Edo-era artist Noda Mitsuhiro II crafted most of this silver tsuba to look like interlocking monkeys. He frequently created works riffing on the “100 monkeys” theme. Monkeys are common protagonists in Japanese stories. As characters, they can be either heroic or evil, mischievous or noble. The Japanese character for “monkey” refers to fate or luck, and 100 is a round number representing abundance. The 100 monkeys theme thus may invoke good fortune or long life. The monkeys in this tsuba invoke the full range of personality traits ascribed to the animals in stories. On the top half of the tsuba, three monkeys cover their eyes, ears, and mouth, representing “see no evil,” “hear no evil,” and “speak no evil.” Another monkey holds a large peach, a common motif. On the bottom, two monkeys wrestle with a rope tied around their necks.

One hundred monkeys was a typical motif for Mitsuhiro and other members of his school. A multitude of monkeys are carved into the body of the tsuba. Their eyes are highlighted in gold. Hidden throughout the design are monkeys with special characteristics. In the upper portion are the three monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. At the lower right, two monkeys are neck-wrestling with a rope tied around their necks. In the upper left section, a monkey holds a giant peach. At the lower left, a monkey has a bag over its shoulder. In the upper right is a monkey carrying fan or a baton. This tsuba is similar to another in the Walters ...