Sword Guard (Tsuba) with Family Crests

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image shows a circular, dark brown sword guard with a central elongated vertical opening and four cut-out sections on either side. The guard features a raised edge around its circumference. There are several gold and silver inlaid designs on the surface, including what appears to be four family crests: one at the top, one at the bottom, and one on each side. The family crests are rendered in gold and silver. Additionally, there is an inscription in the center of the guard, written in Japanese characters. The background of the image is black, gradually transitioning to dark gray at the bottom.