Blade and Mounting for a Miniature Short Sword (Wakizashi)
A wakizashi is a short sword with a blade between 30 and 60 cm long, usually worn in tandem with a full-length sword (katana). Wakizashi were fashionable in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and later.
Artwork Details
- Title: Blade and Mounting for a Miniature Short Sword (Wakizashi)
- Date: blade, late 19th–early 20th century; mounting late 19th–early 20th century
- Culture: Japanese
- Medium: Steel, wood, lacquer, rayskin (samé), baleen, silver-copper alloy (shibuichi)
- Dimensions: L. 6 in. (15.2 cm); L. of cutting edge 3 9/16 in. (9.1 cm); W. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Wt. 0.8 oz. (22.7 g); Wt. of sheath (b) including small knife (c) 0.3 oz. (8.5 g); small knife (c); L. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm)
- Classification: Swords
- Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
- Object Number: 36.120.426a–c
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
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