#hushou

[steelandcotton]

An 18th century, Chinese iron sword guard with deeply chiseled design of a signal dragon amid foliage with two free floating “pearls” at the top and bottom of the guard. The rectangular center re-cut for mounting on a Japanese sword and with a hole cut in the right side for a utility knife. (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

[steelandcotton]

Qing pierced open work guard (护手), workmanship and style typical of the Qianlong period with stylized coins set amongst fine arabesques, and a beaded rim formed of small beads. The hole on the left side of the guard was cut when the guard was adapted to mounting on a Japanese sword.  (Varldskultur Museerna, Gothenburg)

Source: http://collections.smvk.se/carlotta-om/web/object/106123

[steelandcotton]

A beautiful example of an iron, open work, sword guard (hushou) made in Tibet for the Japanese market. The open work is easily identifiable as Tibetan, being typical for the work from Tibet. The design elements, such as the style of the dragons and the beaded rim, point to the Qianlong period (r. 1735-1796) when these elements were popular. The pearl at the top of the guard, between the two dragons floats free.

I find this piece particularly interesting as a very strong indicator of a trade in fittings between the early Qing empire and Japan as craftsmen working in far away Tibet obviously had a clear idea of what was expected in a guard meant to be mounted on a Japanese katana. Note the two holes on each side of the guard for the small knives carried on each side of katana scabbards as well as the blade edge up washer seat.

[steelandcotton]

Easily identified as a Chinese made sword guard (hushou) by the rectangular seat at the center for the hilt ferrule, this piece, like others of the period was incorrectly identified as a Japanese tsuba. That so many of these Chinese guards are found in Japan having been reworked for mounting on katana would appear to indicate that that was a regular trade in these sword fittings. One problem with this suggestion is that Japan was quite closed to foreign trade during all but a short time in the early Edo period.

Source: https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/tsuba-with-design-of-lions-and-blossoms-14760?fbclid=IwAR0_jrgtsbo334VxE83BOcvD-6L6Zj2qtRo7cwfOjSw7dWIhYenB9eKISMw

[steelandcotton]

Incorrectly identified as an Edo period tsuba, this Chinese sword guard (hushou) is Ming in style and dates from the later Ming period or early Qing. I have a very similar guard on an early Ming saber in my collection.

Source: https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/tsuba-with-design-of-stylized-flowers-and-foliage-8494?fbclid=IwAR2oO4afzpd-Crvcc0VjJSwcjnMjFQrS6l2jZ59KBrrGyHnCmdbp-_9flfM