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Image for Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting
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Image for Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting
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Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail
Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting Thumbnail

Tsuba witha Scene of Whale Hunting

Sonobe Yoshihide (Japanese, 1805-1864) (Artist)
1841 (late Edo)
silver alloy, shakudo, gold, and gold alloy
(Japanese Military Armor)

On the right side of this tsuba, a whale can be seen swimming through the ocean. At the upper right is a ship, which is possibly hunting the whale. The whale's realistic color is created though the use of a gold and copper alloy called shakudo. The reverse of the tsuba shows a seashore with shells.

Inscription

[Transcription] 於忍岡之造; [Transliteration] Shinobu-no-oka ni oite kore o tsukuri; [Translation] This was made in Shinoba-no-Oka; [Transcription] 天保十二年仲春 園部芳英; [Transliteration] Tempo juni nen chushun/Sonobe Yoshihide; [Translation] Early spring of the 12th year of the Tempo era (1841)/Sonobe Yoshihide.

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

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

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Geographies

Japan, Tokyo (Edo) (Place of Origin)

Measurements

3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters

Location in Museum

Not on view

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

51.161

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Hours

  • Wednesday—Sunday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 1–8 p.m.
  • Monday—Tuesday: Closed

Location

600 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD
21201

Phone

410-547-9000

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