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Exhibition

Samurai Splendor: Sword Fittings from Edo Japan

OverviewExhibition Objects
Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>), Steel, wood, brass, lacquer, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), ray skin (<i>same</i>), silk, silver, Japanese
Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Japanese
blade, 16th century; mounting, 19th century
グリ彫金具脇指拵 Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>), 尾張関 Owari-Seki Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper (<i>hiirodō</i>), Japanese
グリ彫金具脇指拵 Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Bladesmith 尾張関 Owari-Seki
blade, 17th century; mounting, 19th century
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo Japanese, Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)
Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo
mid–late 19th century
Portraits of Twenty-eight Metal Artists, Kitao Shigemasa Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japanese
Portraits of Twenty-eight Metal Artists
Kitao Shigemasa
ca. 1615–1868
彫鐫画譜 Album of Designs for Metal Carving (<i>Chōsen Gafu</i>), 嵐山常行画 Ranzan Tsuneyuki Japanese, Ink on paper, pasted into a bound volume, Japanese
彫鐫画譜 Album of Designs for Metal Carving (Chōsen Gafu)
Mount maker 嵐山常行画 Ranzan Tsuneyuki
mid-19th century
金工絵 Copy book of Toshiyoshi (also called Kōsō, Seijō, or Toshinaga), 紫原壽良画 Murasakibara Toshiyoshi Japanese, Ink on bound paper, Japanese
金工絵 Copy book of Toshiyoshi (also called Kōsō, Seijō, or Toshinaga)
Author 紫原壽良画 Murasakibara Toshiyoshi
late 19th century
秋草に鹿図鐔 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 紫原壽良画 Murasakibara Toshiyoshi Japanese, Copper, copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, silver, Japanese
秋草に鹿図鐔 Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Fittings maker 紫原壽良画 Murasakibara Toshiyoshi
19th century
唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 鷲田光中作 Washida Mitsunaka Japanese, Iron, silver, copper, Japanese
唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Fittings maker Inscribed by 鷲田光中作 Washida Mitsunaka
19th century
Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With Flower Basket Motif (花籠透鐔), 萩谷勝平 Hagiya Katsuhira Japanese, Iron, copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), gold, silver, copper, Japanese
Sword guard (Tsuba) With Flower Basket Motif (花籠透鐔)
Fittings maker 萩谷勝平 Hagiya Katsuhira
Fittings maker 鈴木勝容 Suzuki Katsuhiro
1860
Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With Flower Basket Motif (花籠透鐔), 石黒政明 Ishiguro Masaaki Japanese, Iron, copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), gold, silver, copper, Japanese
Sword guard (Tsuba) With Flower Basket Motif (花籠透鐔)
Fittings maker 石黒政明 Ishiguro Masaaki
first half 19th century
富嶽雲烟図小柄 Knife Handle (<i>Kozuka</i>) with Blade, 嵐山常行画 Ranzan Tsuneyuki Japanese, Steel, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, Japanese
富嶽雲烟図小柄 Knife Handle (Kozuka) with Blade
Fittings maker 嵐山常行画 Ranzan Tsuneyuki
19th century
藻に白魚図小柄 Knife Handle (<i>Kozuka</i>), 嵐山常行画 Ranzan Tsuneyuki Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), silver, gold, copper, Japanese
藻に白魚図小柄 Knife Handle (Kozuka)
Fittings maker 嵐山常行画 Ranzan Tsuneyuki
19th century
波濤に岩上鷹図大小 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 石黒政常 Ishiguro Masatsune Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), gold, copper, Japanese
波濤に岩上鷹図大小 Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Fittings maker Inscribed by 石黒政常 Ishiguro Masatsune
late 18th–early 19th century
波濤に岩上鷹図大小 Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 石黒政常 Ishiguro Masatsune Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), gold, copper, Japanese
波濤に岩上鷹図大小 Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Fittings maker Inscribed by 石黒政常 Ishiguro Masatsune
late 18th–early 19th century
木賊兎図大小揃物 Fittings for a Pair of Swords (<i>Daishō Soroi-Mono</i>), 石黒政美 Ishiguro Masayoshi Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, silver, copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), copper, Japanese
木賊兎図大小揃物 Fittings for a Pair of Swords (Daishō Soroi-Mono)
Fittings maker Inscribed by 石黒政美 Ishiguro Masayoshi
19th century
Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>), Steel, wood, rayskin (<i>same</i>), thread, silver, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, Japanese
Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Japanese
blade and mounting, 19th century; sword guard, 16th century
鮫皮研出鞘大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Long Sword (<i>Katana</i>), Muramasa Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, ray skin (<i>same</i>), thread, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, Japanese
鮫皮研出鞘大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Long Sword (Katana)
Multiple artists/makers
blade, 16th century; mounting, 19th century
鮫皮研出鞘大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>), Nobukuni Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, ray skin (samé), thread, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, Japanese
鮫皮研出鞘大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Multiple artists/makers
blade, late 14th–early 15th century; mounting, 19th century
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)
Swordsmith Blade inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
Fittings maker Fittings inscribed by 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)
Swordsmith Blade inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
Fittings maker Fittings inscribed by 乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu
blade, late 17th century; mounting, 19th century
印籠刻昆虫図螺鈿据文象嵌鞘打刀拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (<i>Katana</i>), Steel, wood, lacquer, mother-of-pearl, rayskin (<i>same</i>), thread, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), gold, iron, Japanese
印籠刻昆虫図螺鈿据文象嵌鞘打刀拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana)
Japanese
blade 17th century; mounting 19th century
芒蒔絵鞘突兵拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (<i>Katana</i>), 高本秀宗 Takamoto Hidemune Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, leather, gold, iron, Japanese
芒蒔絵鞘突兵拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana)
Fittings maker Fittings inscribed by 高本秀宗 Takamoto Hidemune
blade, 16th century; mounting, 19th century
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with Letter by Maker, 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper, Japanese
Sword Guard (Tsuba) with Letter by Maker
Fittings maker 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao
19th century
Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao Japanese, Copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), copper, Japanese
Sword guard (Tsuba)
Fittings maker 黒川兼四郎茂直作 Kurokawa Kenshirō Shigenao
19th century
紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>), 重武 Shigetake Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, rayskin (<i>same</i>), thread, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>), Japanese
紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Swordsmith 重武 Shigetake
blade, 18th century; mounting, 19th century
Portraits of Twenty-eight Metal Artists, Kitao Shigemasa Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan
Portraits of Twenty-eight Metal Artists
Kitao Shigemasa
後藤家歴代揃目貫献上箱 Presentation Box for Sword-Grip Ornaments (<i>Menuki</i>), Wood, lacquer, brass, textile, Japanese
後藤家歴代揃目貫献上箱 Presentation Box for Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)
Japanese
19th century