{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O192583"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O192583/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HW4335/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HW4335/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HW4335","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HW4336","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KE2656","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O192583/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O192583","accessionNumber":"M.31-1919","objectType":"Tsuba","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The tsuba is a protective guard fitted between the hilt and the blade of a sword. Originally they were simple iron disks, sometimes decorated by piercing or hammering in low relief. Later sword guards were more often made of copper alloys, patinated to a wide range of colours and inlaid with other coloured metals. Sword guards became miniature art forms, and different schools of makers developed their own unique styles.","physicalDescription":"Hand-guard (<i>tsuba</i>) for a sword, iron inlaid with silver, copper and copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudo</i>) and engraved depicting flowers of the four seasons.  Signed <u>Zaiya</u>.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"}],"techniques":[{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"},{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"}],"styles":[{"text":"Shonai school","id":"x43878"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2015HW4335","2015HW4336","2017KE2656"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"45","id":"THES49801"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Tsuba","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1850","earliest":"1845-01-01","latest":"1854-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.38","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed <u>Zaiya</u>","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Hand-guard (<i>tsuba</i>) for a sword, iron inlaid with silver, copper and copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudo</i>) and engraved depicting flowers of the four seasons, signed <u>Zaiya</u>, Shonai school, Japan, ca. 1850.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"plum blossom","id":"x36015"},{"text":"cherry blossom","id":"x43879"},{"text":"chrysanthemums","id":"x30170"},{"text":"maple leaf","id":"x37326"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The tsuba is a protective guard fitted between the hilt and the blade of a sword. Originally they were simple iron disks, sometimes decorated by piercing or hammering in low relief. Later sword guards were more often made of copper alloys, patinated to a wide range of colours and inlaid with other coloured metals. Sword guards became miniature art forms, and different schools of makers developed their own unique styles.","date":{"text":"04/11/2015","earliest":"2015-11-04","latest":"2015-11-04"}}],"partNumbers":["M.31-1919"],"accessionNumberNum":"31","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1919,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-25","availableToBook":false}}