Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)
In 1876, the Japanese government issued an edict abolishing the wearing of the sword in Japan. Sadakazu is one of the few swordsmiths to continue working after that date. He kept the craft alive by making replicas of ancient blades. The blade of this dagger is made in the style of Umetada Myoju, a swordsmith active in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century. The inscription indicates that Sadakazu did the engraving himself. The fittings are by Katsumori, a student of Kanō Natsuo (1829–1898), the last great maker of sword fittings.
Artwork Details
- Title: Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)
- Swordsmith: Blade inscribed by Gassan Sadakazu (Japanese, Setsu (now Osaka), 1834–1918)
- Fittings maker: Fittings (except menuki) inscribed by Nomura Katsumori (Japanese, active ca. 1870)
- Fittings maker: Menuki inscribed by Seii (Japanese, active ca. 1870)
- Date: blade, dated 1870; mounting, 19th century
- Culture: Japanese
- Medium: Steel, wood (rosewod), copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), gold, silver
- Dimensions: L. 16 1/8 in. (40.9 cm); L. of blade 14 7/16 in. (36.7 cm); L. of cutting edge 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm); L. of knife (kozuka) 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)
- Classification: Daggers
- Credit Line: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
- Object Number: 32.100.470
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.