Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)

blade, 17th century; mounting, 19th century

Not on view

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

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Date: blade, 17th century; mounting, 19th century
Geography: Okayama Prefecture
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Steel, wood, lacquer, rayskin (samé), thread, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), silver, copper, iron
Dimensions: L. 22 9/16 in. (57.3 cm); L. of blade 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm); L. of cutting edge 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm); D. of curvature 1/4 in. (0.6 cm)
Classification: Swords
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.884
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi), Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, ray skin (samé), thread, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper, gold, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), iron, Japanese — Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
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Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō), Steel, wood, lacquer, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), silver, gold, Japanese — Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)
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