虫尽金具大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana)

Swordsmith Blade inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada Japanese

Fittings maker Fittings inscribed by 乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu Japanese

blade, 17th century; mounting, early 19th century

Not on view

This is the long sword (katana) of a pair of swords (daishō) which is mounted with a matching set of fittings depicting insects and plants that are traditionally associated with fall in Japan. The fittings were made by Otsuryūken Masanobu (乙柳軒政信, born 1773), who was the fourth generation of the Hamano (浜野) School. Some are inscribed with statements such as “made at the age of sixty-two” or “made at the age of sixty-three,” an inidication of the lengthy time it took him to produce the full set. The lower parts of the scabbard are lacquered in broad brush strokes, a technique referred to as seikaiha-nuri (literally “blue waves lacquer”).

Artwork Details

Title: 虫尽金具大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana)
Swordsmith: Blade inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada (Japanese, 1627–1716)
Fittings maker: Fittings inscribed by 乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu (Japanese, born 1773)
Date: blade, 17th century; mounting, early 19th century
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Steel, wood, lacquer, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), ray skin (same), silk
Dimensions: L. 37 7/8 in. (96.2 cm); L. of blade 35 9/16 in. (90.3 cm); L. of cutting edge 27 3/8 in. (69.6 cm); D. of curvatuer 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); L. of scabbard 29 in. (73.7 cm); L. of knife (kozuka) 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); L. of hair dressing tool (kogai) 8 1/4 in. (21.0 cm)
Classification: Swords
Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Object Number: 36.120.419a–d
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

By 乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu

By Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada

In the same medium

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Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (<i>Daishō</i>), Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), ray skin (<i>same</i>), silk, Japanese — Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (*Daishō*)
Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu
blades, 17th century; mountings, early 19th century

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)
Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu
blade, late 17th century; mounting, 19th century

Blade for a Sword (<i>Katana</i>) with Mounting (<i>Shikomizue</i>), Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada Japanese, Steel, wood, cherry-blossom bark, brass, lacquer, Japanese — Blade for a Sword (*Katana*) with Mounting (*Shikomizue*)
Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
blade, dated February 1677; mounting, 19th century

Blade for a Double-Edged Sword (<i>Ken</i>), Steel, Japanese — Blade for a Double-Edged Sword (*Ken*)
Japanese
5th century

Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (Daishō), Sukemitsu of Bizen Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), gold, copper, rayskin, silk, Japanese — Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (Daishō)
Multiple artists/makers
sword (katana) blade, dated 1440; short sword (wakizashi) blade, 15th century; mountings, late 18th century

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