Sword Stand
ca. 1868-1910 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
A sword stand (katana kake) consisting of a pair of shaped feet, each supporting an undulating upright, surmounted at the top with a u-shape indentation, together providing the rest for a sword; a horizontal panel between the two uprights, from the feet to around half way up, provides support to the overall structure. The stand is made of wood covered in gold nashiji (irregularly-shaped flakes of gold suspended in clear or yellowish lacquer resembling pear skin), with a chrysanthemum mon (family badge) in gold takamaki-e (maki-e in which parts of the design are raised by adding clay or charcoal powder) in the centre of each side of the panel. All edges are finished with a thin fundame band (a matt densely sprinkled fine gold powder lacquer ground).
Object details
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Object type | |
Materials and techniques | wood covered in gold <i>nashiji</i> (irregularly-shaped flakes of gold suspended in clear or yellowish lacquer resembling pear skin), gold <i>takamaki-e</i> (<i>maki-e</i> in which parts of the design are raised by adding clay or charcoal powder) and fundame (a matt densely sprinkled fine gold powder lacquer ground). |
Brief description | Sword stand, wood covered in gold lacquer, with a a chrysanthemum mon (family badge) in raised gold lacquer, signed Koshichi Tomita, Japan, ca.1868-1910 |
Physical description | A sword stand (katana kake) consisting of a pair of shaped feet, each supporting an undulating upright, surmounted at the top with a u-shape indentation, together providing the rest for a sword; a horizontal panel between the two uprights, from the feet to around half way up, provides support to the overall structure. The stand is made of wood covered in gold nashiji (irregularly-shaped flakes of gold suspended in clear or yellowish lacquer resembling pear skin), with a chrysanthemum mon (family badge) in gold takamaki-e (maki-e in which parts of the design are raised by adding clay or charcoal powder) in the centre of each side of the panel. All edges are finished with a thin fundame band (a matt densely sprinkled fine gold powder lacquer ground). |
Dimensions |
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Content description | Chrysanthemum mon (family badge) |
Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | Tomita Koshichi surrounded by a rectangular box in gold hiramaki-e (metal powder sprinkled on to a lacquer design before it hardens so that it is in low relief) lacquer). (The inscription is under one of the feet)
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Credit line | Given by Major Nathan CMG |
Object history | This sword stand, decorated with the imperial chrysanthemum mon (family badge) was undoubtedly made for the emperor to present as a gift, probably to one of his generals. Koshichi Tomita is known to have made many pieces for the Imperial household. |
Subjects depicted | |
Collection | |
Accession number | M.1082-1927 |
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Record created | June 25, 2009 |
Record URL |
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