Sword, Scabbard and Kozuka
ca. 1800-1850 (made)
| Place of origin |
This short sword, wakizashi, has a ridged blade of moderate curve and a handle, kozuka, of the copper-gold alloy shakudo with relief depicting two manzai dancers and a shimenawa rope. The accompanying scabbard is of dark lacquered wood with a shell inlay, and wrapped around is a gold and blue-edged tying-cord.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Lacquered wood sheath with shell inlay; rayfish skin and silk bindings on the wooden hilt. <i>shakudo</i>, silver, lacquered wood and horn fittings. |
| Brief description | Short sword (wakizashi), Scabbard and Kozuk, dark lacquered wood scabbard with shell inlay; shakudo, silver, carved lacquer and horn fittings; Japan, ca. 1800-1850. |
| Physical description | Short sword (wakizashi), scabbard and scabbard-knife (kogatana) |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Pair of long and short swords (daishō)
Blades 1600–1700; scabbards and fittings 1800–50
The samurai were the only class permitted to carry both a long katana and a shorter wakizashi sword. This combination was known as the daishō (large and small). The swords were worn with the cutting edge facing upwards. This allowed the blade to be drawn in a single slashing movement by a samurai fighting on foot. Older blades were often remounted with finely decorated scabbards, hilts and fittings.
Steel blades; lacquered wood scabbards with shell inlay; handles bound with rayskin and silk; patinated copper alloy, silver and gold fittings
Gift of the Misses Alexander
Museum nos. M.924, 925-1916
(04/11/2015) |
| Summary | This short sword, wakizashi, has a ridged blade of moderate curve and a handle, kozuka, of the copper-gold alloy shakudo with relief depicting two manzai dancers and a shimenawa rope. The accompanying scabbard is of dark lacquered wood with a shell inlay, and wrapped around is a gold and blue-edged tying-cord. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.925:3-1916 |
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| Record created | April 26, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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