Tsuba with Chinese Fans

Description The front of this tsuba has six Chinese style fans surrounding the central hole and the holes for the utility knife and hair pick. Four fans are depicted on the reverse. The decoration in various alloys of gold stands out from the silver alloy body. This motif was not uncommon for Kiyosada.

Provenance Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Transcription] 仙臺住　清定; [Transliteration] Sendai ju/Kiyosada; [Translation] Inscribed: Living at Sendai/Kiyosada.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters