Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (Daishō)

Swordsmith Blades inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada Japanese

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

blades, 17th century; mountings, early 19th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 380

This pair of long and short swords (daishō) 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” and “made at the age of sixty-three,” an indication of the lengthy time it took him to produce the full set. The lower parts of the scabbard are lacquered by implementing broad brush strokes, a technique that is referred to as seikaiha-nuri (literally “blue waves lacquer”).

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

References

Title: Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (Daishō)
Swordsmith: Blades inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada (Japanese, 1627–1716)
Fittings maker: Fittings inscribed by 乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu (Japanese, born 1773)
Date: blades, 17th century; mountings, early 19th century
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Steel, wood, lacquer, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), ray skin (same), silk
Dimensions: L. of sword (katana) 37 7/8 in. (96.2 cm); L. of sword (katana) 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 sword (katana) scabbard 29 in. (73.7 cm); L. of knife (kozuka) for sword (katana) mounting 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); L. of hair dressing tool (kogai) for sword (katana) mounting) 8 1/4 in. (21.0 cm); L. of short sword (wakizashi) 27 1/16 in. (68.7 cm); L. of short sword (wakizashi) blade 23 5/8 in. (60 cm); L. of cutting edge 17 3/4 in.(45.1 cm); D. of curvature 3/8 in. (0.9 cm); L. of knife (kozuka) for short sword (wakizashi) mounting 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); L. of hair dressing tool (kogai) for short sword (wakizashi) mounting 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, .420a–d
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

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虫尽金具大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (<i>Katana</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 — 虫尽金具大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (*Katana*)
Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu
blade, 17th century; mounting, 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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