Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The object is a dark brown, rounded square tsuba with a wavy edge. The tsuba has a central vertical oval cutout and two smaller oval cutouts on either side. There are curved and straight cutouts on the left and right sides respectively. The background of the image is dark gray and gradually lightens towards the bottom. It appears to be a metal object, likely made of iron or steel, with visible signs of wear and aging. The overall shape and design suggest it is a traditional Japanese sword guard. The object displays a weathered patina with some rust spots. The image shows the tsuba against a plain background.