Samurai

There is a warrior monk in the middle of the page holding black armor above his head, getting ready to toss it. There are a couple lines of writing above his head and a signature and two seals in the bottom right corner of the hanging scroll.
Japanese
Ôtsu-e: Warrior Monk of Mii Temple Tossing Armor
ink and color on paper
35 1/4 in. x 10 3/4 in. ( 89.6 cm x 27.3 cm )
Gift of Rudolf and Mary Arnheim
Golden lion with gently curving tail and arched back.  Each foot is capped with three intimidating claw-like nails.  The lion is oriented as if stalking from left to right, but the head turns back inward towards the center, with a downward flowing mane.
Japanese
Menuki (sword scabbard ornament): dragon (attached to 1973/2.87)
gold
1/4 in. x 1 3/8 in. x 1/2 in. ( 0.7 cm x 3.5 cm x 1.2 cm )
Gift of Professor Rose Vainstein
The flat iron plate with quatrefoil design. It has three holes: one for blade (middle) flanked by oval-shape hole (for kougai) and oval with bump shape (for kozuka). Chrysanthemums, autumn grass and a rock are carved on lower-right side; a butterfly is descending toward the flowers. Gold inlays are applied to the flowers, grass, part of the rock, and butterfly. The surface is finely granulated by etching (“ishime-ji”).
Japanese
Tsuba (sword guard) with chrysanthemum and butterfly design
iron with gold inlays
3 9/16 in. x 3 in. ( 9 cm x 7.6 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston
This tsuba is a flat iron plate with quatrefoil design. It has three holes: one for blade (middle) flanked by oval-shape hole (for kougai) and oval with bump shape (for kozuka).  Egrets and reeds decorate the surface, distributed in a curve that climbs counter-clockwise from the bottom left register, culmiating in the top left with a lone egret in flight.  Egrets on the bottom of the piece perch on the ground or nest in the golden reeds.<br />
Japanese
Tsuba (Sword guard) with inlaid design of egrets and reeds(attached to 1973/2.88)
iron with gold and silver inlays
3/16 in. x 2 11/16 in. x 2 15/16 in. ( 0.4 cm x 6.8 cm x 7.4 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston
This small, flat piece made of light brown brass (called "sentoku" in Japanese) has a round diamond shape. It has a triangular shaped hole in the center and another round hole on one side. Artist’s name is signed between the two holes. The surface is slightly concaved from the rim. The front has relief design of a shrimp, blowfish, and bamboo branch. On the back, there are designs of a spiral shell, a barnacle, and water drops. The sea motifs are inlayed with gold, silver, copper, and shakudô (copper-gold alloy).
Seishinsai
Tsuba (sword guard) with design of blowfish, shrimp and plant
brass with gold, silver, copper, and shakudô (copper-gold alloy) inlays
2 9/16 in. x 2 3/16 in. x 3/16 in. ( 6.5 cm x 5.6 cm x 0.5 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston
Circular tsuba, made of iron. It has two holes in the middle. There are two openwork motifs of mushrooms on the lower left. Rusts on some parts of the piece.
Japanese
Tsuba (sword guard) with mushroom design
iron
3 1/8 in. x 3 1/8 in. x 1/16 in. ( 8 cm x 8 cm x 0.2 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund
This small, flat metal piece has a quartrefoil shape. Two holes in the middle. Flame-like incision all over the piece. Silver is applied around the center hole.
Artist Unknown, Nabeshima ware, Japan
Tsuba (sword guard) with incised flame design
Shakudô (copper-gold alloy)
2 15/16 in. x 2 11/16 in. ( 7.4 cm x 6.9 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund
Circular tsuba, made of iron. Inside an exterior circle, eight smaller circles are placed with the same spacing. The eight circles are connected to the exterior circle as well as to the three center holes where kôgai, blade, and kozuka are placed. Each of the eight circles have a different family crests. The openwork technique seen here is called "marubori" (round carving). The surface is slightly textured by minute stippling.
Japanese
Tsuba (sword guard) with eight family crests
iron and gold
3 1/16 in. x 3 1/16 in. x 3/16 in. ( 7.8 cm x 7.8 cm x 0.5 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston
The sword is long and slightly curved; the handle cover is wrapped with black cords, mostly worn out. The round tsuba (sword guard) is made of steel and has two holes. The scabbard is painted with lacquer and has a string for hanging. There is a pair of lion-shaped menuki (fitting) on the handle.
Ietsugu
Sword (original) and later handle, sword guard, and scabbard
forged steel blade and lacquer
38 in. x 1 11/16 in. ( 96.5 cm x 4.3 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic R. Smith
This small, flat metal piece has a circular shape and an openwork design. It has a triangular shaped sword hole in the center, flanked by two other holes, which are filled with shakudô (copper-gold alloy). The sword hole is mended with gold. Three crests, consisting of pawlownia leaves and flowers, are interconnected with vines. There are some abrasions on the center oval shape around the sword hole. The surface is slightly textured by minute stippling. The outer rim is slightly elevated from the inner design. This openwork carving technique is called "marubori" (round carving).
Kinai School
Tsuba (sword guard) with design of three pawlownia crests and vines
iron, gold and shakudô (copper-gold alloy)
3 1/8 in. x 3 1/8 in. x 3/16 in. ( 8 cm x 8 cm x 0.5 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston
It is a round, openwork iron tsuba, in the design of three interconnected irises. The two holes are plugged with gold.
Japanese
Tsuba (sword guard) with iris design
iron and gold
3 1/16 in. x 2 7/8 in. x 3/16 in. ( 7.8 cm x 7.3 cm x 0.4 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston
This small, flat metal piece has a quartrefoil shape. Three holes in the middle. Some chips can be seen around the center hole, which mended with silver and copper. A samurai on horseback is charging into the sea from steep hill; he is wearing a helmet, armor, and sword, and holding a fan. A pine tree is standing on the samurai’s right side; there are rocks and bamboo grass by the ocean. The motifs of the ocean, pine tree, bamboo grass and rocks also appear on the reverse side. Gold and some silver and copper inlays are applied on pine branches, samurai's helmet, horse's mane and bridle, bamboo grass on the shore, and spray from waves.
Harunori
Tsuba (sword guard) with inlaid design of samurai on horseback at the shore
iron with gold, silver, and copper inlays
3 1/16 in. x 2 13/16 in. x 3/16 in. ( 7.8 cm x 7.2 cm x 0.4 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Weston

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Asia — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:57 pm)
Feudal japan — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:57 pm)
Japan — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:57 pm)
Military history — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:57 pm)
Soldiers — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:57 pm)
Warfare — by seth@whirl-i-gig.com (February 13 2017 @ 12:57 pm)

Part of 5 Learning Collections

American Orientalist art at the turn of the 20th century
<p>America Encounters Asia in Art</p>

83 Collection Object Sources

Grapevine (2006/2.18)
Flowers (1968/2.18)
Treasure Boat (1972/2.111)
Bamboo (1989/2.107)
Inlet Scene (1989/2.106)
Summer Landscape (1989/2.105)
The Rat's Wedding (1960/1.162)

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April 4, 2020 2:23 p.m.

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