Hand guard 1700 - 1800

Ito Masakata crafted this hand guard, or tsuba, from iron, piercing and intricately inlaying it with gold. The design features bamboo, a symbol of resilience and flexibility in Japanese culture, reflecting the samurai ethos of bending but not breaking in the face of adversity. Swords and their fittings were not merely weapons, but also important markers of social status in feudal Japan. Crafted by skilled artisans, the tsuba could showcase the owner's wealth and taste, with different schools of metalworkers developing distinctive styles. In the closed society of the Edo period, the samurai class held a privileged position, and their accoutrements were subject to sumptuary laws that both regulated and advertised their status. Historians of Japanese art and culture explore the rich symbolism embedded in these objects. By consulting historical records, clan histories, and catalogues of sword fittings, we can further understand the social meaning and artistic values of this tsuba within its specific historical context.