi-kashira (hilt-ends) with views of Mii-dera monastery, whence his nickname of Miidera.)

The Victoria and Albert Museum has another copy of this design, which was evidently a favourite one.

tsuba

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