tanto;
blade
- Museum number
- 1958,0730.56.a
- Description
-
Sword blade (tanto). Fudo's sword and dragon. Made of steel. Signed. With mounting (registered separately).
- Production date
- 1688-1704 (?)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 24.20 centimetres (without tang)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Harris 2005
This blade is 'hira zukuri' and has 'uchi zori' and a 'mitsumune'. There is a carving of a dragon on the 'omote' and of a 'suken' on the 'ura'. The tang has three holes and the file marks are 'kiri'. The tang tip is 'kurijiri'. The grain is bright, closely packed 'itame'. The 'hamon' is 'gunome' in 'nie', with 'ashi' and 'sunagashi'. The 'boshi' is pointed slightly upwards and returns abruptly. The smith of this sword, Yoshinobu, belonged to the lineage of Umetada Myoju of Kyoto, who was a skilful sculptor of dragons. Although this is a good sculpture, its position on the blade is somewhat unharmonious, indicating that it might have been carved by someone other than the swordsmith Yoshinobu.
The scabbard is lacquered in simulation of tree bark, with depictions of a scrolling vine and a seedpod inlaid with enamel, shell, coral and agate. The 'kashira' is of copper in the form of a cicada larva, and the 'fuchi' is 'shakudo' with gold-inlaid dragons among waves. The 'menuki' are of rats sculpted in the round in 'shibuichi'. The 'kozuka' pocket contains a 'kogai' decorated with horse equipment in high-relief coloured metal inlay on a 'shakudo' ground, signed 'Rakusei ju' (resident of western Kyoto). The 'kuidashi tsuba' is sculpted with pinks and is signed 'Jukosai Yoshinari' with 'akao'. This ensemble dates from the Meiji era.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1958
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1958,0730.56.a
