katana;
blade;
sword-sheath;
hilt;
menuki;
fuchi-kashira;
tsuba;
saya;
tsuka
- Museum number
- 1958,0730.187.a-d
- Description
-
Katana (long sword blade) 1958,0730.187.a. Made of steel. Signed and inscribed.
Saya (scabbard) 1958,0730.187.b. Part of handachi (half-tachi) mounting for katana. Silver or tin nashiji lacquer with paulownia crest (mon) in makie (four mon on obverse; three on reverse); with silver fittings. Made of wood with braided textile.
Tsuka (hilt) 1958,0730.187.c; menuki; fuchi-kashira. Part of handachi (half-tachi) mounting for katana. Hilt: made of wood, ray skin, braided textile, metal. Menuki: silver in form of stylized tweezers with paulownia crest (mon) in gold inlay.
Tsuba (sword guard) Mokko-shaped 1958,0730.187.d. Part of handachi (half-tachi) mounting for katana. With nanako ground. Made of shibuichi.
- Production date
- 1859 (eighth month)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 70 centimetres (cutting edge)
-
Curvature: 1.40 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
-
- Curator's comments
- Harris 2005
This broad blade is 'shinogi zukuri', and has a medium 'kissaki'. The tang has one hole and the file marks are 'kesho' with 'osujigai'. The tang tip is severe 'kurijiri'. The grain is a bright 'koitame' with 'jinie'. The 'hamon' is a luxuriant 'choji' in 'nioi', with many 'ashi'. The 'boshi' is standard 'komaru'. This smith is recorded as living in Ayabe in Tamba Province, a pupil of Ishido Korekazu. His work is similar in style and skill (compare no. 67).
The 'handachi' mounting has a scabbard of silver or tin 'nashiji' lacquer with paulownia 'mon' in 'makie'. There are four 'mon' on the 'omote' and three on the 'ura', as it was the traditional custom to place more on the side of the scabbard that could be seen when the sword was worn. The fittings are all of silver. The 'menuki' are silver in the form of stylized tweezers with paulownia 'mon' in gold inlay. The 'tsuba' is 'mokko' shape, with a 'nanako' ground, but otherwise undecorated.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1958
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1958,0730.187.a-d
