Sword Guard with Comma Shapes in Openwork

Sword guards were mounted to sword hilts to protect the hand from enemy strikes. They were crafted to be just the right weight for handling. In 16th-century Japan, many sword guards were made of steel or other metals, with designs rendered in openwork. This iron guard features a large openwork “mitsudomoe” pattern resembling three commas arranged in a circle, with small mitsudomoe and chrysanthemum patterns carved in relief on the remaining ground. Nobuie was a craftsman specializing in sword guards in Owari no Kuni, an area located in the western half of modern-day Aichi Prefecture.

His guards are characterized by the bumpy texture of the dark iron and by inscriptions expressing readiness for battle or the essence of swordsmanship. This rough style found favor with many warriors. This guard has an abundant, powerful design, even when compared to other works by Nobuie. Hand guards ([tsuba]) were a medium for artistic expression. The [tsuba] maker Nobuie worked in a style that emphasized the subtle, austere beauty of iron. In this example, he used openwork to depict a comma-shaped [tomoe] motif, an ancient symbol with origins shrouded in mystery.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.