Sword Guard (Tsuba) with Drum in Waves

Cleveland Museum of Art

The tsuba is round with a blackened metal surface. A circular frame surrounds the guard. The center has a distinctive teardrop-shaped opening. A wave design extends from the bottom left. A stylized drum shape with gold inlays sits at the top. A gold inlay on the right resembles a flower or a butterfly. Small gold balls are scattered throughout. The background is a gradient of dark to light gray.