An Edo O Sukashi Wakazashi or Tanto Tsuba In Iron

Circa 1650. The Tsuba, or Japanese sword guard, is a refined utilitarian object. It is essentially a sheath for the blade to fit through, protecting the hand of the warrior. The Tsuba can be solid, semi pierced of fully pierced, with an overall perforated design, but it always a central opening which narrows at its peak for the blade to fit within. It often can have openings for the kozuka and kogai to pass through, and these openings can also also often be filled with metal to seal them closed. For the Samurai, it also functioned as an article of distinction, as his sole personal ornament.